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Right after cutting and soldering, a piece feels rough and bumpy, but filing isn’t about removing as much metal as fast as you can. It’s a way to smooth out a piece without changing its shape and to remove tool marks. First, firmly hold the object so that your hands are free to handle the file. Select a flat file for straight edges and apply light pressure while stroking the file in one direction only — do not rub the file back and forth. Lightly stroke or lift the file on the return stroke, as files only cut going forward.
The key to keeping a sharp edge is maintaining the angle, if you let the file wander the edge will slowly begin to take on a rounded look. One of the most common mistakes new users make is cocking the file to one side; not only does this tend to round off the corners, but it also changes the edge thickness at an angle. Observe the file edge where it meets the metal and hold the file square. It is also important to make sure that the teeth of the file are free of the metal shavings that they remove, if the teeth become clogged the file will simply rub on the surface rather than bite. Gently tapping the file or running a brush through the teeth should keep them clear. A good rule of thumb is to listen to the sound the file is making. If the stroke is smooth and steady sounding the pressure is even, if it begins to chatter, there is not enough pressure in one area.
The biggest mistake of all is to move on to higher-grade tools too quickly. If a deep scratch was made with a coarse file, it will still be there even after all the polishing. If there are still scratches, go back to the next grade of file and get them out before moving on. Use a strong light and turn the object to see where the light is bouncing off the surface. It’s easy to overlook imperfections if you only look at them from one side. Looking at the piece this way helps you to see the surface as it will look when the jewelry is complete.
Every day, I take some small squares of scraps and I hone the edges of these pieces until all sides feel flat. I dedicate about fifteen minutes to sharp edges and flat surfaces, paying attention to this with my finger and not just my eyes. Then I try to lay two pieces of these on top of each other, if they don’t wobble, you probably have a flat surface. Doing this drill is far more accurate then if you try to hone some odd shape at an early stage.
The further one refines their control, the more filing is about creating graduations of contour, and the more subtle one’s pressure can become to both dull or accentuate an edge. This control allows the maker to control how light reflects off the metal, and what was perhaps perceived as a laborious process begins to emerge as a vital part of the process that transforms building into a finished appearance.