Today I am talking about File-Prep, and have a Tutorial and a Video on how I prepare my Barrette Needle File for Making Jewelry. This is my favorite file of all my needle files, and these quick modifications make it so much better.
When you order a set, or single file that has a smooth edge like a Barrette, Marking, or Parallel File, the smooth edge is not always the smoothest, so today I will give you a quick lesson on how I make my Most Favorite File, even more “Favorite-est”
Received from the factory, the smooth edge is not completely smooth. The whole reason the edge is smooth is so you can rest it against a portion of your work and have it not cut. But a New File doesn’t always have the smoothest side, and will leave marks on your jewelry.
What I do is first sand the edge flat, taking off all the scratches and “Side-Teeth” using a Medium or Fine Sanding Disc on a Snap-On Mandrel. This makes the side smooth and flat. Then I will rub the flat edge of the file on a whetstone to take out the smaller scratches left by the sanding.
Next I will take some Yellow Rouge and rub it on a piece of paper, and with the paper on a flat surface like a piece of glass, plexi-glass, of smooth table top, I will rub the edge of the file on the paper which will polish the smooth portion of the file leaving an edge that is now a burnisher and not a cutter.
I also sand down the tip of the file to make it more of a fine point, to get into tighter areas.
Here is a quick video I made on the process: https://youtu.be/H1IZjkmO2RY
And that is it, that is how I transform my Most Favorite File into My Most Favorite-est File.
If you have NEVER used a Barrette File, I suggest you give one a try, they really are great. I have a few of them left for sale at JewelryMonk.com/tools
I have Sets of Needle Files, Escapement Files, and Hand Files for sale for a very limited time, when they are gone, they are gone! I also have the Snap-On Discs and the Yellow Rouge available.
As always, thanks for stopping by, I hope this helps you on your Jewelry Making Journey
Now….. Go Make Something Shiny.
Doug