Properly handling and
balancing the Electric File

BALANCING AND HAND CONTROL

Control, Balance, Pressure, and Speed all play important roles in using the Electric File safely and correctly. Learning to properly balance your hands as you work will keep them steady and help you develop the proper filing technique. Proper balancing requires that you use your pinky or ring finger braced against your other hand for balance as you work. This is often called a "fulcrum finger." Using a fulcrum finger takes much of the pressure off the hand that holds the handpiece as you work, creating what's called "negative pressure" (pressure on the hand holding the client's fingers). This technique gives you more control over what you're doing, and with practice, will increase the speed and accuracy of your work. If you don't already do this as you apply polish or acrylic, using a fulcrum finger may seem awkward at first. Once you become comfortable with the technique it becomes natural and you'll do it without even thinking about it.

Wrong Angle for shaping
an acrylic nail

Correct Angle for shaping

THE CORRECT ANGLE

Just as with a hand-held file, you must know where the Bit is making contact with the nail to know if you're shaping the acrylic properly. Pay attention to where the Bit is touching the nail by watching from the side or profile view. Bits will file a nail differently depending on the angle at which you hold them. For instance, the front of a Barrel Bit can be used for working near the cuticle area on acrylics; at the center for shaping that same nail and on the bottom end of the barrel for trimming the tip of that nail as well. Watching from the side as you work will allow you to see exactly what you're doing.

PROPER HAND PLACEMENT
Holding Client's Finger
1. Support the finger by placing your thumb and index finger on each side of the finger near the cuticle.
2. Be sure that your hand is under the finger and that both of your arms are braced on the table to avoid movement.

Holding the Hand Piece
1. Hold the hand piece as you would hold a pencil.
2. Keep parallel to the table as you file; move the clients hand, not the front of the hand piece.
3. Balance your hands together as you would when applying nail polish. The finger that braces your hands together is referred to as the 'fulcrum finger'.

*In order to achieve proper filing technique, it is extremely important that the hands are properly braced for support.