Fine retouch type is made by applying a line of small (i.e. a few millimeters in size) evenly-spaced removals to the edge of the blank. This normally does little to the outline of the piece - it is most often used to correct minor irregularities to the natural shape of the artifact. See Brézillon 1977, 109 and 114.​

It is necessary to check carefully that this retouch type is not confused with edge damage. Fine retouch must be composed of evenly-spaced, well-formed, continuous removals which are normally restricted to one surface (i.e. the dorsal or the ventral). Edge damage is, by definition, irregular, erratic and is frequently found on both surfaces.