Thread: DArkside Take on Chisels N Rasps.......Whats the Go?

My rasp is 7" diameter and is 16 grit.

Hi Lou,

For paring, I use the long Sorby paring chisels and a smaller set of home-spun ones. Well, for that matter, also the small chisel set carried by LV, the detail chisels I think they call them. The are only used for light shavings.

I also have two plane blades I may use to pare and scrape with. Handy. If for nothing else, a thick plane blade is great for getting glue squeeze out from the corners of drawers, etc.

As for rasps and files. I live and die with them. Most rasps are vintage Grobet, some Hermann, files are F. Dick. New rasps are Aurious and Nicholson 49/50 pattern maker's rasps.

Cheap rasps and files are to be avoided like a plague. they will spelch the wood easily. I also use Stanley Shurforms on furniture at times, in particular the round ones. But they bend too easily.

The Aurious are the best rasps presently made. They are a bit spendy.

Take care, Mike

I have about 10 rasps at last count, and I don't bother counting files after 50 or so.

I also keep my 1/2" blue chip and a pair of homebrew L/R skew chisels set at about 25* just for paring things.

That's just what I do.


On the rasps, a couple of things. Like Mike said, cheapies are junk (but we need to define cheap) and handcut is better than machine/mass produced.

All but one of my rasps are handcut. Only 4 of them are what I would call good. The rest are cheap, and while they work they usually live on the shelf unless they have a particular task or I use them for something else, like tool steel stock.

The good, locally produced handcut things are so different, it's difficult to believe they share the same tool name with the cheapies. They work very fast (and keep working), leave a respectable finish (depending on cut) and they are not expensive at about $20 a pop.

My own favorite is a half round one that has very wide teeth. Just does everything right all in one tool.

The reason they are cheap? This is a stone working area, and guess what they use on the granite around here? Lots of them get used, so they get cheap.

What about those small microplane rasps? There's a small one that is 7/32" wide, I imagine it might be good for cleaning up dovetails or mortices in soft wood...

http://www.microplane.com/html/tools/square.html I think Mik sells them.

woodbe

Yes, if you do any shaping at all, rasps and good paring chisels are essential. I love my Nicholson #49 patternmakers rasp, and use about half a dozen (various shapes and coarseness) other rasps and double-cut files regularly. I try to keep files for wood only - once you start using them on metal, the sharp edges go, and you don't get as clean a cut. Unfortunately, it's too tempting to rach for the sharp files when the metal lot get about halfway through their lifespan......

After the rasps and files come the scrapers, and finally, a lick or two of paper, but I usually start with nothing coarser than 220, to give you an idea of what the other tools can do.

My paring chisels are a set of New Haven Edge tool 'antiques' I was given for helping a friend. I saw these chisels, two or three minus handles, in a box of junk and berated him for treating tools like that, so he gave them to me. (I know - I usually get quite a different response when I berate someone, too! :confused: ) They are not super-chisels, but good, with just the right length for the job. I grind them with a very low bevel (<25*), - definitely NOT for thumping. I find I use the 1" and 3/8" the most, one or the other always seems to be right for the task in hand.

For jobs like the legs on the little Rosewood table below, the above tools make short work. Spokeshaves just don't cut it, with so many tightish curves and grain changes, but with rasp, files & scrapers, I can go from raw shape to final sanding in something under 15 minutes. (On a good day.... )
Cheers,

Yep, have to agree with IanW, good rasps & files are the go. Nicholson patternmakers rasps are good, but sometimes hard to get. Schtoo, I'm interested in the handcut rasps you mention. Ant details on where they are available please?

Hi Lou,

I have a couple of Sorby paring chisels - and they are incredibly uselful. I have used a spare plane iron for paring too (I always have a couple of spares and/or alternate bevels for the LV jack).

As to rasps, I have a 49 and a 50 Nicholson patternmakers rasps, plus some smaller ones and a variety of files. Very uselful for making up curved pieces. The Nicholsons, BTW do a great job in NOT leaving ruddy great score marks in the workpiece - which many of the cheaper ones will because of the way the teeth are set.

I haven't tried (or heard of?) the Aurious that Mike mentions. Hmm, must do some research, although I'm pretty happy with my Nicholson's

Alex, local item.

Brand is Tsubohachi, and they make all kind of files and rasps.

If I remember, I'll take a pic of them tomorrow so you can at least see what they look like.

They are not polished, and maybe not as 'good' as a Nicholson, but they sure as heck work and are easy on the pocket.

Originally Posted by IanW

Unfortunately, it's too tempting to rach for the sharp files when the metal lot get about halfway through their lifespan......

Does anybody resharpen their files and rasps when they get a bit dull.

Robert34

Lou

For paring I have put together a set of Berg and a set of Witherby chisels. For chopping I use Japanese chisels.

With regard to rasps I have a few Nicholsons plus a cheap set of rifflers from Carba-tec, which have been great.


Robert

Yes, I do sharpen my files - leave them in a citric acid solution for several days. I plan to try the same but using hydrochloric acid (as used in the pool).

Regards from Perth

Derek