Thread: microplane products

I have used the microplane surform blades on hardwood for about 3 months and not noticed a serious loss of sharpness.

Originally Posted by apricotripper

I've been carving knuckles lately for chair arms. Found the best results rounding around end grain was just with files.

But I found it a bit annoying how the files clogged so quick.

Wondering how well they work on hardward, like gum...especially on end grain. Worried that they'll blunten too quick.

Anybody tried these tools ?...on hardwood ?

Ta.

I don't know if you mean rasps when you say "files" but if you don't then I would suggest a good rasp would be a better option than a Microplane. That been said, Microplane's don't tear the wood as much but you'll still have to smooth the wood. Maybe buy a small Microplane to test first as they are handy to have around especially for softwoods.


This may help: https://www.woodworkforums.com/showth...ighlight=rasps

thanks.

I have a couple of rasps though. I found them good for a bit of initial rounding over. But pretty rough.

What I'm talking about is between the knuckles there in the picture. Found I could only get it right with a file, albeit clogging all the time.

I noticed microplane sells finer cut ones as well. I was hoping they may leave a finish similar to the file so I wouldn't have any clogging problems.

Your right. I'll just buy one and see what happens.

Thanks.

Microplanes are like skinny cheese graters albeit alot sharper, you'll still need to finish off after them, your gunna need a carving chisel or two to do it properly.

ta. so, even those fine cut ones leave little scallop marks like left on your cheeze block ?

Found it too difficult to get a chisel cutting cleanly around the end grain. I started with a viener initially for between the knuckles up high there, and then bit of rasp work, but after that found I could only get there with a file. Blue gum.

Going to Brisbane tomorrow. Give carbatec a visit and buy a couple.....you wouldn't happen to know if tomorrows a public holiday in Brisbane.

Jake

I prefer rasps to microplanes. If you had asked me this question 12 months ago, my answer might have been the same as yours. But I look back and realise that what I thought was a cabinetmaker's rasp, was probably made for cleaning horses hooves! (Mine was the Nicholson from Bunnings).

There is a world of difference in a fine rasp, such as those made by Aurio (now defunct, but soon to be resurrected). There are a few other rasp makers around, but the most cost effective are probably the Grammercy (available from Tools for Working Wood, in the USA)
http://www.toolsforworkingwood.com/M...Category_Code=

Quality rasps are very expensive. There is no way around this, unless you go to Chinese-made rifflers (which I have), because the decent ones are all hand made. The Chinese rifflers I have came from Carba-tec. Rough-as-guts, they are fine for hogging away waste only.

A decent finishing rasp should leave a finish that will be ready for a touch of sandpaper. Sometimes even this is not needed.

The other set to seek out are the Nicholson 49 and 50. Also not cheap, but good rasps (they are machine made and you can see the difference in that the teeth do not go to the edge of the steel).

By contrast, the microplane I have is painfully slow. It leaves a good finish, but the surface area is too large.

Regards from Perth

Derek

thankyou for the advice. and the links.

I see what you mean. The rasps I have must be too coarse then. I'll have to save up for one of those Grammercy ones.

I bought a microplane today in Brisbane and gave it a go just now. One with a square cross section. I see what you mean by it being on the slow side.

What I'm not so shore about it mostly is the edge is rounded. I like that hard sharp edge like you get with a file (and probably those fine rasps). to smooth out nicely in between the knuckles there with something like that to get crisp valley line. Thats my focus. I don't think I'll get that with the microplane. Maybe I got the wrong one. There were finer cut ones there. Or just use the microplane I've got now, to get close, then finish off the valleys, clogging up a file.

I'm still not sure how long its going to last either. Most blades I know don't like hardwood. early days though. I did ask the salesman about my fears on how long it last, and he seemed to avoid the question. I don't know.

Found the nicholson 49 and 50 here.
http://www.thebestthings.com/newtool...lson_rasps.htm

I noticed there's a file underneath as well. Do you think that be worth getting as well ?

http://stores.ebay.com/Kutzall-Closeouts

Havent tried their rasps or files yet, but these might be worth looking at,
I just bought a japanese rasp from the carbatec catalog. highly recomended

Originally Posted by springwater

Microplanes are like skinny cheese graters.

I was in General Trader (Kitchen Supplies) the other day, and thay had a Microplane cheese grater and a longer zester! I though about it for a sec but they were too flimsy for wood!

thanks underfoot. I'll have to give it some thought.