Vallorbe
Unique, high-performance and high-quality products from Usines Métallurgiques de Vallorbe have graced jewellers' tool kits under the Glardon® brand since 1899.
By choosing the Glardon® brand, you are selecting tools with an exceptional service life. Our expertise in combining tradition with innovation means that our 100% Swiss Made products are not to be missed. Over the years, we have expanded our range by introducing saw blades, engravers and power tools alongside the typical files, rifflers and rasps.
The diversity of our range and our outstanding service make our company a key player in this sector.
Constantly monitoring the market and listening to the requirements of our users, our in-house team are continuously developing and optimising the solutions we offer, in order to best support users.
Vallorbe Precision Jeweler Files Series
Manufactured from specially alloyed high-carbon Swiss steel, Vallorbe files cleanly remove material without crushing the metal. They provide excellent surface smoothness and form control in the filing and finishing of gold, silver, platinum, and other precious metals in jewelry making.
Flat File (1163-6-) It is the essential tool for leveling flat surfaces, smoothing outer edges, and achieving uniform material removal across wide areas. Thanks to its parallel width and tapering thickness towards the tip, it allows you to obtain sharp and crisp edges on ring bands, medallions, and flat-formed jewelry.
Half-Round File - Wide (1560-6-) With a structure that is flat on one side and curved (half-round) on the other, it is the most versatile file on a jeweler's bench. It has the ideal width and curve, specifically for cleaning the insides of rings, shaping curved surfaces, and filing concave and convex forms.
Half-Round File - Narrow (1566-6-) This is the thinner and narrower-curved version of the classic half-round file. It is specially designed to easily access the inner parts of small-diameter rings, tight curves, fine contoured details, and narrow spaces that require highly precise surface work.
Triangular (Three Square) File - Wide (1360) Designed in an equilateral triangle form that tapers towards the point, it is meant for cleaning corners, V-grooves, and angled surfaces. It is perfect for shaping setting prongs, carving wide notches, and filing surface geometries that require a 60-degree angle.
Triangular (Three Square) File - Narrow (1366) This is the slim version of the wide triangular file. It offers extra precision, especially in tight corners, preparing delicate stone seats/settings, pointed recesses, and narrow-angled details. It is indispensable for pre-setting preparations and fine goldsmithing work.
File Cut Numbers (00 - 0 - 1 - 2 - 3 - 4)
The numbers found on Vallorbe files indicate the cut degree of the file, meaning the coarseness and density of the teeth. This numbering system, based on the Swiss cut standard, allows the user to have complete control over the material removal rate and surface precision.
In the Swiss file numbering system, as the number increases, the teeth become finer and closer together; as the number decreases, the teeth become coarser and more widely spaced.
Coarse Cut Files (Cut 00 and 0): Designed for fast and heavy material removal. They are used for the rough filing of newly cast pieces, during the initial shaping stages, and whenever excess material needs to be filed away quickly.
Medium Cut Files (Cut 1 and 2): These serve as the transition stage between rough filing and fine finishing. They are the most frequently preferred, highly versatile cut numbers for smoothing the surface of an already shaped product and achieving a more balanced abrasion.
Fine Cut Files (Cut 3 and 4): Used to smooth the surface, eliminate the microscopic scratches left by coarser files, and flawlessly prepare the product for the sanding/polishing stage. They provide maximum control for fine details and delicate touch-up work.