Safety First
Making Safe Edge Files
© Frank Ford 2006; Photos by FF
I use a number of differenty style safe edge files for guitar fret work, including one that has both narrow edges rounded and safe, as well as both ends cut short, rounded and safe.
If the file is to be shortened, I'll just clamp it in my vise and give it a
whack:
I'm left with a rough end that's easy to grind square, rounded, or whatever
shape I want:
But when I wanted to grind safe corners on a long extra slim taper triangular
file, I'd be struggling to hold it safely up against my belt sander or grinder.
So I made up this little magnetic holder from a chunck of aluminum with four
of those super strong neodymium magnets pressed in:
Now, I can hold any file safely! This ten inch mill file is no problem to hold by hand, but the little ones didn't photograph so well, so here's a shot of me rounding over the narrow edge:
I think the belt sander is the right tool for this job because it leaves scratches
that run parallel to the long axis of the file so they won't scratch my work:
