Buy Files & File Sets Online in Australia
Common Questions about Files and File Sets
What is a metal file used for?
A metal file is a hand tool with a hardened, ridged cutting surface used to remove material from metal, wood, plastic or composite work. Files shape, sharpen, deburr and smooth — finishing welds, dressing tool edges, sizing holes, fitting parts. Different cuts, shapes and grades suit different jobs and material types.
What is the difference between bastard, second and smooth cut files?
Bastard cut has the coarsest teeth — fast material removal with a rough finish. Second cut is a middle grade with moderate removal and reasonable finish. Smooth cut has the finest teeth — slow removal with a clean finish. A typical workshop file set includes all three cuts in flat, half-round and round profiles.
What file shapes are available?
Common shapes include flat for general purpose, half-round combining flat and curved cut, round for enlarging holes and round profiles, square for slots and corners, triangular for sharpening saws and tight internal angles, and warding for narrow slots. AIMS stocks the workshop common shapes in bastard, second and smooth cuts.
Do files cut on the push or pull stroke?
Standard metal files cut on the forward push stroke — the teeth are angled to bite into the work as you push. Lift the file on the back stroke; dragging it back over the work dulls the teeth. Japanese rasps and some saw files are designed to cut on the pull stroke instead.
Do I need a file handle?
Yes — a file tang, the pointed end, without a handle is a safety hazard. The tang can drive into your hand if the file catches in the work. Push-fit wooden file handles or knurled plastic handles are stocked for all standard tang sizes. AIMS stocks files with handles, without, plus replacement handles.
What's the difference between single-cut and double-cut files?
Single-cut files have teeth running in one direction only, producing a cleaner, finer finish -- the standard choice for precision work and finishing passes. Double-cut files have a second set of teeth crossing the first at an angle, forming a diamond pattern that removes material faster but leaves a rougher surface. Use double-cut for stock removal, single-cut for finishing.
Why shouldn't I use the same file on aluminium and steel?
Soft, gummy materials like aluminium clog a file's teeth with material that welds into the gullets between the teeth. A file that's been used on aluminium and then used on steel won't cut cleanly because the clogged teeth can't bite into the harder material -- and it drags the trapped aluminium across the steel surface. Keep a dedicated file for non-ferrous work, or clean the teeth thoroughly with a file card between materials.
What's a wood rasp and how is it different from a standard file?
A wood rasp has coarse, individual raised teeth rather than the continuous ridged cutting surface of a standard file. That individual-tooth design gives a rasp a much more aggressive cut suited to timber and other soft materials, where a standard file would clog quickly. Rasps are the right tool for fast shaping of wood -- not for metal, where the aggressive tooth pattern would tear rather than cut cleanly.
When would I use a diamond file instead of a standard steel file?
Standard steel files can't cut materials harder than the file itself -- they won't touch carbide, hardened tool steel, glass or ceramic. A diamond-coated file uses embedded diamond particles instead of cut teeth, so it abrades these hard materials rather than trying to shear them. Reach for a diamond file whenever the workpiece material is carbide, hardened steel, glass or ceramic.
File & File Set Selection — Quick Reference
Files are workshop fundamentals — selection by material (file for steel ≠ file for non-ferrous), profile (matches the geometry being filed), cut (single vs double + grade), and length (longer = aggressive, shorter = control).
| File Type | Profile | Best For |
|---|---|---|
| Hand File (Flat) | Flat, parallel + taper toward tip | General workshop filing — workshop default |
| Half-Round File | Flat on one side, curved on the other | Filing both flat + concave radii |
| Round (Rat-Tail) File | Round, tapered | Enlarging holes, filing internal radii |
| Square File | Square cross-section, all teeth-cut faces | Square + rectangular holes, slots |
| Triangular (Three-Square) File | Triangular, 60° angles | Filing tap drill points, saw teeth setting, 60° internal angles |
| Needle File Set (Precision) | Various — fine work | Jewellery, model-making, precision deburring |
| Chainsaw File (Round) | Round, parallel | Saw chain sharpening — sized to chain pitch |
| Diamond File | Various — diamond-coated | Carbide + hardened steel + glass + ceramic |
| Rasp (Wood Rasp) | Coarse individual teeth | Timber + soft material — aggressive cut |
Cut grades: Rough (heavy stock removal) | Bastard (general) | Second cut (finishing) | Smooth (final polish prep) | Dead smooth (precision). Single cut = one direction (better finish) | Double cut = crossed pattern (faster removal). ALWAYS use file handle — bare tang = injury risk. Don't file iron/steel with files used on aluminium (clogs). Brands: Pferd (premium), Goliath, P&N, Lang Tools, Maxigear, Noga, Eze-Lap (diamond), Tajima. Companion: hand tools, sharpening tools, deburring tools.
Hand Files and File Sets
Files are one of the most fundamental hand tools in any workshop or fabrication environment. AIMS carries an extensive range from Pferd, Goliath, P&N, Lang Tools, Maxigear, Noga, Eze-Lap and Tajima — covering hand files, needle files, chainsaw files, diamond files and specialty rasps for metalworking, sharpening and finishing applications.
Key Brands
Pferd
Pferd is the premium brand in the AIMS file range. German-engineered and manufactured, Pferd files are known for consistent cut quality, tooth geometry and long service life. AIMS stocks Pferd hand files with handles, file sets in roll cases, and Pferd chainsaw files for saw chain sharpening. If you're after a file that holds its cut over years of regular use, Pferd is the right choice.
Goliath and P&N
Goliath and P&N are solid, dependable options for general trade and workshop use — well-priced and reliable for everyday deburring, fitting and metal finishing tasks.
File Types
Hand Files
Flat hand files are the most versatile form — used for general stock removal, deburring, flat surface finishing and fitting work. Half-round files work on both flat and curved surfaces. Round files are used for enlarging holes, radiusing inside corners and chain saw gullet sharpening. Square files suit rectangular slots and keyways.
Needle Files
Needle files are fine-cut files for detail work, precision fitting, jewellery repair and die-making. They are available in a range of profiles and in sets covering the most common shapes. The Pferd needle file sets are a practical workshop addition for precision applications.
Chainsaw Files
Pferd chainsaw files are purpose-ground for saw chain sharpening. Matched to the correct chain pitch and file diameter, they produce the consistent hook angle and depth stop setting needed to keep a saw cutting efficiently and safely.
Cut Grades
Files are graded by tooth coarseness. Bastard cut is the coarsest — for rapid material removal and roughing. Second cut is intermediate — for general fitting and smoothing. Smooth cut and dead smooth are for fine finishing, deburring and close-tolerance fitting work. The correct cut grade depends on the material, the amount of metal to remove and the surface finish required.
Specialty Files and Rasps
AIMS also stocks the Tajima combination plaster rasp, Eze-Lap diamond files for sharpening tungsten carbide and hardened steel, and the Champion thread restorer tool (CTRT-1) for cleaning damaged external threads on bolts and fittings.
More Questions — Files & File Sets
Q: How do I choose the right chainsaw file size?
Chainsaw files are matched to the correct chain pitch and file diameter for the saw chain being sharpened. Using the correct match produces the consistent hook angle and depth stop setting needed to keep the saw cutting efficiently and safely — an undersized or oversized file won't reproduce the factory tooth geometry.
Q: What's the difference between Pferd files and Goliath or P&N files?
Pferd is the premium brand in the AIMS file range — German-engineered, known for consistent cut quality, tooth geometry and long service life, and the right choice if you want a file that holds its cut over years of regular use. Goliath and P&N are solid, dependable options for general trade and workshop use — well-priced and reliable for everyday deburring, fitting and metal finishing tasks.
Q: Are Pferd file sets available in a case?
Yes — AIMS stocks Pferd hand files with handles, file sets supplied in roll cases, and Pferd chainsaw files, so a workshop can source a complete organised set rather than individual files.
Q: What's a needle file set used for?
Needle files are fine-cut files for detail work, precision fitting, jewellery repair and die-making. They're supplied in sets covering the most common profiles, and the Pferd needle file sets are a practical addition to a workshop's precision toolkit.
Q: What's the Champion CTRT-1 used for?
The Champion CTRT-1 is a thread restorer tool, used for cleaning damaged external threads on bolts and fittings — stocked in the files and rasps range alongside the Tajima combination plaster rasp as one of the specialty tools in the category.