Filing the corners off my MacBooks

1258 points - yesterday at 10:16 PM

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Comments

rlt today at 5:21 PM
> People like to freak out about this, so I wanted to post it here to make sure that everyone who wants to freak out about it gets the opportunity to do so.

I've grown to appreciate unapologetic trolling of people who care way too much about what other people do to themselves or their own private property.

yreg today at 12:24 AM
The takeaway from this article should be to consider modifying your tools to your needs even in unconventional and controversial ways. I love it.

The flame war on whether the original chassis design sucks or rocks is not that interesting.

wraptile today at 5:18 AM
I used a macbook for almost 2 years and genuinely don't understand how people can tolerate these machines. My wrists would be cut up all the time to the point where I looked like I was self harming myself and the glary screen is entirely unsuable anywhere but a darkest basement. Not to mention the terrible keyboard. To this day I'm perplexed how macbooks have such high desirability by full time developers when they're almost unusable.
420official today at 12:27 AM
I just did this to my MacBook not because of the sharp edge but because the pitting turns a sharp edge into a sawblade. Something about the grounding on on the frame when plugged in mixed with my sweaty hands leads to damage along this sharp edge on every MacBook I've ever owned.

See https://www.reddit.com/r/macbook/s/hbyVh5SJhw for another poor soul with the same caustic skin

jasoneckert today at 2:15 AM
Thanks for this interesting post - I've been showing it to co-workers to get their reactions, which was incredibly entertaining for me!

Co-worker 1: Interesting. I wonder if that voids the warranty. It's Apple you know.

Co-worker 2: May Jobs have mercy on their soul...

Co-worker 3: Not a bad idea. But not sure if that would cause problems with structural integrity of the laptop, like if you drop it or something.

Co-worker 4: The only downside I see is that you can no longer say "Hey, that's a sharp-looking laptop!"

html5cat yesterday at 11:04 PM
Not all heroes wear capes. This is excellent and can't wait to get aluminium mac next to try it – don't think Space Black is a good way to go.

Author's another post on "The Seasons are Wrong" [0] is excellent too and I fully support both approaches.

[0] https://kentwalters.com/posts/seasons/

scarybeard today at 12:31 PM
I have literally cut my finger with a sharp edge of one of my Apple laptops. Like a paper cut. Filing the edges down is the right way to do it. However - for that price it should've be done by Apple at their factory.
KolibriFly today at 8:29 PM
If a device is uncomfortable in daily use, modifying it to fit your body actually makes a lot of sense
kvuj yesterday at 10:57 PM
Maybe I'm autistic, but I loooove the sharp edges near the opening. They've become almost a nervous tick of playing with them with my fingers.

I've got no idea why, but the sharp feeling is amazing.

aculver today at 12:29 AM
Love this! I did this in 2020 and until today I hadn't seen anyone else who had done it. If anyone is tempted, I recommend finishing the job with Micro-Mesh. IIRC, I went up to 12,000 grit and it results in a nicely polished look that catches the light beautifully.[1] I bet it would look even more striking on the actual black MacBooks we have today.

[1] https://x.com/andrewculver/status/1297575768520716288/photo/...

powvans yesterday at 10:59 PM
Nitpicky, but he’s rounding the edges, not the corners.

And yes, why are they so sharp?

I seem to recall my wife having the plastic MacBook that came out circa 2006 and the edges on that thing were legitimately painful.

I always marvel at how sharp the points are on the notch of the lid on my current MacBook. Very very pointy.

627467 today at 7:26 PM
I never owned the MacBook I used and the current one I do own I still consider selling one day. That's the only reason I'm not ready to replicate this on my own.

The edges are indeed extremely uncomfortable, not to mention how cold it is in winter.

Luckily its just sitting on a stand 99.9% of the time

inatreecrown2 today at 12:52 AM
Lovely writing! And I think the understanding that one can and should modify their tools to their needs is rather rare and should be appreciated.
Topfi yesterday at 11:42 PM
I thought this was going to be on a softwarefix for the appalling inconsistency that are macOS Tahoe window corners. What I found deeply disturbed me, though I must agree, the edges are a bit more sharp then I'd like and a slight curvature could probably prevent them showing wear and tear [0]. Good on op for doing something they like, even if it's really out there and I could see more "pillowy" hardware becoming a thing now, after a few years of sharp edged devices.

Since I mentioned Tahoe, it bears repeating, my spotlight is still broken.

[0] https://ljpuk.net/2025/05/23/how-does-the-space-black-macboo...

krackers yesterday at 10:59 PM
There's a more thorough version of this at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RSaJAAqSAMw and the end-result doesn't look as tacky
Yhippa yesterday at 10:44 PM
As I'm typing on mine right now, I wonder why they made these so sharp. It hasn't cut me yet, but they are decidedly uncomfortable.
baud147258 today at 11:47 AM
> This was on my work computer

is this an employer-issued computer? Like if I did something similar on my DELL laptop (us lowly devs at %DAY_JOB% don't have Macs), management would be up my ass the minute they saw this, if only because the maintenance agreement the company has with our supplier will likely be voided for my machine.

calmbonsai today at 6:50 PM
Hey man, you keep doing you and let the haters wash off your shoulders. I'm left-handed and remove the pocket clip from all of my knives.

The power to personalize should not be underestimated--even at the cost of durability and overall functionality.

thenthenthen today at 11:50 AM
It is for cutting cake did everyone forget??? https://techcrunch.com/2008/06/01/the-macbook-air-thin-enoug...
Cort3z today at 6:47 PM
I can see Apple doing something similar in the future. Just like how they are pivoting away from flat design in their ui, perhaps the time is ready for a more "organic" design. Wonder what marketing term they would use
vvpan yesterday at 11:44 PM
I just came into Mac world for work and struggle to understand the choices Apple makes:

- Sharp edges eat into my forearms.

- Glossy screen makes it hard to see when it's light out.

- The keys have a real hard stop when you press on them which tires out my hands.

- An arrogant desire to obsolete ports.

I don't understand the appeal of the machine, it feels like style over function everywhere.

4rtem today at 12:03 PM
It's actually reveal the major issue in Apple products where aesthetics prevail over tactile. Sharp edges and aluminium is the worst way to make things that people use by fingers. I have some older version of Apple TV remote control and every day I wonder how it was approved to production, it's barely usable.

I'm strongly convinced that modern iPhones designed to use in case as basic idea, while using iPhone without case is like using that Nokia phone unit when you take the housing off. In that case I think that iPad with magnetic keyboard (which is soft-touch plastic) is the future of Apple mobile computers.

willtemperley today at 8:11 AM
Yes the front edge is too sharp for me too, more on the middle right where I rest my hand. It hurts.

I think there must be a better solution than a file, like an attachment to effectively round the edges, or even something like fingerless gloves.

On the other hand Apple always replace the top case when the keyboard needs changing so the filing approach may not be entirely insane. It might send a message to Apple.

kube-system yesterday at 10:57 PM
Somebody should offer a service to chuck up Macbooks in a CNC mill and hit them with a chamfer tool
loloquwowndueo yesterday at 10:59 PM
As a bonus the machine looks like crap so it’s far less likely to get stolen.
bloody-crow yesterday at 10:49 PM
Doing this to a work computer seem a bit questionable from the ethical standpoint.

Totally fine to do whatever you want to your personal belongings though.

wildpeaks today at 1:12 PM
I can imagine the resulting texture feeling better on the skin, but I can't unsee the lack of symmetry.
Groxx today at 5:16 PM
Yeah, they are quite uncomfortable. A clear "form before function" decision, and one of many "the wrong people are deciding things" signs :/

I like the idea of fully blending the notch, rather than just rounding slightly. Looks comfy and distinct!

nickvec yesterday at 11:08 PM
> This was on my work computer.

Bold move to do this on your work Macbook. I'd be too worried of getting chased down with a bill when returning the laptop eventually.

bilekas today at 12:45 PM
> This was on my work computer.

I would love to see the guys reactions when you have to give this back.

samrus today at 2:04 PM
Thank you for giving me the opportunity to freak out about it. I did so, but only a little bit. Then i thought about how i have sometimes felt the bottom corner to be a bit uncomfortable. But then i thought that it wasnt a big enough issue to be worth the effort of filing off the edge

Also a little bit pedantry, you seem to have mostly filed the edge off, which seemed to be the real issue, the corners on that center divet are filed off, but its mostly edges

jensC today at 3:23 PM
I have a similar problem. My handicap makes it impossible to use the huge trackpad of all newer MacBooks. I am working still with a 2012 MacBook Pro that had a considerable smaller trackpad. Any idea from you guys how to circumvent these trackpad monsters? Thanks for any suggestion.
ribosometronome yesterday at 11:03 PM
>it is uncomfortable on my wrists

Are your wrists supposed to be coming into contact with that? I suspect many of us have bad posture and do rest our wrists like that, but if your concern is wrist comfort, you probably want to consider that you're going out of your way to enable harmful posture.

BobBagwill today at 3:52 PM
This reminds me of the shim scene in "Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance".
cassianoleal today at 8:44 AM
A few weeks ago I accidentally dropped my space grey MBP. It had the lip open and fell on its right corner, inner/keyboard side.

The machine is fine and I didn’t even have to adjust the screen as it was still correctly in place but on that corner the aluminium lifted up forming a mountain shape, about 2 mm tall and very sharp.

Not only this was uncomfortable, but it also meant I couldn’t close the lid properly and might eventually crack the screen from it, so I filed it away. Like OP, I started with a pretty gritty file to get most of the tip off, then finished with a multi-tool with the sanding attachment. I went through a few grits but I got bored long before it was smooth.

In the end, I actually liked the look, and have been considering going all around like OP. I may have to do it now.

saagarjha today at 12:33 AM
I feel like this is only a problem if you’re keeping your wrists at an unergonomic angle. I’m not saying that everyone is perfect all the time but like this is barely an issue if you’re sitting at your desk?
mjamesaustin yesterday at 10:58 PM
I'm not brave enough to try this on my own, but I applaud the effort. I'm pretty sure I'm developing lasting calluses on the underside of my wrists from all the constant rubbing against the sharp edge of my MBP.
Hard_Space today at 11:06 AM
A spinal injury three years ago made me above-averagely aware of ergonomics, as I created a dedicated office (chairs, floating supports for monitors, keyboards, etc.) that would support the injury.

I have to say that I now access the 8 or so machines across my LAN and VPS via a Macbook Air rested on my lap, either through RDP or SSH. I probably use this 80% of the time. Because the machine is on my lap, held up at about 30 degrees on my lap, I can't say I ever noticed the sharp edges, until this post!

jwlake today at 5:08 PM
my m1 max macbook pro 14 has small little divots out of the edge on the right side (not on the left) presuambly because of where my wrist sits when using the track pad. It would be nice it there was some radius on it to not cause that.
starkeeper yesterday at 11:29 PM
A hero post. I'm pretty sure we'll be able to shave using the edge of iPhone Air 20 or whatever they are coming up with. iPhone Stiletto.
glitchc yesterday at 10:47 PM
Did the same for my Macbook Pro 15 unibody circa 2010. It was a great QoL improvement.
artur_makly today at 11:49 AM
Can anyone explain why i get sharp electrical shocks when i touch the bottom edges with my wrists? Or its just me?
fsiefken today at 10:39 AM
dear apple, please bring back the wedge shaped design of the macbook air m1 https://appleinsider.com/articles/24/03/04/after-14-years-ap...
simonbw today at 4:00 AM
I've been meaning to do this forever and think this game me the push I've needed to do it tonight when I get home. Probably not as rounded as OP, but it's reassuring to know I could go that rounded and it wouldn't fall apart.
alecco today at 4:24 PM
What was wrong with a $20 palm rest/cover? It would also protect it for resale value.
patsplat yesterday at 10:44 PM
Physical objects should be rounded, virtual windows should be square. I will die on this hill.
repple today at 6:05 PM
Yeah, a very admirable project indeed.
dryadin today at 10:34 AM
Nice initiative but I would personally prefer adding some kind of padding, which is an easier solution to the problem, not as drastic, reversible, and less controversial. Unless doing something controversial is one of the goals here, which is also fair.
lokimedes today at 8:27 AM
To my great dismay, I discovered the physical incompatibility of two Apple products recently: The sharp edge of my MBP and my Apple Watch’s magnetic strap. It seems that the magnets are an effective abrasive, resulting in a ruined strap and a rounded edge.

Thank you Apple, you have taken designed obsolescence to a new level.

a-dub today at 4:42 PM
maybe a better approach to start with computers that already have ergonomic chassis (they exist) and then spend energy for modifying tools on what happens inside of them?
barrkel today at 2:44 AM
I've done this to my MacBook around the sharp and unpleasant corners near the touchpad. I had the laptop a few weeks before I couldn't take how unpleasant it was to touch any more.
estetlinus today at 5:36 AM
Mac users since 2010. Never noticed the sharp edges. I am just keen on not having that little red ball in the middle of the keyboard Ć” la Elitebook.
tlb today at 3:14 AM
Cool, but why is the most rounded-off part in the center? My wrists cover the edge at 5-25% and 75-95% when typing. When mousing, my right hand fleshy pad covers the edge at 65-80%.
jxramos today at 8:20 AM
It’s not only more comfortable to file off those sharp edges but also makes the laptop less dangerous to carry around. Those sharp edges not only cause discomfort but can chip paint, damage furniture, and inflict damage in general. If you had to you could use it as a weapon I suppose.
abujazar yesterday at 10:48 PM
Yea, that's ugly. I'm sure it could've been done more gracefully with 15 minutes more effort. But judging from the general wear and tear on this poor Mac I guess they don't even consider the resale value.
xbar today at 1:25 PM
I go through at least one dimestore nail file on every Macbook. The edge near the front touchpad always gets treated.
ardline today at 7:01 AM
This reminds me of a problem we hit at work. Ended up going a different direction but same root issue.
DannyBee today at 6:54 AM
Probably don't do this if you have a magnesium-aluminum alloy laptop.

Depending on exactly how much magnesium is in the alloy, metal shavings can be highly flammable and otherwise hazardous.

I think it's fine to mess with stuff like this, just make sure you know what you can do safely to the materials.

mooktakim today at 4:16 PM
Ah man, I hate how sharp the edges are. Good solution
padjo today at 9:13 AM
I salute your can-do spirit and your will to customise your tools to your preferences.

I also think you're an animal and need to be stopped before you do more damage to perfectly well designed machines.

evanjrowley today at 5:23 AM
I use a case on my MacBooks to protect them from damage. These cases are made of softer materials that are easier to chamfer. I make a similar modification when necessary. Sometimes it's worse with the plastic cases because the injection mold seam is that sharp edge.
deleted today at 6:37 AM
cwicklein today at 12:23 AM
Sitting in a reclined position on the train, I’ve had a MacBook fly into my face when the car lurched and slice my nose open. Bled all over.
sanj today at 12:11 PM
There’s something lovely about this.

To my eye, it is like the patina that your favorite tools get.

I’m looking at you, 40 year old tape measure.

jasonjmcghee today at 12:07 AM
Depending on how I'm using the computer, I may definitely have deep marks after working laying down, but if I sit in a wood chair for a while it's the same thing- and my forearm is much tougher than behind my knee.

I suppose I would prefer it nice and rounded and soft on my wrist - but I don't feel like it's quite as extreme as this thread would have you believe lol

ebrewste today at 2:30 AM
Love that he took it so far. I filed mine a while back - it’s so much more comfortable to use. When I drop it and a corner get mashed, I file that back flat. It reminds me of kintsugi where it shines from the fine filing.

I filed my work dell laptop too. Very different feel, but it is nice not living in feel of your own stuff.

voy707 today at 10:03 AM
If most laptop sales were still made in person, in a physical store, maybe laptops would still have rounded edges and maybe even flowing shapes
xtiansimon today at 12:50 PM
Nice. Maybe a touch of 600 and 1200 wet/dry sandpaper (with some dish soap lubricant)?
caymanjim today at 12:20 PM
I do this too, although only the corners. It's one of the only design failures of the MacBook.
jbverschoor yesterday at 11:37 PM
The sharp and high edges leave a mark in my skin. The older MacBook Air design was lower, so resting your palms wouldn’t give me this
culopatin today at 1:07 AM
A very even 45 degree cut, like the cut to lift the screen but much shallower would look pretty cool. Maybe 2mm wide
deleted yesterday at 11:08 PM
noman-land today at 12:57 AM
Everyone should be personalizing their belongings to suit their needs and desires. Living with belongings that make you feel anything less than happy and satisfied is NOT necessary.

This is a particularly hilarious customization both for its combined utility and shock value and also for doing it on a work computer.

nateburke today at 12:36 AM
I did this at my last job, it's nice.
rbanffy today at 10:36 AM
I would love to see a Unibody polished to a mirror finish. Would be a perfect match for Queen Amidala’s shuttle.
swiftcoder today at 7:32 AM
Definitely didn't expect this to be about literally filing the corners off. Bravo! I think it looks pretty great, not sure I'd do it to one of mine
sandreas today at 4:19 AM
I wonder if it would be possible to sand down a MacBook surface to the grade where it was all shiny mirror like the Apple logo, e.g. with car polish :-) The "untouchable" MacBook mirror :-)
danielvaughn today at 6:00 PM
I also hate these sharp edges. After a long working session I have deep grooves in my wrists, and my skin is red with irritation. It's uncomfortable enough that it distracts me from work. It's the very antithesis of good design.
sbaildon today at 12:44 AM
The author has the same problem as myself; there’s a permanent imprint on the screen that sits right where the screen makes contact with the topside of the touchpad.

It’s quite an annoying flaw, and i’ve only had this problem with the machines since the M1 redesign

maximg68 today at 7:48 AM
When I was actively using my Macbook 2014, I did the same, though to lesser extent and in a uniform way. The edge was way too sharp.
dvt today at 1:09 AM
Maybe it's just me, but I think it looks kind of cool. I like how it tapers from the ultra-smooth front to the jagged back edges. Only suggestion would be to use better tools to do the filing, since it looks a bit uneven/rough.
smrtinsert today at 6:36 PM
I would do this but cant stand the MacBook keyboards anyway. Even a cheap $50 amazon mechanical is a much more ergonomic experience
tmd83 yesterday at 11:26 PM
At one point due to the way I was using my just above my wrist my skin basically calloused from the edge of the macbook. Now at least the lid is not that sharp but it used to be I recall and I always worried about kids getting hit by it in case of an accident.
ayaros today at 3:27 AM
Truly the most horrifying post on HN I've seen in quite a while
tonypapousek yesterday at 11:47 PM
Maybe it's because I type like one would play the piano (with hands curved, fingers well below the palms), but I've never ran into an issue like this with a laptop before, wrists always clear the edges by a couple inches.

All the same, hell yeah.

ape4 today at 12:29 PM
I'd like to see some side-by-side before and after photos
tristanlukens today at 5:23 PM
My first reaction to this was something akin to "what a terrible day to be literate" but the more I think about it, I admire how you're not afraid to change something about YOUR machine, that YOU paid for. Still wouldn't do this myself tho ĀÆ\_(惄)_/ĀÆ
beloch today at 5:41 AM
There are plenty of laptops out there that have square edges on the user-facing edge. However, most are tapered and/or have hinge designs that tilt the laptop surface towards the user, dropping that square edge away from the user's wrists.

Most Apple laptops, such as the latest Pro's, are level, rather than tapered, and sit flat so that the user-facing edge cuts into your wrists. It's bad ergonomics, plain and simple. If you value function over form enough to modify your tools in this way, choose better tools.

Retr0id yesterday at 11:18 PM
I'm very tempted to try this although I worry that the rubber "seal" around the edges of the screen will no longer have anything to butt up against, meaning there's glass-on-metal contact when it's closed?
bombcar today at 2:22 AM
One of the ATPers was going on and on a bit ago about how the Neo is very "rounded" and "not sharp" compared to the Pro. I wonder if it would need this.
nl today at 12:45 PM
Factory distressed Fender Stratocasters coming up...
khalic today at 9:30 AM
That's some really poor filing job :D but yeah custom tools is the way to go
phamilton yesterday at 11:19 PM
I dropped my MBA on concrete and the edges got dinged up and sharp.

A bit of 220 grit sandpaper and all the sharp edges are smooth and it actually looks pretty cool. I was grimacing at first but now I like the feel.

mkagenius today at 5:55 AM
Not just sides, the vents are much sharper.

Few years back, I tried to look on reddit for complaints regarding this - barely anything.

PufPufPuf today at 5:27 AM
Too bad my Mac is company owned, maybe I'd use it in a "laptop mode" more if it didn't slit wrists.
mrlonglong today at 12:23 PM
Just a few drops of mercury on aluminium kills it.
deleted yesterday at 10:56 PM
dec0dedab0de today at 5:27 AM
I did this on the macs at an old job, but not as drastic. It really doesn’t need much to ..ahem… take the edge off.
asciimov today at 3:00 AM
Would be cool if somebody would make a round over or chamfer plane that would allow you to remove the corner with a higher finished look.
culi yesterday at 11:44 PM
I too find the sharp corners incredibly uncomfortable for my weak sensitive baby wrists but I chose to overcome this by wearing a wrist band. Two very different approaches
rmccue yesterday at 11:16 PM
On one of my old MacBook Pros, I managed to do this naturally through friction from my wrist moving back and forth on the keyboard for years; good idea to get ahead of it.
proee yesterday at 11:03 PM
The Apple Watch Ultra also has an aggressively sharp screen edge. It's kept me from upgrading from my current watch (Model 8). But maybe I would get use to it?
rayiner today at 3:25 PM
This is so triggering.
kbutler today at 5:32 PM
I smoothed the sharp corners of the notch by the keyboard, and smoothed a corner where it got dinged from a drop, but nothing this extensive.

Respect.

I definitely empathize with "concerned I would file through the machine."

woeirua today at 3:26 AM
This is the spicy content I come here to read. I wouldn’t do it myself but god speed to anyone who does.
nickpinkston yesterday at 11:09 PM
It was oddly satisfying taking a file to my MacBook when a drop lifted a nasty burr on the edge.

Very minor "you can just do things" collides with the "infallible object" presence that Apple wants for its products - almost feels "wrong", but it's a nice norm to break.

(and I'm not a "Cult of Mac" guy)

ghshephard yesterday at 11:39 PM
Another thing that multiple generation of MacBook Airs used to do is constantly be running (sometimes quite painful) amounts of electricity through your wrists if they accidentally touched the metal.

Not sure if the Apple Silicon devices have the same issue - but it was consistent through at least 3 different generations.

philsnow today at 1:11 AM
The clearest demonstration that the knife edge is dumb is that there isn't a similar sharp edge around the exterior.
anant_who today at 4:55 AM
This is very interesting Maybe I'll do this when my mac is a couple years old haha
canbus today at 1:30 AM
Maybe it’s the lighting, but that doesn’t look even on both sides to me - that’d bother me more than the sharpness.
datahack today at 9:49 AM
So, is rasping a subset of hacking now? Goodness.
pugworthy today at 12:55 AM
Fans of My Mechanics on YouTube will chuckle at this.

The channel’s Swiss host is famous for removing sharp edges from metal things.

jasonidol today at 12:39 AM
One concern with doing this would be when you pack it in a bag and the screen would now flex more than usual, leading to excessive wear of the anti-reflective coating on these screens.

Since the edge has been filed away, the rubber seal on the screen would no longer presses against the edge of the body protecting the screen.

zeafoamrun today at 12:18 PM
You mac people are masochistic freaks. Buying overpriced hardware that you hate the design of just to file off the corners.
bredren yesterday at 11:37 PM
It’s not just the edge but the corners where the finger accommodation is for opening the lid.

There’s a sharp corner there is unnecessary.

sharkjacobs yesterday at 11:00 PM
I don't want to do the whole front edge but this has definitely inspired me to take a file to these notch corners
michael1999 yesterday at 10:58 PM
The sharp points by the track-pad are bad design. Ive made some terrible decisions when he wanted to show off.
GraceParkNYC yesterday at 11:45 PM
Sharp edges and an axehead-like profile wear down the bottom of the laptop sleeve in my office-commuter hand luggage. Solved by putting my old MacBook Air in a neoprene pocket case before putting the whole thing, now with the double-thickness :-( p into my sachel.
anArbitraryOne yesterday at 11:46 PM
If only they'd round the edges/corners of the body instead of the screen and the UI
mememememememo today at 12:21 AM
External keyboard and mouse too easy?

Unless you fly/train travel alot I guess.

smlacy yesterday at 11:36 PM
Is it me or is that aluminum already developing some stress cracking?
eviks today at 3:16 AM
One way to equalize the form > function equation!
baud9600 today at 12:07 AM
Brilliant. Love the tech-disrespect and the ā€œright to repairā€!
owenthejumper today at 1:40 AM
Did this too. Absolutely ridiculous I had to :(
rcarmo today at 10:34 AM
This is… unusual.
orliesaurus yesterday at 11:32 PM
You don't dock your MacBook for long sesh?
userbinator today at 4:03 AM
I first encountered this in-person on a Mac Mini many years ago, which to be fair is not meant to be touched all the time, but it was still slightly repulsive. It has a surprising weight and uncomfortable sensation like picking up a freshly-cut block of metal. Then I realised Apple did the same with their laptops which are meant to be touched. They do have rounded corners, but not on the axes where the roundedness is useful. In contrast, Thinkpads look sharp-edged with square corners but are actually confortable to hold.
4mitkumar today at 6:18 AM
Early Saturday morning and what a simple, to-the-point read about irreverence :D Gave me my new maxim - "Fuck about a bit" Created a poster out of it :D https://nextfive.xyz/bits/2026/04/11/fuck-around-a-bit.html
stogot today at 12:40 PM
If this was a service in San Francisco I’d pay for it. I don’t want the particles in my space if I were to do it in my home
burnt-resistor today at 12:35 PM
It's a symptom of improper prioritization of values: form over function and usability.

Form only matters to a tool if function and usability are present, otherwise that object becomes more like art than a tool.

adastra22 yesterday at 10:58 PM
I just put a plastic case on my MacBook…
dwg yesterday at 11:04 PM
Wish I had the courage to do this too.
tclancy today at 1:19 AM
Takes a real bastard to do this.
eru today at 9:29 AM
I don't have any trouble with the corner on my MacBooks. But now I'm disappointed that Apple added an extra few grams to my MacBook Air that they could have avoided without damaging functionality.
deleted today at 12:20 AM
rvanmil today at 1:04 PM
I have calluses on my wrists from years of using MacBooks, so the sharp corners are no longer a problem ĀÆ\_(惄)_/ĀÆ
serf today at 4:36 AM
on the tool analogy :

only the biggest POS tools have bad ergonomics on the industrial side. The real quality tools, the ones meant to be used on the factory floor or in a production line, think of human ergonomics first .

I would probably be considering that as I took a file to my laptop in order to keep it from cutting into my skin as I used it.

I applaud the ingenuity, but I detest the concept of aesthetic-first engineering without a thought for the human user of the thing. Vote with your dollar.

In the case of parent : I admire your ability to cope and the chutzpah it took to take a file to company property.

on a side note : I think it's absolutely fascinating in every Apple thread watching users trade tips on how to avoid electric shock, electrolytic/chemical pitting, and skin cuts like it's just normal computing worries. You folks have some thick skin to keep at it. I would be rubberizing the whole damn thing after the first zap.

kjkjadksj today at 4:50 PM
It is kind of funny how all the comments are like ā€œyes, finally, file away!ā€ Instead of taking a step back and asking why half the users don’t get these issues at all with the way they lay their hands on the keyboard. I’ve been using metal macbooks for as long as they’ve been around and this is the first I’m hearing of it. Maybe I’m holding it right.
ed_mercer today at 12:40 AM
Goodbye resale value
sitzkrieg yesterday at 11:08 PM
anything but admitting the design is bad and frivolous
denimnerd42 yesterday at 10:58 PM
I hate those sharp edges. I've contemplated taking a router with a carbide roundover to mine many times.
andreybaskov yesterday at 11:03 PM
Finally, now I know I'm not the only one! These sharp edges constantly cut into my wrists to the point I was thinking of doing the same, or glueing some kind of kind soft padding to the edges. Great someone did it. I wonder how far can you cut them?
lofaszvanitt today at 4:33 AM
I did this when my old 2011 Air dropped the fiftieth time and the sides showed some pitting. The aluminium body is a godsend.
refurb today at 4:24 AM
I did something similar with drawer handles. I was living in a place with cheap furniture and the handles were aluminum billet cut to length and tapped so it could be screwed to the drawer face. The edge on either side were crazy sharp. If you bumped it with your knee you'd easily cut the skin.

So I took some 1000 grit sand paper for metal and gently wet sanded the edge. If you rotate it a little you can get a very small radius evenly around the edge and it will keep a nice finish that matches brushed aluminum.

I'd actually feel comfortable doing this to a Macbook having done it to the drawer handles. Just use little pressure, back the paper with something flat, and check your progress often. It takes very little to remove the sharpness to the edge, to the point it's hard to see with the naked eye.

Nursie today at 3:49 AM
It’s interesting to me that this makes it look old. Even slightly retro. Makes me think of early 2010s ultrabooks.
nottorp today at 7:41 AM
Well, this can be read as a nice hack or ...

... it means the OPs job does not provide external monitors and proper keyboards :)

mvdtnz today at 3:31 AM
If my work computer were my own I would do this in a second. The MacBook pro is ridiculously uncomfortable, both in terms of geometry and heat. I don't mind when it gets warm but on a cold morning it's just downright unpleasant to get working on it.
bmitc today at 2:37 AM
I have never understood how Jony Ive is highly regarded as a designer when he put not only sharp, aluminum edges but sharp aluminum corners exactly where your body spends almost all the time for continuous contact with the device.

He honestly seems like a terrible designer, which seems corroborated by him doing nothing of remote interest outside of Apple and barely inside it. The items that are regarded as design epochs, like the iPod, we're not his.

tiborsaas today at 1:12 AM
Savage.
fragmede today at 1:02 AM
OMFG I am so glad to hear I am not the only one! The stupid thing hurt my wrists on the white Macbook generation so I shaved it off so it wasn't so sharp.
j45 today at 12:53 AM
Love it, this is the ultimate laptop sticker.
BenFranklin100 yesterday at 11:54 PM
I dealt with sharp edges issue by investing in an Andar leather case. Works just as well.

https://www.andar.com/products/the-helm

jcgrillo yesterday at 11:47 PM
If instead you sharpen the corners it's a security mechanism.
whalesalad yesterday at 11:26 PM
I would remove material from the outside edges of the front, not the center near the trackpad. The blue edges of my M2 air have already become silver and the palm rests have become more silver and glossy like glass from wear. I'm probably going to do something like this.
teaearlgraycold yesterday at 11:00 PM
This seems like a reasonable choice, but man you really need to do this with a CNC mill. The craftsmanship is not there.
tomjacobs yesterday at 10:43 PM
yay
bilalbayram yesterday at 10:59 PM
I hate this But I also understand Still I hate this
mr-pink today at 7:07 AM
i think its fine but why do such a shitty job
lozenge today at 9:03 AM
Can we get some pictures with the hinge closed?
maest today at 12:36 AM
I'm now painfully aware of how uncomfortable the edge of my mac is.
thegdsks today at 12:53 AM
Not seriously... I too love the sharp edges but this is scary.. Lol
voidhorse today at 4:03 AM
> I file the sharp corners off my MacBooks. People like to freak out about this

The fact that any conscious human being has the time or energy to be "freaked out" about someone futzing around with their own devices is astounding to me.

octagons today at 1:03 AM
> Don't be scared. Fuck around a bit.

Damn good advice.

ProAm today at 12:02 AM
Apple users always convincing themselves they are still using the best premium most thought after designs of all time.
juleiie today at 2:18 PM
Honestly I love these things because they are so sturdy that you can do it. It’s like a slab of metal

I know people hate apple and I get it but like if you sign the pact with the devil you get many benefits from that ecosystem

Besides I can’t imagine going back to windows, I would have to use Linux. It wouldn’t be a tragedy alright but I am at the point where I like less customization and more the readiness and it just works aspect

I never found comfort in the endangered Linux ricing communities either that usually enriches the experience above just OS

supliminal yesterday at 10:52 PM
> Don't be scared. Fuck around a bit.

Preach.

camillomiller today at 7:47 AM
Looks terrible, I love it
taneq today at 7:46 AM
I’m now wondering how difficult it would be to polish one to a mirror finish.
loloquwowndueo yesterday at 10:58 PM
> Don't be scared. Fuck around a bit.

Bet this person never heard about FAFO

pvtmert today at 8:16 PM
I think he filed edges too much that the font on the website is getting thinner. /s

I agree the edges _can_ be sharp, I have chosen to use a thin-plastic cover which also doubles as a sticker-holder. Also helps with the "bumps" and scratches...

vomayank today at 3:37 PM
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throwanem today at 2:25 AM
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RShackleford today at 12:03 AM
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rvz yesterday at 11:30 PM
One of the many first world problems of this century. /s

Meanwhile a very important object called "Orion CM-003 Integrity" of the Artemis II mission is about to splash-down on Earth in 35 mins.