Lexi's Favorite Tool: Get Into the Groove with BasicGrey

Reported by Lexi Daly

Pick a favorite tool? What?! That's like picking a favorite stamp or a favorite kid. Impossible! I go through phases of using no tools (well, scissors & paper cutter only!) to using tons of tools--decorative scissors, multiple paper cutters, paper piercer, crop-a-dile, Sizzix BIGkick, etc. etc.! Other than the basics, I guess you could say my favorite or most used tool at any given moment is probably my newest. So for my "favorite tool" article I decided to write about the BasicGrey Precision File Set, one of my newest tools.


The BasicGrey Precision File Set is a set of six files--round, half-round, square, knife & 2 boards. I bought mine for around $7.00 at an online paper crafting store.


I have collected many different shapes of chipboard over the last year or so as they've gotten more popular. They make great elements on cards or gifts, especially when covered with the beautiful patterned paper I've also collected. When covering the fun shapes, sanding the edges gives them a more finished look. Before this file set, I used a sanding block or nail file and was not always able to sand all corners and spaces properly. But with the variety of file shapes in this set, you can smooth the edges of any shape, including holes, inside corners and curves. The boards are like any basic emery board, which I use the most. Since there are two of those, I keep one on my desk with my basic tools and one with the set. But the small files are what make this set a must-have. Here are the two chipboard shapes I decided to cover for this article with the files I used to finish the edges...


As I've already mentioned, sanding or filing gives a finished look. After tracing and covering a shape, filing and smoothing the edges makes the paper truly match the shape. The bird itself has basic edges, so there are no issues in filing them. I used one of the boards there. But this bird has an eye. Before the file set, i might have punched the eye and not sanded or just left it covered. Enter the round file. This was the first time I used the round and I made the eye a little bigger than when it started out, but it worked fine--I just need to have a slower stroke! For the fluer de lis shape, I also used the board and round plus the half-round, which was perfect for the swirly spaces. The half-round has actually been the file I reach for the most of the small files. It's great for following curves and reaching the corners resulting from two curves, like the ones on the fleur. I finished off some of the smaller nooks with the round and finished the larger curves with the board.

Here's how I used my shapes...


I thought it was fitting to use my new Mellow 6x6 paper pad for these cards--sticking with the BasicGrey theme!

I think the label on the tube sums it up well:

TINY GROOVES AND SPACES BECOME REACHABLE WITH THIS PRECISION FILE SET.
DISTRESS CHIPBOARD, PLASTIC, PAPER, AND METAL - ALL WITH SHARPENING RESULTS.
EACH FILE FEATURES A RUBBER-COATED GRIP FOR COMFORT AND EASE-OF-USE.

Hmmm... plastic and metal, too? Even more possibilities. So I can smooth it down or rough it up--either way, I've got the right tools to get into the groove!