APEX NIC03764NN Flat File Steel Doule Cut on Sides Single Cut on Edges Bastard

The NIC03764NN is a flat file, double cut on the sides and single cut on the edges, bastard cut, flat shape, 0.195 inch thick, 1.22 inch wide, 12 inch long, hard stamped, steel, unhandled.

This is the largest flat file in the group at 12 inches, and the safety point that applies to every file in it applies most to this one: fit a handle before using it.

The listing says unhandled, and that is normal — files are sold bare and handles are bought separately. What is not normal is how often the handle never gets fitted. A file's tang is a bare tapered spike, and the classic injury is entirely predictable: the file catches on the work, the hand slides forward, and the tang goes into the palm or the wrist. It is one of the oldest recorded workshop injuries and it is completely preventable.

The larger the file, the more force behind it, and a 12 inch bastard file is being pushed hard.

The second rule: files are glass-hard and brittle. Using one as a pry bar or striking it will snap it, and the fragments travel.

Twelve inches is chosen for reach and for stroke — a long file takes a long, flat cut and stays flatter across a surface than a short one, which rocks.

Bastard is the coarse grade: for removing stock, not for finishing.

Applications include metalwork, fabrication, and maintenance.

Brand

APEX

SKU

NIC03764NN

Category

Hand Tools

Weight

0.35 lbs

Dimensions

14.00 x 1.30 x 0.31

Price

$18.95

Availability

In stock

Rating

4.19 / 5.0