File Accessories

A file's teeth are hardened, brittle and remarkably easy to spoil. Two files rattling together in a drawer will blunt each other in a way that no amount of careful work at the bench can undo, and an unhandled file is both uncomfortable to use and genuinely dangerous. The accessories on this page exist to keep files cutting well and safe to hold.

Files are almost always sold bare, with an exposed tang that needs a handle before the tool is fit for use. Our Holtzapffel pattern walnut handle follows the shape used by the celebrated London toolmaking dynasty of the same name - a swelled grip that fills the palm for heavy draw filing, tapering to a ferrule that seats the tang securely. One handle can serve several files if you swap it over as you work.

Natural French chalk is the traditional answer to pinning. Rubbed across the teeth before you start, it stops fine swarf from wedging in the gullets and scoring the workpiece, which is a particular problem on soft metals such as aluminium, brass and lead. A stick lasts a long time, and the packs of five are the most economical way to buy it.

For storage, our suede leather and canvas tool rolls give each file its own pocket so nothing touches anything else - the single most effective thing you can do to preserve a set of files. Magnetic tool bars suit the files in daily use, holding them separated and visible above the bench where you can reach the right one without rummaging.

Keep files dry and free of oil, since a rusted or greasy file cuts poorly. Looking after your files will keep a good set working for decades.

Many of these accessories work equally well with rasps - see our rasp accessories for advice on protecting hand stitched teeth.