Osage Bow (that hopefully doesn't take 10 months)

[Marin]

So a horsehoe rasp is more aggressive than a Nicholson rasp?

[Marin]

Would this rasp work?
http://www.3riversarchery.com/farriers-rasp-file-combo-bow-building-tool.html

[Marin]

Just  wondering how the performance of that raps compares to the rasp I've been using all along. I don't know what type of rasp this is called.

[Eric Krewson]

The Three Rivers rasp is a horseshoe rasp, easily twice as aggressive as the one you are now using.

As rasps go the one you are using is not that great, it looks old and is probably dull.

I use an American made Nicholson #49 the most. They are made in Brazil now and from what I have read are not near as good a rasp as the old American made ones.

I bought a new old stock American made #49 off ebay for $20 and sent my old #49 rasp to Boggs Tools to be resharpened, it came back as sharp as new. 

[Stick Bender]

A Shinto rasp is a good economical option you can aggresively ruff out a bow in short time, there my go to for removing a lot of wood quick !

[BowEd]

I'll vouch for that Stick Bender.I've got both types of rasps now thanks to you and each will hog wood off in a hurry.A farriers' rasp or a shinto rasp.

[Marin]

Out of curiosity, what type of rasp have I been using? Is it good at taking off a lot of wood quickly when sharp or is it meant for smaller removal of wood?

[DC]

I have one that looks just like that. It's 11 5/8" long x 15/16" wide. I got it at Home Hardware in Canada so it's probably offshore stuff. It's got no markings whatever on it. It's brand new and it's the worst piece of crap I've ever bought. I'd make a knife out of it one day but the steel is probably no good.

[Marin]

Mine has got marking a on it saying that it's a Nicholson rasp, I just don't know what type if rasp it is.

[Eric Krewson]

More on dull rasps; I made at least 145 bows with my trusty #49 cabinet makers rasp, I never thought about it getting dull and kept using it. It wasn't until I bought a new one that I found out just how dull my old one was. What took me an hour with my old rasp took me minutes with my new one, duh, my rasp went downhill so slowly I never noticed it.

Get a good rasp, you will pat yourself on the back for it later.

[Marin]

I ordered a farriers rasp yesterday. Forgot to tell.
I've been using this rasp for a while so hopefully I will see great improvement when I receive the the new rasp.

[Mo_coon-catcher]

I've heard of using vinegar to sharpen dull rasps but have never tried it. It might be worth looking into to bring new life into the one you've got. Others might weigh in on this method of sharpening.

Kyle

[Marin]

Well I got that new farriers raps and used it today and I am just amwzwed. It's way better than my old rasp and did what would have taken a full day in only an hour. If I had this tool for my board bow (or just a sharper rasp) I might have finished that in half the time. So,dead I. Going to have to try out a Nicholson #50. I heard those are great
I've got the the stave down to roughly an inch thick along its length. I believe I'm ready to layout the bow on the back and use a draw knife to carve the profile. I know that I need to incorporate the knots in my profile. Ill try drawing it our today and I'll post some pics. bubby was nice enough to give me the plans for a semi-rigid, bendy handle bow.

[Marin]

Bubby, could you resend me that pic of your bow? I'm laying out the profile and am trying to understand the dimensions you sent me but I am a little confused as to how wide the handle should be.

[Marin]

Bubby,
I would,send you this as a personal message but your inbox is full. I was re reading the dimensions you sent me and I was wondering if your bow was 1 3/4" wide? I thought it was 1 1/2" and when I was laying out this width it seemed very narrow for an osage flatbow bow, especially since osage does better with a wide, flat limbed design.