I want to jump in here since I´m hooked with those tools.
When I read the first time that those carving files should work quick like rasps but precise like files by leaving a smooth surface, I couldn´t believe it. It sounded a little bit exaggerated. Since I need to have good tools for shaping saw handles, I was interested although. Fine-Tools sent me two of those and I tested them for a review in the German forum woodworking. de. That to be said, I want to share my experience with those tools.
The files look a little bit unusual, the cutting edges are interrupted by skew channels and the half round file isn´t flat at the back, it´s concave and smooth.
There´s another thing that´s not to see. The edges are shaped with little chip breakers. The amazing result: the file doesn´t produce dust but little shavings.
For the test I used 6 handle blanks of Pear (2), Maple, Mahogany, Wenge and Ebony.
To compare the speed of the tool I shaped one edge of the handle with a coarse rasp and the other with the carving file. The surprising result was, that there is no speed difference. The carving file is as quick as my coarsest rasp, perhaps even a little bit faster. It feels a little unusual because the carving file wants to go a little bit skew. You can force it to work with a straight cut but then it works a little rough. If you let it work how it wants, it is easy to steer and works very smooth. You´ve to take care not to remove more stock than you want. Very amazing. The following pics show that the surface the carving file leaves is way better than the rasp can do.
Pear:
Wenge:
Maple:
I think that the pics are speaking for themselves. After this test I wanted to know, if the carving file was able to do the fine work too. So I worked on one side of a Pear blank only with this tool. It worked fine.
At last a pic of three saw handles that were made by using the carving files.
Actually the carving file replaced the coarse rasp when I make saw handles. It´s at least as quick but better to steer and leaves a better surface. It´s one of the tools I´d hate to miss. IMO, you can`t get a better shaping tool for the money.
Klaus
