82 Chapter 4 Hand Tools
• The rasp-cut fi le is different from the other
fi les in several ways. The teeth are punched
separately from one another. They actually
cut the material being fi led rather than
abrading it as other fi les do. They should
be used only on wood. Most woodworkers
do not refer to a rasp-cut fi le as a fi le, but
rather as just a rasp.
Files are also categorized by their cross-
sectional shape. Common types are round,
half-round, square, triangular, knife, flat, and
diamond. See Figure 4-49.
Coarseness refers to the number of teeth per
inch. Three common grades of coarseness are
bastard, second, and smooth.
A typical woodshop contains a variety of
different fi les for cutting wood and metal. Make
certain not to use a metal fi le for cutting wood. A
fi le designed to cut metal will clog very rapidly
when used on wood. The metal fi les are used for
sharpening saws, saw blades, and cabinet scrap-
ers as well as fi ling off the tips of screws. Use
wood fi les only on wood. A wood rasp will dull
very quickly and will not provide a smooth sur-
face when used on metal.
Legnth
Single cut Double cut
Rasp cut Curved-cut
Flat Diamond Square Triangular Knife Half-round Round
File Cuts
File Coarseness
File Shapes
File Terminology
Bastard Second Smooth
Tang Heel
Face Point
Figure 4-48. Files are available in various cuts, shapes, and degrees of coarseness.
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