Fret file
A narrow metal file with a safe, smooth edge used for dressing the ends and sides of frets without cutting into the fingerboard.
The safe edge is the point of the tool: it lets the file be laid flat against the fret ends to remove the sharp corner while the smooth side rests on the timber without marking it. Files for fretwork also come in shaped forms for crowning, and in finer cuts for polishing after the metal has been levelled. A file used on frets should be kept for that job alone, since a worn or dirty file leaves scratches that are then difficult to polish out.
Example: a few light passes along each side of the neck with a fret file removes the edges that catch a player's hand.
See also
Related
- PageFret end dressing
- PageFret level
- PageAction gauge
- PageAged finish
- PageBack bow
- PageAaron Dessner
- PageAce Frehley
- PageAd-Rock