Fret End Dressing File
Dan Erlewine shows how to use this small file for shaping fret ends.
Video Transcription
Dan Erlewine: This little Fret End Dressing File is my favorite for shaping fret ends after they've been beveled. It knocks off that little wire edge burr left by beveling, and it rounds the fret ends. These two cutting sides have very fine cut teeth, and no other file cleans up burrs as well as this one. It's sharp and it cuts right into that tight corner. This side, and that side.
The two thin edges are ground smooth and have no teeth. One edge is ground flat and sharp, and the opposite side is rounded and smooth. It won't cut into the fretboard as you shape the fret ends. With that smooth, rounded edge down, you can roll the ends like so. Imagine trying to do this with the sharp edge down. You'd be cutting into the wood.
On bound fretboards, we hang the fret over the binding, so we have to notch the ends and cut the tang back. I use this file to get a super clean shape on the underside of the fret overhang. It's perfect for that and lots of other small jobs. This is one of my most used files.
