Rasp set

[Garno]

I have decided it is probably about time I purchased some wood files, especially as I am converting from power tools to going down the hand crafted route.
I have a limited budget and have been looking at all sorts of files and have seen that it is Rasps that I need. I have seen rasp sets going for next to nothing and single rasps that cost a small fortune. :shock:
What is the main thing I should be looking out for when purchasing? and will something cheap and cheerful be ok for a hobbyist or is it a case of getting a single one to fit my budget and get others as and when I have extra cash (Each month) :?

 

[AndyT]

The hand-stitched rasps by Liogier and Auriou are lovely tools, made with skill by experts, but I know what you mean about the price. Personally, I've tried them out but not treated myself to any - maybe I would if I was making something which couldn't be done without one. For ordinary, occasional use I think the Japanese "carver's files" as sold by Axminster are a good compromise between price and performance. (I bought mine a few years back for much less but the current prices look ok to me.)

https://www.axminster.co.uk/japanese-ca ... s-ax857186

I should add that I do also have an assortment of old, decent rasps and dreadnought files as well as the Japanese ones that I bought new.
I can also wrap abrasive paper round an offcut of plumbing pipe!

 

[Bm101]

Garno, if you haven't seen it, take a look at AES's sticky on files. There's a huge amount of info there.
files-and-filing-t108361.html
I have a good few old makes (sharpened in off the shelf acid) but I did invest in some new ones. Vallorbe which I find excellent but my experience is very limited relatively so I wouldn't like to sound as if I'm offering advice. I was kindly sent some other new ones by Nolegs, no major brand name. They work fine too. :wink:
Haven't used Bahco.
The really expensive hand stitched ones Liogier or Auriou would be nice to own. Obviously. Apparently they leave a great finish, not sure I could ever justify buying them personally.
The Shinto rasps often seem to get a regular good mention regarding shaping and I think if I was just buying one file for wood (now) I would start with one of these and take my chances.
Never used one. This is hardly experienced user advice lol so caveat emptor. But yeh, I would. I'm guessing its the equivalent of a number 5 plane. Does everything all the other planes can do without specialising too much and maybe by the same standard doesn't excel at any of them either.
I'd also wait for more experienced proper advice lol. :wink: Just my tuppence worth.
Cheers
Chris
Edit. Posted as Andy did.

 

[MikeG.]

Bahco are just fine. You'd need to be using them an awful lot to justify spending any more, and even then, you'd probably not notice the difference.

 

[Blackswanwood]

You can spend a small fortune (if not a big one) on rasps. It’s worth having a look at the Liogier website which explains how they are made etc.

I wasn’t entirely convinced that hand stitching made a difference but it does. The very slight variation in the teeth give a smoother finish and seem to cut faster.

I bought mine from Workshop Heaven. IMHO they are as good as Liogier or Auriou but much more reasonably priced.

Hope this helps

 

[marcros]

I have a few Hattori ones from Dictum tools. Hand stitched at a very good price.

https://www.dictum.com/en/hand-cut-rasp ... er=Hattori

 

[Droogs]

have a look at these guys, very very good and a good price:

http://www.tomefeteira.com/produtos.html

 

[thetyreman]

I got the ariou four in one rasp because I felt it represented the best value within their range, it's not as wide as the more expensive rasps but boy is it nice, no signs of it dulling yet after quite a lot of use over the past 2 years, so for me that is well worth what it cost, if it lasts another few years before I need another one I'll be very happy.

 

[DannyEssex]

I really rate the Shinto rasp, great tool for the money

 

[D_W]

I have a limited budget

Some second and third world hand stitched rasps (which probably aren't as good as liogier or auriou, but are awfully good for just making things) followed by files are probably where you'll want to go.

To have an all expensive rasp setup is really overkill unless you're making stuff for pay or have money burning a hole in your pocket. If you rasp, file and scrape (and sand if you like to do such things), the result will look the same and the time taken to get there will be the same, too vs. an all rasp progression with scraping and filing.

I'm not in the UK, so I'll defer to folks regarding lower cost medium coarseness hand filed rasps of the overseas types, but they're usually about $30 here. Some less, some more.

double cut files of decent quality are good to follow them up (usually more like $10 to $15 or so around here). You get the same control and protection of lines and proportions as you would have with a rasp (vs. trying to wrap sandpaper around things, etc).

 

[marcros]

rasps are certainly handy tools to have. chisels, saws and planes get much more coverage on the forum, but as can be seen on the responses to this thread, plenty of people find uses for them, and having seen other posts of many of the posters, I would guess that everybody's application is a bit different.

 

[pedder]

I don't think you need rasps. Iwasaki Carving files will do about 95% of the jobs.
https://www.fine-tools.com/carvingfile.html

Cheers
Pedder

 

[ED65]

Hand-stitched rasps get most of the love when the subject comes up but IMO anyone looking to get into rasps needs not to dismiss the cheapy-cheap end of the market because if you want the full range of what rasps can do as well as one or two things at the refined end you want something that can really hog off material.

At this end of things the coarse machine-cut rasps as seen in sets from Aldi or Lidl are a good choice. And the files such a set will include could prove very useful. Despite their low cost the quality is perfectly decent and they should last you well, even if you use the files for some metalwork as well as on wood.

Yes these coarse rasps do leave a very crude surface and although this can be mitigated somewhat with good technique it is anyway easily removed by the next step.

Now for something finer that these, more good news: by taking advantage of modern abrasives you really don't need a rasp per se much less a hand-stitched one. Homemade abrasive files give the functionality of rasps and are ever-so-slightly cheaper Especially for someone on a tight budget going this route makes loads of sense since a single hand-stitched rasp will likely cost more than an entire set of alternatives, in both a range of sizes and coarsenesses. And surprisingly they may last about the same amount of time! As I mentioned the last time rasps came up my lusting after a nice hand-stitched rasp evaporated almost instantly when I tried abrasive files.

But if you're absolutely set on getting some actual rasps, be sure to look at Corradi's as an option. They're machine-cut rasps but not as we know them Jim. They give the same effect as a hand-stitched rasp but are substantially cheaper, and they're reported to be more hard wearing so win win.

 

[novocaine]

no one else has mentioned it. the one I find the most useful is a cobblers file. 4 hand cut faces in 1 tool.

 

[Cordy]

My go to rasp is HERE
Carbon Steel and does the biz

Really chuffed with mine, so I sent for two more
The edge is used as a burnisher on cabinet scrapers; although I am considering getting something like THIS

after band-sawing, it was the main tool in shaping legs and Aprons on this
small table --

 

[Garno]

My go to rasp is HERE
Carbon Steel and does the biz

Really chuffed with mine, so I sent for two more
The edge is used as a burnisher on cabinet scrapers; although I am considering getting something like THIS

after band-sawing, it was the main tool in shaping legs and Aprons on this
small table --

That is a beautiful table.

 

[D_W]

no one else has mentioned it. the one I find the most useful is a cobblers file. 4 hand cut faces in 1 tool.

they can be a bit short or not quite shaped right for the purpose if there is a tight curve or inside curve, but not selling them short. Just find some of the third world hand cut rasps to be longer and more able to get into places.

 

[thetyreman]

no one else has mentioned it. the one I find the most useful is a cobblers file. 4 hand cut faces in 1 tool.

they can be a bit short or not quite shaped right for the purpose if there is a tight curve or inside curve, but not selling them short. Just find some of the third world hand cut rasps to be longer and more able to get into places.

that's why I mentioned that logier make a 4 in one rasp a few posts ago, it can easily get inside a tight curve, I have made spoons, handles and lots of other shapes entirely with one rasp coping saws and a spokeshave, it's an excellent shaping tool.

You can also make a wooden stick custom made to any size with sandpaper, I used this for a long time before buying the logier one.

 

[Blackswanwood]

A Farriers Rasp is also an effective and inexpensive tool for rough shaping. I did one of James Mursell’s courses (Windsorworkshop) a couple of years ago and it is one of his staple tools.

 

[Nikolaj33]

What do you guys think of 'European top quality' hand stitched rasps that are being sold on eBay? Has anyone tried them yet? They are a fraction of the cost of Auriou or Liogier.