Thread: Making a rasp for saw handle shaping

Nice work Rob,

You are inspiring me to have a go at making some rasps..

I have made floats, but I always have trouble with warping when quenching, because of the large differences in surface area on each side.

For tempering I use a toaster oven with a retrofitted PID controller.


Ray

Thanks Ray,

Overall it was pretty easy. Mistakes make themselves known immediately. It'll take a lot of practice to get up to something comparable to the professionals though.

Here it is provisionally fitted up with a couple of file handles.

Here it is with a couple of file handles installed.jpg

Testing...

Works as intended.jpg

Does exactly what I want it to. It's got a little too much flex so I'm going to grind the tangs down a bit to bring the handles closer to the center.

Rasp done.jpg

Much betterer.

Rob. Can I suggest you get yourself a Japanese Feather File for shaping the flat profiles around the handle. The tooth configuration is ideally suited. The added bonus; it will also leave you with a surface that requires only a very light sanding during final prep.


Stewie;

http://www.leevalley.com/en/wood/pag...072,43089&ap=1

Thanks Stewie,

I was thinking about making a posting on files for shaping handles - I've got some favorites. Want to collaborate? I'll post mine when the weather lets up in a day or so.

Cheers,
Rob

Rob, that rasp looks very useful, I imagine Liogier will make this style. Perhaps even more useful in a curved version.

Cheers
Peter

Originally Posted by Heavansabove

Rob, that rasp looks very useful, I imagine Liogier will make this style. Perhaps even more useful in a curved version.

Cheers
Peter

Amazing, great minds think alike. I just happen to have some 1/2" O-1 drill rod too...

By the way, if anybody wants it I've got an Excel spreadsheet set up to calculate the drawing temperatures of various tool steels. Send me a PM and I'll forward it to you.

Originally Posted by Heavansabove

Rob, that rasp looks very useful, I imagine Liogier will make this style. Perhaps even more useful in a curved version.

Cheers
Peter

Hi Peter. Logier do make a 2 tanged version that designed to be used in a similar fashion to a drawknife or spokeshave. Available in stitches #8; #11, & #14. My personal preference would be #14 with a sapphire finish.

http://www.hand-stitched-rasp-riffle.../laterale.html

At present I am waiting on the arrival of a Logiers Luthier Rasp. Not for saw handle work, but for bedding irons on traditional hand planes. I want to compare its performance to that of my Bed Float.

http://www.hand-stitched-rasp-riffle...s/luthier.html

http://www.henryeckert.com/index.php...ath=39_140_142

Stewie;

Originally Posted by planemaker

Hi Peter. Logier do make a 2 tanged version that designed to be used in a similar fashion to a drawknife or spokeshave. Available in stitches #8; #11, & #14. My personal preference would be #14 with a sapphire finish.

http://www.hand-stitched-rasp-riffle.../laterale.html

At present I am waiting on the arrival of a Logiers Luthier Rasp. Not for saw handle work, but for bedding irons on traditional hand planes. I want to compare its performance to that of my Bed Float.

http://www.hand-stitched-rasp-riffle...s/luthier.html

http://www.henryeckert.com/index.php...ath=39_140_142

Stewie;

Thanks Stewie, I thought I had seen such a rasp, but could not find on the Liogier site, as SWMBO might say a "boy look". I think this style useful for saw handles.

Cheers
Peter

As promised I'm back at it, the weather has eased up after producing a good 9" of rain as measured by my trashcanometer.


trashcanometer.jpg


I've done some redesign of my tooth punch.

Here is the front.


front view of current rasp tooth punch.jpg


The side.


side view of current rasp punch.jpg


And the bottom.


bottom view of current rasp tooth punch.jpg


The design is rationalized by the following illustrations.

First the punch is driven down into the body of the rasp.


rasp punching schematic 1.JPG
As the tip of the punch penetrates the surface the back of the punch vectors it to the left.

rasp punching schematic 2.JPG
Which thus raises the newly formed tooth.


Now for the setup. I had a bit of a revelation yesterday and realized that, since I don't have one of those extraordinary vises used in the Liogier videos, I could use a lead brick to protect my newly punched round rasp teeth.

Abdul gives everything a check.


Abdul checks my setup..jpg


The hammers are both by Glen Stollmeyer, D-2 steel with wisteria handles. Great stuff.


GS tongs hammer.jpg

Abdul checks my progress.

Abdul the cat checking on progress.jpg


And we're done.


Round rasp test done.jpg


Lessons learned:

1) Sharpen the punch regularly - I made 5 trips to the grinder finishing this rasp.

2) A smaller hammer, swung with more force, makes for more regular punching than does a heavier hammer swung with less force.

3) Rounds are harder to do.

4) Keep the punch tip just short of perpendicular to the work surface on the round.

5) I still have a lot to learn.

Next up is to grind some tangs on each end, harden and fit handles.

Awesome job making a rasp it is on my to do list.

In my copy of the modern blacksmith to make rasps he suggests " the cutting point is created by grindings small slanted facet on the end of a one-point stone-carving tool. Hold the toll at a slant to the prepared surface of the rasp blank and strike it with a one-pound hammer. A single tooth is thus bent outwards from the surface" .

Sent from my GT-I9100 using Tapatalk

Here it is with tangs formed and handles fitted. Now for hardening.

round rasp with handles.jpg

Hi Rob Streeper,
That was a good look & read on the work you did.

I was interested as to the Liquid CaCL2/NaCl as for quenching the hot stuff.
Could you put into English for those who don't know what the Letters mean, Please.
I do a bit of quenching now & then, & I just thought your Liquid maybe a better solution, than what I use, being a heap of Electic Soda in some Tank Water.