Friedrich Dick Barrette Needle File

This Friedrich Dick barrette needle file is ideal for refining flat surfaces as well as narrow areas, straight edges and structures, and outside curves. It has a broad-based triangle shape that tapers in width and thickness, and has teeth only on the bottom surface; the file is double-cut. The safe back prevents removal of metal from adjacent surfaces. This file has a German cut #2; German-cut files are graded by the number of teeth, counting teeth parallel to the long axis of the file. German cuts start coarser than Swiss and go finer, offering more increments for more precise cutting. In all cut styles, the higher the number, the finer its cut. A double-cut file features two sets of evenly spaced teeth set in two directions, one at a slightly different angle than the other. Double-cut files are designed to cut more aggressively, maximizing the work of each stroke to remove more metal with fewer strokes. At the end of the stroke, the file should be lifted from the workpiece and repositioned for the next stroke; dragging the file backward against the metal can mar the metal and damage the teeth. Needle files feature a miniature profile with a shorter cutting surface (typically about half their length) and round, narrow handles. These small files are ideal for working on fine details and in small areas of the workpiece; they're ideal when access and surface finish take priority over metal removal. Though they can be used as-is, securing the file in a handle (available separately) improves control for better precision and tool safety. Among the finest jewelers' files in the world, Friedrich Dick files are made of tough chrome/tool steel alloy and precisely machined to yield sharp corners and fine points. These files have deep-cut teeth that provide efficient, uniform stock removal; they are 66–67 HRC hardness for exceptional service with minimal care.