FILES

Files are hand tools used in machining to remove material like a rasp. Their shape and grain vary, and are selected according to the specific needs and the profile of the component being worked on. Metal files are crafted from hardened steel, with their production involving multiple complex processes such as turning, stamping, cutting, along with heat and surface treatments. For working with particularly hard materials (such as ceramics, sapphire, glass, etc.), some files are coated with diamond through a surface treatment (synthetic polycrystalline diamond deposited by VPD).

Files are used by various professionals (micromechanics, watchmakers, chamfers, engravers, enamellers, etc.) for a range of purposes, including deburring, shaping components, and decorating.

The grain value of a precision file is usually stamped at the base of its handle. This number represents the file’s “teeth” per square centimetre. Thus, the higher the number, the finer the file.