A square file is a metal tool used to remove wood or metal from a workpiece. They range from 6-18 inches and have parallel ridges engraved or with industrial diamonds set into their surface. The more ridges per inch, the finer the cut. Square files are just one of many files carpenters and metalworkers will have in their toolboxes.
A square file is a metal tool with a rough surface used to remove small amounts of wood or metal from a workpiece. Ranging from six to 18 inches (15-46 cm) long, give or take, they generally have a narrow, pointed tang at one end designed to insert into a removable handle. Square files are widest at the base, but rarely more than an inch (2.54 cm) or so, and taper to a narrow point.
One of the most basic hand tools, rasps have been found in archaeological digs dating back to 1200 – 1000 BC. The older rasps were made of brass, the newer ones of iron. Modern files are made of hardened steel with a series of parallel ridges engraved or with industrial diamonds set into their surface.
Modern files have a series of ridges or two cut at an angle to each other. A file is said to be single-edged when only one set of such ridges has been cut; a double-edged or diamond file has two sets of ridges, forming diamond-shaped teeth. The more ridges per inch, the finer the cut. From smoothest to roughest, the six generally recognized roughness grades are: smooth, smooth, second cut, bastard, medium, and rough. All four sides of a square file will have teeth cut through, although some other shaped files are left with some smooth surfaces so the teeth can be used right up to the edge of an inside corner without damaging the adjacent side.
A square file cuts on the push stroke; the craftsman holds the handle in one hand and rests the palm of the other hand on the front of the file and pushes the file forward onto the part of the workpiece from which the butt is to be removed. The best work is done when both hands are used to apply constant pressure and to control the file. Using one hand will not only result in an uneven cut, but there is a greater chance that the file will stray from the intended working area. When material needs to be removed from a large piece, many craftsmen will make diagonal cuts to cover more area and produce a more uniform surface.
When using a square file to clean up a right-angled inside cut, such as a woodworking mortise, it is sometimes not possible to provide pressure and guidance on the front end of the file. When this is the case, the work is generally done more slowly to avoid deviations in the shear and to ensure as constant pressure as possible.
A square file is just one of many that carpenters and metalworkers will have in their toolboxes. Other popular files are milling files, round files, and tri-square files, which are actually triangular. Many files are very small, sometimes no wider than a quarter inch (6.35 mm) at the widest point. These smaller files, often called needle files, usually replicate the shape of their larger counterparts, and a set of miniature files will often include a square file, round file, tri-square file, among others. Needle files are very useful for both wood and metal detail work as well as deburring metals.
Protect your devices with Threat Protection by NordVPN
