These chainsaw files here are excellent and leave a very fine finish, I've used them for many materials the past few years. Great size for making sharpening choils, too. I'm kind of a file connoisseur and Bahco are about the best I've found that are easily available, the only ones I've tried that are better are Baiter (Swiss, hard to find) and some old Swedish Bahco files. Personally I use a brass brush or a bullet casing to clean files but I've never actually tried a real file card.
I've always done my handle shaping with files as well although I prefer a 1" sander when working on bone since it's more abrasive than wood and I don't wanna dull my files unduly. A good half-round file can take care of the bulk of it, maybe a cabinetmaker rasp for big handles. You'll need epoxy, too. Any of the 30 minute stuff that's around $10 for the two part mix is fine. The more expensive kinds are supposed to be more durable but I've never encountered any problems with the hobby shop kind even for heavier duty work like machetes and longbows. Good for making leather or wooden sheathes, too.
For drills, one of these sets + a center punch and some cutting fluid will cover all your bases:
Mechanic drills have a shorter, stiffer body and a 3-flat shank, compared to the longer, round, "jobber" size drills, so they're REALLY nice for metal work. I've advocated for getting cobalt DeWalt bits in the common sizes (1/8, 3/16, 5/16, 1/4") since you can find them in any hardware store, but for general use aside from that, I don't think I'd use any other brand besides Norseman/Viking now that I've been spoiled by them.
OH, you'll want a drill press vise, too! No recommendations on brands there since I have a cheap $20 Harbor Freight one and I'm sure all the $20 ones everywhere are made in the same Chinese factory. It works okay. I see a $10 WEN on Amazon that might be worth checking out.