The wood rasp file by Nicholson is 8" long and has a half-round shape with coarse (also called bastard) American Pattern rasp-cut teeth on flat and round sides for aggressive removal of wood or soft materials.
Slightly tapering toward the point in width, the file eases access into slots.
Coarse, single-cut American pattern teeth on the edges are for smoothing with a rough finish.
An optional handle can be used with the tang for secure gripping (sold separately).
Hand files are used to smooth and shape workpieces and remove material.
They cut when pushed over either a stationary or rotating workpiece with forward-facing cutting teeth.
Single-cut teeth are single rows cut diagonally across the width of the file, while double-cut teeth have two sets of rows cut in opposite directions.
American pattern files have three coarseness grades.
Coarse, also known as bastard cut, is suitable for efficient, heavy material removal where finish is not a concern.
Medium, also known as second cut, offers average material removal and finish quality.
Fine, also known as smooth cut, provides the smoothest finish.
Swiss pattern files have eight coarseness grades, from 00 (coarse), 0 (medium), and 1 to 6 (fine to finest), offering a smoother finish than equivalent American pattern files.
For Swiss pattern files, the length of the tool is the length of the blade, not counting the tang, which is the pointed end fitted for a handle; for American pattern files, the length of the tool is its entire length, including the tang.
