The Technique: File at 45° Over the Overhangs
Once the free edge has been rounded and checked at the center, hold the hand file at 45°, tilted under the nail, and go over the overhangs. The pass carefully narrows the lower parallels toward the free edge, while the growth points stay intact.
Step 7 — the hand file at 45°, going over the overhangs
What the 45° Pass Gives the Nail
Removing Material Build-Up Under the Free Edge
When base, gel and top coat are cured, the material slightly pulls and settles on the lower edges of the free edge. With the file at 45° under the nail, these small build-ups are removed cleanly. Without this, the nails can look heavy, as if bending downward.
A Thin, Natural-Looking Free Edge
If the free edge is filed only at 90°, the full thickness of the reinforcing layer is visible. The 45° pass creates a bevel that the eye does not notice: from above and from the side, the free edge looks thin and natural, while the stress zone keeps the thickness it needs for strength.
Fewer Snags and Chips
The pass also removes small burrs of material on the underside of the nail. A free edge that is smooth underneath does not catch on hair or textured clothing, which helps the coating wear better at the free edge.
How to Check the Result
- From below — check the lateral overhangs. This is where they are visible.
- From above — check the shape and the sides, so the nail looks symmetrical.
Why the 45° Pass Cannot Be Skipped
If the overhangs are not removed, the nail looks very untidy, however well the shape and the coating were done. In VEL Academy technique, overhang correction is a mandatory part of every Russian manicure — and in the oval sequence, the 45° pass is the step that finishes it. How overhangs are compared and removed is covered in aligning coating overhang on both sides.
Oval and square: the 45° pass finishes both shapes. On an oval, it is step 7 after the rounding. On a square, it is done the same way — but without rounding the corners. The square sequence is covered in the 5-step square nail filing sequence.
Frequently Asked Questions About the 45° Pass
What does the final 45° file pass do in oval nail shape?+
With the hand file at 45°, tilted under the nail, it goes over the overhangs after rounding. It removes the material that settles on the lower edges of the free edge, makes the free edge look thin and natural, and smooths it underneath so it does not catch on hair or clothing.
When is the 45° pass done in the oval sequence?+
It is the last step, step 7 — after the length has been removed, both overhangs have been aligned and removed, and the free edge has been rounded with rocking motions.
What happens if you skip the 45° pass?+
Overhangs and material build-up can be left under the free edge and on the sides, and the nail looks untidy. In VEL Academy technique, overhang correction is a mandatory part of Russian manicure, so the oval is not finished without this step.
How do you check the result of the 45° pass?+
Check the lateral overhangs from below — that is where they are visible. Then look at the nail from above to check the shape and the sides, so the nail looks symmetrical.
Why file at 45° and not only at 90°?+
At 90°, the full thickness of the reinforcing layer is visible at the free edge. The 45° pass creates a bevel the eye does not notice, so the free edge looks thin and natural while the stress zone keeps the thickness it needs for strength.
Is the 45° pass used for square nails?+
Yes. On a square, the 45° pass is done the same way, but without rounding the corners — the square keeps its sharp, defined corners.
