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Coating Removal · E-File Technique

How to Remove Gel Polish with an E-File: Step-by-Step 6-Stroke Scheme

By Yuliia Vel, VEL Academy  ·  Russian Manicure Professional Education

To remove gel polish with an e-file, use a straight carbide bit at 35,000 RPM in forward rotation and follow six strokes: left to right and right to left with fast back-and-forth movements, one long top-to-bottom pass, a diagonal pass, short horizontal or circular strokes, and a final long right-to-left pass. Firm pressure is used only on the first stroke; every stroke after it is light. Stop at a thin, semi-transparent layer of the old coating — never file down to the bare nail plate.

VEL Academy methodology: The 35,000 RPM setting and 6-stroke removal scheme described in this article are the approach VEL Academy recommends for fast, consistent coating removal. Different manufacturers, machines, and schools may use different speeds or sequences. The figures given here are specific to the VEL Academy system — calibrate them to your equipment and the guidelines of your training.

Speed in gel polish removal does not come from moving faster — it comes from moving in the right sequence. The 6-stroke removal scheme at 35,000 RPM gives every stroke a fixed direction, a fixed part of the bit, and a fixed pressure. Once you understand why each stroke is placed where it is, removal becomes a repeatable, predictable process rather than an improvised scan of the nail surface.

Why a Structured E-File Removal Sequence Saves 3–5 Minutes

Most nail technicians learn removal by feel: they move the e-file across the nail until the coating looks thin, then stop. This approach works well enough when you have time, but it has two structural problems. First, it is inconsistent — some areas get more passes than others without any particular reason, leading to uneven thinning. Second, it is slow, because without a defined path, the bit covers the same territory multiple times and misses other areas entirely.

A defined 6-stroke scheme solves both problems. Each stroke runs in its own direction, with its own part of the bit and its own pressure. When you follow the scheme, every nail gets the same removal quality regardless of how you feel at a particular appointment. And because the strokes cross the nail in different directions, no area is skipped or doubled — which is where the time saving comes from. Nail technicians who move from unstructured removal to the 6-stroke scheme typically recover 3–5 minutes per appointment at this stage alone.

E-file machine speed dial at 35000 RPM for gel polish removal

The removal stage runs at 35,000 RPM — the setting that makes the 6-stroke scheme work efficiently

E-File Removal Setup: 35,000 RPM and FWD Rotation

Before the first stroke, three parameters must be correct:

  • Bit shape: straight carbide bit only — Pro Burs №411, Kristall 31235, or equivalent. Tapered bits are not used for removal. (Why the shape matters: straight bit vs tapered bit for coating removal.)
  • Speed: 35,000 RPM. This is the speed at which a straight carbide bit removes gel coating efficiently without requiring additional pressure.
  • Rotation: FWD (forward). The cutting edges of a standard straight bit are optimized for forward rotation.

With these three parameters set correctly, the bit does the work. You control direction, the part of the bit in contact, and pressure — the bit handles removal rate and heat management.

Pro Burs 411 straight carbide removal bit purple grit

Pro Burs №411 — purple grit straight carbide bit

Kristall 31235 straight carbide removal bit blue grit

Kristall 31235 — blue grit straight carbide bit

Kristall 13236 left hand carbide removal bit blue grit

Kristall 13236 — left hand carbide bit, blue grit

The 6-Stroke Gel Removal Scheme: Step-by-Step Breakdown

Straight carbide bit, 35,000 RPM, FWD. Six strokes, always in the same order. What changes from stroke to stroke is the direction, the part of the bit touching the coating, and the pressure. Firm pressure is used once — on the first stroke, to break through the top layer of the coating. From the second stroke on, pressure stays light, so the nail plate never takes the force.

Gel removal stroke 1: left to right with fast back-and-forth e-file strokes

Stroke 1: Left to Right, Firm Pressure

Fast back-and-forth strokes from left to right without lifting the bit off the nail. Start with the tip of the bit, then bring in the middle part. Firm pressure — only on this stroke, to break through the top layer of the coating.

Gel removal stroke 2: right to left with fast back-and-forth e-file strokes

Stroke 2: Right to Left, Reduced Pressure

The same fast back-and-forth strokes, now from right to left, with the bit staying on the nail. Work with the middle part of the bit and reduce the pressure. From here on, pressure stays light.

Gel removal stroke 3: one long top-to-bottom pass with the tip of the bit

Stroke 3: Top to Bottom, Long Pass

One long stroke from top to bottom with the tip of the bit, light pressure.

Gel removal stroke 4: diagonal pass with the middle part of the bit

Stroke 4: Diagonal Pass

A diagonal stroke with the middle part of the bit.

Gel removal stroke 5: short horizontal or circular e-file strokes

Stroke 5: Horizontal or Circular Strokes

Short horizontal or circular strokes with the tip and middle part of the bit, light pressure.

Gel removal stroke 6: final long right-to-left pass with the tip and middle of the bit

Stroke 6: Right to Left, Final Long Pass

One long stroke from right to left with the tip and middle part of the bit, light pressure.

Once the sequence becomes automatic, both hands take about 3 minutes. If it takes you longer, look at movement speed first: slow strokes keep the bit in one place, and that is exactly where heat builds up.

How Much Gel to Leave Behind: Finding the Correct Endpoint

Nails after correct gel polish removal with a thin residual layer from the growth points to the free edge

Correct removal result: thin residual layer remaining, predominantly from the growth points to the end of the free edge

The endpoint of the removal stage is not a bare nail plate — it is a thin, even residual layer of coating. The coating should be reduced to the point where it is semi-transparent and even across the nail, with the remaining material concentrated from the growth points toward the free edge.

This thin layer serves a purpose: it protects the nail plate surface from abrasion during the remaining removal passes and provides a slight tooth for the base coat that will be applied after manicure. Removing it completely by pushing through to the raw nail plate is not an improvement — it is an over-step that thins the natural nail over time.

The rule: remove coating down to a thin layer, with material predominantly remaining from the growth points to the end of the free edge. If you can see through the residual layer to the natural nail color, you have reached the correct depth. If the nail plate surface is shiny and clearly exposed, you have gone too far.

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Smoothing Pass After Gel Removal: When to Do It and When to Skip It

Smoothing scheme after gel removal: short horizontal and chaotic strokes with the middle part of the bit

Smoothing scheme: 10,000–15,000 RPM, FWD — horizontal back-and-forth or short chaotic strokes with the middle part of the bit

Smoothing is a separate pass after the 6-stroke removal scheme, at 10,000–15,000 RPM in FWD rotation. The bit moves in horizontal back-and-forth or short chaotic strokes, using its middle part. It is not a routine step — it is done when the next stage needs it:

  • to smooth the surface better or remove color before the next coating — for example, under a camouflage shade;
  • to remove lifting;
  • to remove as much of the old coating as possible.

If the next step is architecture restoration and color application, and the previous coating held well, skip smoothing. For when a buffer is the right tool instead, see buffing after removal: when you need it.

Filing the Nail Plate by Hand: Only Two Exceptions

A 180-grit hand file applied directly to the nail plate surface is not part of the standard removal-to-manicure sequence. It is used only in two specific circumstances:

  • The client arrives without coating and the cuticle scales need to be lifted before any manicure work can begin. In this case, the hand file prepares the surface at the growth zone.
  • The client has lifting that has penetrated to deep layers of the nail plate, where the surface texture is disrupted enough that normal base coat adhesion would be compromised without preparation.

In all other cases, the 180-grit file does not touch the nail plate surface. Adding it as a routine step thins the nail unnecessarily and contributes to the surface sensitivity and fragility that clients report after years of gel fill appointments. Both cases are covered in detail in 180-grit file on the nail plate: two cases when it's necessary.

From Gel Removal to Manicure: What the Nail Should Look Like

After removal, the nail is ready for the manicure stage — cuticle work with the flame bit, scissors, and finishing passes. The removal stage does not need to produce a perfect nail plate; it needs to produce a nail plate that is ready for the next stage without compromising what follows.

The 6-stroke scheme achieves this consistently. When removal is done with a straight bit at the correct speed and in the correct sequence, the transition to manicure happens without correction steps — which is where the largest time savings in the overall service accumulate.

The efficiency gain: A defined removal sequence is one of the three structural changes that make Russian manicure faster than conventional technique. Nail technicians who move from unstructured removal to the 6-stroke scheme at 35,000 RPM typically recover 3–5 minutes per appointment at this stage alone. Combined with the cuticle work sequence and the 4-finger coating application approach, these changes together account for the up to 30% service efficiency increase that Russian manicure technique delivers — without rushing, and without cutting corners on quality.

Frequently Asked Questions About E-File Gel Removal

The VEL Academy removal scheme uses 6 strokes with a straight carbide bit at 35,000 RPM, FWD: left to right with fast back-and-forth movements, right to left with the same movements, one long top-to-bottom pass, a diagonal pass, short horizontal or circular strokes, and a final long right-to-left pass. The sequence clears coating efficiently without backtracking or repeating areas unnecessarily.
No. The goal of removal is to clear most of the coating, leaving a thin residual layer — not to expose the raw nail plate. Removing all coating down to the nail plate surface increases the risk of abrasion. A thin remaining layer is normal and correct.
Each of the 6 strokes has its own direction: left to right, right to left, top to bottom, diagonal, horizontal or circular, and a final right-to-left pass. The first two strokes are fast back-and-forth movements without lifting the bit off the nail; strokes 3 and 6 are single long passes. FWD rotation is used for the whole removal scheme with a straight carbide bit.
Firm pressure only on the first stroke — it breaks through the top layer of the coating, and that is its only job. From the second stroke on, pressure is reduced and stays light until the coating is down to a thin layer. Pressing hard through the whole removal is one of the main causes of heat and nail plate thinning.
Correct removal leaves a thin, semi-transparent layer of gel, predominantly from the growth points toward the free edge. You should be able to see the natural nail color through the residual layer — that is the correct depth. The surface should look even, with no deep grooves and no shiny patches of exposed nail plate; shiny, clearly exposed nail plate means you have gone too far.