Serviceable gouges and rasps?

[Matthew Springer]

I've decided to try my hand at making some shop tools (panel gauge, smooth plane, straightedges, and some saw kits) but I almost immediately ran into the fact I don't own any real rasps or gouges for shaping anything with a curve.

What is a good worker set I can strat with then expand into on gouges?

On rasps, much as I'd love to blow several hundred on a full auriou set, umm, what do people think of the LN ones?

I'm basicaly looking for the "blue handled chisel" equivalent. Good steel, possibly not the prettiest.

[Matthew Hutchinson477]

I'm a chronic ebay tool buyer, and I've gotten plenty of great tools on ebay for reasonable prices but if you go that route be aware that you have to spend a lot of time looking for every good deal you find. There are enough decent deals on carving tools but I have yet to buy a used rasp that is sharp. You can send rasps in to Boggs Tool but for the effort and money I don't think it's generally worth it.

So...for gouges...if you're patient you can give the ebay method a shot. Flexcut stuff is reasonably priced and pops up quite often. I found that out of every set there's always a few that get used a lot and a few that don't but it takes experience to figure out precisely what you like. So I'd go for a basic set and then expand from there.

Rasps...From what I've heard the dragon rasps on stewmac are great but I haven't tried one. I did just buy a couple Iwasaki carving files and I love them. A little smaller and finer than a cabinet rasp but they cut very quickly. They're cheaper than a good rasp as well, which is nice.

[Jim Koepke]

I have always thought of giving these a try:

http://www.frogwoodtools.com/Catalog/09.htm

Haven't had the need of yet.

I do have some Italian riffler rasps and they are nice.

jtk

[Frederick Skelly]

I have a half dozen Iwasaki carving files and love them.

[Patrick Chase]

The Iwasaki files that somebody else suggested are great though they take some getting used to. You definitely don't want to apply much pressure with those or they'll dig in. I have them in a variety of cuts and sizes.

Among rasps the Aurious deserve their reputation - they cut quickly and leave a remarkably good finish. You'd have to pry mine out of my cold dead hands.

The Nicholson 49/50 are decent lower-priced alternatives to the Aurious. The Nicholons are stitched using a "semi-automated" process that leaves a randomized tooth pattern, so like the Aurious they resist "chugging" wherein each successive row of teeth falls into the divot left by the previous one. I use them as my "beater rasps" for non-show surfaces etc.

[Jim Koepke]

I've decided to try my hand at making some shop tools (panel gauge, smooth plane, straightedges, and some saw kits) but I almost immediately ran into the fact I don't own any real rasps or gouges for shaping anything with a curve.

Just looking for something on ebay and came across this item #390545493174. I almost pulled the trigger on it but I already have one in this size.

jtk

[Jim Koepke]

Looking further on ebay there are a few listings with this toothing profile. Search for > superior tooth file <

jtk

[Patrick Chase]

Looking further on ebay there are a few listings with this toothing profile. Search for > superior tooth file <

jtk

Those look to me to be Panzar-tooth body files with Superior branding (yet another old file company that Nicholson bought). Is there something special about those "Superiors" in particular?

The larger Ishikawas are best described as having "double-cut Panzar" toothing, by which I mean that the teeth are Panzar pattern just like the Superiors, but with cross-grooves that segment them.

[Dave Beauchesne]

[QUOTE=Patrick Chase;2544882

Among rasps the Aurious deserve their reputation - they cut quickly and leave a remarkably good finish. You'd have to pry mine out of my cold dead hands.

[/QUOTE]

I will add a nod for both Auriou and Liogier rasps - Liogier are available direct and they are priced a tad lower than Auriou. Both great products.

JMHO

Dave B

[Jim Koepke]

Those look to me to be Panzar-tooth body files with Superior branding (yet another old file company that Nicholson bought). Is there something special about those "Superiors" in particular?

Not that I know of. To me they are like a poor man's float. The ones I have work great at rounding over edges, end grain and curves. The broken one is a half round and works especially well at shaping inside corners. Just a few more tools in the arsenal.

jtk

[Javed Akhtar]

Take a look at the Ajax rasps from Lee Valley: http://www.leevalley.com/en/wood/pag...33&cat=1,42524

I've been using these for years and they've never let me down.

[Patrick Chase]

Take a look at the Ajax rasps from Lee Valley: http://www.leevalley.com/en/wood/pag...33&cat=1,42524

I've been using these for years and they've never let me down.

Wow, I've been through the LV rasps page more times than I can count and had never noticed those. They look like a good alternative to the Nicholson 49/50 for mid-range rasps with randomized teeth, particularly considering the quality issues Nicholson has been having since they moved production (though maybe those are sorted out by now).

[Bill McNiel]

I have 3 Auriou rasps (10"-9g, 8"-13g & 7"-15g) all from LN. These a truly great tools and the LN handles are very comfortable. I use rasps a lot and the Aurious are in a league of their own, my Iwasakis are nice but only used when I feel the project could damage the Aurious or some such rationalization.

[Allan Speers]

No one mentioned Grobet. I've never used them, but they have an excellent reputation. They're a lot less expensive than Auriou. Not hand-cut, but the pattern is quite diffuse. Possibly a very good compromise.

[Matt Lau]

Liogier are nice, and loved by luthiers in Europe.
Auriou are nice. Maybe a bit overhyped, but work well.
Gramercy--never used them. heard great things about them.
Dragon rasps are okay. Better than most BORG things, but nothing special.

Pechar rasps are little known in America, but are the best rasps that I've used.
They are very highly regarded in the violin community.
With a hard touch (cut 7), they are extremely aggressive with negligible chatter.
With a light touch (cut 7), the resultant finish is like 200 grit sandpaper.

In terms of cost/performance--Lioger or Gramercy are probably cheapest.
Pechar are slightly more expensive (maybe by 5-15 euro), come unhandled, but imho are incredibly versatile.
I have a grain 5/7 flat rasp, and a grain 7 half-round cabinet rasp. I stuck Lie Neilson handles on them.

-edit: with the weakened Euro, you may be surprised at the relative cost of a few good rasps.
Good luck, my friend. A good rasp is addictive.