AmericanLongRifles Forums
General discussion => Gun Building => Topic started by: Stickburner on May 31, 2017, 08:14:13 PM
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In your opinions which currently available rasps are the best substitutes for the Nicholson 49 and 50?
I have a couple of stock blanks I plan to use as soon as I get through with my wife's rifle and want better rasps than I have right now.
Richard
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Iwasaki files/rasps are the best I have found. Woodcraft sells them. They beat the Nicholson hands down.
Dennis
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Auriou, Liogier and Gramercy rasps are also very good.
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I agree with Dennis. The Iwasakis are really good. I found the trick to using them is don't use too much pressure.
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Iwasaki files/rasps are the best I have found. Woodcraft sells them. They beat the Nicholson hands down.
Dennis
The Iwasaki's can be sharpened fairly easily too, I did two old ones yesterday - just run a fine stone over the surface lightly and they perk right up.
dave
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Which Irwasakis do you guys recommend?
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Swiss Grobet makes a cabinet makers rasp that cuts just as well as the old Nicholson #49 rasp. They can be found on Amazon for 80 bucks shipped. I handled one of these at the last OGCA show and I think they are better than the # 49's. I plan on getting one in the fall.
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I'm also a fan of Iwasaki rasps. They are excellent rasps and very reasonably priced. They may or may not be quite as good as some of the big dollar rasps, but they get the job done very nicely and are more affordable. I think the grading of the coarseness is a little off however. I'd say they are more aggressive than rated. You probably won't need anything other than extra fine, fine, and medium unless you really want to hog off some wood in a hurry. Also, as sdilts said, they work best with very little pressure applied.
Mole Eyes
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I sent my #49 and #50 to Boggs tools to be resharpened, they were mighty fine tools when they came back.
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http://boggstool.com/
They do a great job, the rasps and files come back as good as new. They sharpen drills and milling cutter also. Same quality!
Fred
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Regarding Iwasaki rasps, I find the medium cut most useful. Again, let the rasp do the work, applying a lot of pressure doesn't have any benefit. Suggest a glove on the hand holding the front end of the rasp as a stalled rasp can really do a job on the bare hand. Go with the 10" in the medium cut.. They work more like a plane and do leave a lot smoother surface than the traditional rasps.
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I have been reading a lot more than posting, and had read that the Nicholson's currently available rasps left a lot to be desired. I bought a few Iwasakis and man are they sharp. I learned very quickly that a light hand is necessary and he tool just works itself.
Keith
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Does anyone have any experience with the Tome Feteira brand of rasps and files? Paul Sellers gave a good review of their cabinet makers rasps.
The brand new Nicholson #49 (Brazil) I bought is a complete lemon, I wouldn't even consider another Nicholson unless it said USA on it.
Thank you for your help.
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I started using the Liogier rasps and I love them. Best rasp I have ever used. They are made to order so you can get exactly what you want. Only problem is they are quite expensive.
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I have a couple of Dragon rasps from StewMac that work really well. I like that they are fairly wide and have a quick taper. https://www.stewmac.com/luthier-tools-and-supplies/types-of-tools/files/dragon-hand-cut-rasp.html StewMac also sells razor files https://www.stewmac.com/luthier-tools-and-supplies/types-of-tools/files/razor-files.html and they are currently 15% off.
David
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Hi,
I bought these from Ron Scott a while ago. From left to right, the first is an Auriel, probably medium cut and is a direct replacement for the Nicholson 49. Its width is nice for flattening and truing surfaces. The second is Liogier's gunmakers rasp. It cuts aggressively but the main feature is the long length, which allows you to get into tight places on the butt stock without the handle interfering. It is my go to rasp for shaping cheek pieces. The third is a standard Liogier medium cut, which is an excellent general purpose shape and cut. Finally, the fourth is a finer cut Dragon rasp. I really like this one and it essentially replaces my bastard files. It leaves a nice smooth surface behind.
(https://i.ibb.co/VB362cP/OLYMPUS-DIGITAL-CAMERA.jpg) (https://ibb.co/3hkKB9L)
dave
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I have and use multiples of both the Iwasaki and the Dragon rasps. If I could have but one, it would surely be the Dragon fine cut.
Works with and against the grain, removes stock with a controlled appetite and leaves an easily finished surface. It, together with a small, curved, Italian riffler have permanent residence on my bench.
~Longshot
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I am also a fan of the dragon rasps the fine and the coarse. If I'm trying to hog of a lot of wood I start with my Shinto rasp coarse side flip to the fine then to dragons, my #50 is saved for wrist to lockpanel transitions.
Kevin
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Also a vote for the Iwasaki rasps. Use a step finer than you think you need. They really bite.
I own 6 of them. Wouldn’t give them up for anything. They cut fast, and leave a smooth surface.
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I have not tested everything so I don't know what is best.
I have a very expensive large hand stitched fine grain rasp. I rarely use it. The Iwasaki rasps are OK but tend to be grabby. I wrapped tape to the end to stop cutting my left hand.
For fast removal I have two large farriers' rasps. I baby them to keep them sharp. The large one has a coarse grain and smooth side. IT cuts really fast. The smooth side is a double cut type of thing that is faster than the Iwasaki rasps and makes a smooth surface. Farriers' rasps are relatively cheap.
ON favorable wood I like my spoke shave.
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Those rasps from StewMac are fantastic and periodically they run sales so you can get them quite cheaply. I'm super cheap so I refuse to spend a lot of money on anything. Only negative I can point out on the StewMac rasps is that I suspect they're casehardened low carbon, so if you hit metal with them a few times, they start to dull and I don't know how effectively they can be resharpened. But if you get them when they run a sale, they're cheap enough and #@!! $#@* are they sharp.
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I have a number of Liogiers rasps and while they cut well but on mine you need to be careful not to cut too close to the finished dimension. There are a few teeth that stand proud of the rest of the teeth and you will find deep scratches in the wood from those teeth when you drop down to files and paper or scrapers
Richard
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I have a Corradi rasp that I like as well. Mine has different teeth on each side. They are pretty readily available and less expensive than a hand-cut rasp. Mine leave a finish ready for scraping.
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Which would make a better supplement / followup to a Nicholson 50 - a Dragon or Iwasaki? Which profile and cut??
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A small block plane will smooth most of it up quick without creating a lot of dips and humps.
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Here are a few specialty rasps. The one in the middle is really a super performer. It cuts very easy and smooth. It has a varying radius. One photo shows the back side of that rasp, It’s about an 8 inch cut.I got it at woodcraft.
Richard
(https://i.ibb.co/Y0Z96Pz/DFCD76-F3-9-D26-4-F06-85-AE-20-BF4-A23325-F.jpg) (https://ibb.co/6XBh2r3)
(https://i.ibb.co/6bYGJJx/950126-E2-CBD7-4-F2-C-8-D01-69-DDB432-E904.jpg) (https://ibb.co/k0Kz66f)
(https://i.ibb.co/PcJZkVB/B643075-B-80-D2-4758-AA82-E3271520237-F.jpg) (https://ibb.co/qNhM62b)