Rasps: Off the Shelf or the Best:

[Comancheria]

Just a matter of curiosity:  do any of you upgrade to the semi-hand-made Nicholson 49 and 50 models at upwards of $70.00?  Or beyond that, the hand-made French jobbies at double that price?  As I say, just curious--I could not affor to myself.

Best regards,

Russ

[osage outlaw]

I use a heavy duty farriers rasp, shinto rasp, an aggressive half round rasp for the handle and fades, and some smoother rasps to clean it up.  The shinto was the most expensive rasp that I have bought.

[Eric Krewson]

I have had a 49 and 50 for most of my bow making journey, worth the money for me. You can search around the net and find some good deals on these rasps. I saw a #49 on sale for $27 the other day on one of the tool sites. I bought a US made NOS #50 for $20 shipped off eBay a couple months ago.

[Jodocus]

I use these and like them a lot, I've tried more expensive ones that cost about ten times as much, but they weren't that much better.

[TimBo]

I like the Torges rasp, but I use my Shinto a lot too.  I have never used a good farrier's rasp, just an old nasty dull one (it wasn't that great!).

[missilemaster]

Look up the shinto saw rasp. Has quite a following here.

[wizardgoat]

I got my farriers rasp for 40-50$, I feel it's a must have

[bubby]

I have a top end farriers rasp, bellotta, yeah it's French, $22 at a real feed store not a tracker supply, amazingly sharp and around 5 different degrees of aggressiveness depending on which one you get

[Comancheria]

Thanks.  I never had any idea that there was such a quality difference.  I mean, a rasp has to be one of the least glamorous tools on the planet.  But for now making--one of the most important.  Based on your comments, I will not rule out the 49 and 50, and will look into the Shinto. 

[bushboy]

Yes I vote for the shinto rasps.the Japanese know a thing or two about wood working tools.

[DLH]

Bubby do you have experience with the half round bellota?

[bubby]

Bubby do you have experience with the half round bellota?




No I don't but if it's as good as the rest I can't see how you can go wrong

[DLH]

Thanks I may try one I don't know how aggressive the half round rasps are but they are cheap enough to try about 10-15 bucks.

[OsageWhisper]

From a newbie's experience so far the Shinto rasp has worked extremely well.

[mikekeswick]

Shinto's work well whilst they last but i've killed five....I treated myself to 3 Auriou rasps....they are an absolute dream to use and seeing as they last SO much longer than mass produced stuff they are well worth the money. As with any tool the more you use it the more you appreciate quality. Auriou rasps cut with minimal pressure. What you are paying for is that the teeth are hand raised in an almost random pattern - opposed to a machine made rasp where all the teeth are basically in lines. The machine made rasps will always leave a rougher surface (same tooth depth and pressure) due to this. After using my finest rasps one or two 'wipes' with a sharp scraper and the surface is perfect. I can't do this with a shinto. Mind i'm not knocking shinto's they are pretty good. Horses for courses.