Rasps and Files
If you are a beginner, the following links from our beginner site, Common Woodworking, may be useful to you:
- The Rasp guide or The File Guide– This is a general guide which covers what the tool is and the names of the parts
- Buying a Rasp or Buying a File – This guide recommends what to look for when buying the tool and the best place to buy from
- Using a Rasp and a File– This guide shows you how to use your tool
- Setting Up Rasps and Files– This guide will show you the basics of setting up for use
What rasps do you recommend?
Paul has written a few posts on the rasps he uses at the moment. The Auriou Cabinetmaker’s rasp in the second article is a no 10, and he also uses a smaller no 13 for refining work. We have been using the fine Tome Feteira cabinetmaker’s rasp which has been performing great for the price. A rougher rasp would be useful for roughing out shapes.
Are left handed rasps necessary?
They are a good idea, otherwise you have to adapt your rasping technique to compensate. Liogier and Auriou make left handed rasps at the same price. You would have to contact Tome Feteira directly to find out if they do.
Which files do you recommend?
There is an overview & some recommendations in the following blog post: