Protective sleeves for wood rasps...?

[billraby]

A good wood rasp is getting hard to find, at least for me it is. I’d love be to get another 10” tapered half round if anybody knows a good source.

This place makes the best rasps you can get. They are custom made so it takes a few months to get them and they are expensive. It is worththe wait and the money.

https://www.hand-stitched-rasp-riffler.com/en/

 

[Tn mtn man]

You get what you pay for. I bought some tool store in pigone forg. Junk

 

[wganz]

Buy some canvas and make your own, it could be a simple hand stitch or fancy done with a sewing machine;
https://www.harryepstein.com/7-pock...MIqaKkoOur-wIVuRTUAR3ZLA5TEAkYCSABEgI-VvD_BwE

Thanks for this link.

 

[Old-Duckman]

Could it be that letting files touch each other causing them to get dull is just another old wives tale that keeps getting repeated? I've always believed it.

I’ve said it before on this forum…I taught jewelry making and metal smithing for 15 years or so and always cautioned my students “diamonds cut diamonds, files cut files.”

I NEVER allow my files to touch each other. When I saw Eric’s post I actually slightly gasped.

I do more metalwork than wood work and the drawer that I have my metal working (pewter only) files in, I did make separators to keep them from touching. My wood rasps and files are in a toolbox drawer isolated from each other by the sleeves I mentioned (but I’ll need more when my new rasps arrive). Files for my silver work are in a separate drawer, not touching each other. I lay cloths between layers of files when I have to lay one on top of another.

You do not use files (and some other tools) that you use on pewter and aluminum when working silver (or other precious metals). I actually have a separate work bench and area for my pewter work, it is also my firearms bench.

For the new rasp sleeves I was thinking using some manila folder paper, making a sleeve by stapling one side. Not the most elegant or sturdy solution but they would last awhile. I don’t have room for visible racks to store them in and I don’t use them that often either.

 

[Old-Duckman]

Buy some canvas and make your own, it could be a simple hand stitch or fancy done with a sewing machine;
https://www.harryepstein.com/7-pock...MIqaKkoOur-wIVuRTUAR3ZLA5TEAkYCSABEgI-VvD_BwE

Not one who knows about sewing but I do have an old Singer I bought at auction years ago. That’s probably the best solution.

 

[Coinneach]

Could it be that letting files touch each other causing them to get dull is just another old wives tale that keeps getting repeated? I've always believed it.

Thats what most of us baby boomers were taught back in the day, it always made sense to me but hey you own the tools so its your way to play.

 

[Coinneach]

Thanks for this link.

I dont know about over there in the States, but here we can often find such Tool rolls in Army Surplus stores its worth a try.

 

[dehart.stephen]

Sections of old bicycle tubes are sometimes handy for some tools and large drill bits, etc.. Otherwise, homemade sleeves of carboard, maybe dipped in mineral oil amd allowed to drain, might be a cheapo way until a more elegant method comes up....

 

[LongWalker]

I’ve said it before on this forum…I taught jewelry making and metal smithing for 15 years or so and always cautioned my students “diamonds cut diamonds, files cut files.”

This. I was always taught files and rasps are edged tools, and should be cared for as such. Good files are too expensive--and hard to replace!--to allow them to be damaged unnecessarily.

 

[TDM]

This place makes the best rasps you can get. They are custom made so it takes a few months to get them and they are expensive. It is worththe wait and the money.

https://www.hand-stitched-rasp-riffler.com/en/

Thanks much.

 

[TDM]

Could it be that letting files touch each other causing them to get dull is just another old wives tale that keeps getting repeated? I've always believed it.

I’ve said it before on this forum…I taught jewelry making and metal smithing for 15 years or so and always cautioned my students “diamonds cut diamonds, files cut files.”

I NEVER allow my files to touch each other. When I saw Eric’s post I actually slightly gasped.

I do more metalwork than wood work and the drawer that I have my metal working (pewter only) files in, I did make separators to keep them from touching. My wood rasps and files are in a toolbox drawer isolated from each other by the sleeves I mentioned (but I’ll need more when my new rasps arrive). Files for my silver work are in a separate drawer, not touching each other. I lay cloths between layers of files when I have to lay one on top of another.

You do not use files (and some other tools) that you use on pewter and aluminum when working silver (or other precious metals). I actually have a separate work bench and area for my pewter work, it is also my firearms bench.

For the new rasp sleeves I was thinking using some manila folder paper, making a sleeve by stapling one side. Not the most elegant or sturdy solution but they would last awhile. I don’t have room for visible racks to store them in and I don’t use them that often either.

I don’t know, I do hang most of my files & rasp, have some in an old canvas wrap too. But when I’m working a lot of them get scattered on the bench but I’m not banging them around. And there’s a few that stay on the bench all the time. Now if you dump them in a bucket and drive down a bumpy country road you may well have problems.

 

[Old-Duckman]

Well my new rasps arrived yesterday, observations:

Narex brand (made in the Czech Republic) seem to be of exceptional quality and come with very nice handles attached. I did not buy the hand cut ones but the ones that are stitched via CNC.

I ordered 2 Nicholson rasps, a 49 and a 50. My old 49 was my favorite rasp until it got too dull to be of any use, it was made in the USA. These are made in Brazil and though they are sharp, I think that they have too many teeth and will clog easily (though I haven’t put them to wood yet). The new 49 looks like it will be far more aggressive than my old one. Not a good thing.

I seldom fit handles to my files, I either round the edges of the tang with a belt sander or push a plastic wine “cork” on the tang as a makeshift handle.

Rasps, on the other hand, I do often fit a handle. However I put ”corks” on the new Nicholsons last night, I’ll fit handles later if I feel that I need to.

in conclusion, if I had seen the rasps in person instead of just photos on the Net, I would not have purchased the Nicholsons, only the Narex brand. The 49 and 50 Nicholson are not different enough to have both.

I am a hoarder and never throw anything thing away. This worked to my advantage last night as I used old Amazon bubble envelopes as sleeves for the rasps. Of course I cut them to size and stapled them closed where necessary. Seems like a decent, quick solution. I’ll use them until they prove themselves otherwise.

Oh and I also sourced some reasonably priced battery acid and will try the file sharpening suggestion and let you know how that works out.