Tool to Carry the Wrist into Buttstock

[Tizzy]

I'm making my first attempt at starting from a blank. I've got the barrel and lock inlet, and the rifle rough shaped. I am attempting an iron mounted southern rifle with James River Basin influence. My question is, what tool do you gents prefer to use to make the dish out that carries the wrist back into the buttstock? I have a sureform, and a few round rasps, but I can't seem to make them work correctly for me.

[Acer Saccharum]

I will often use a shallow gouge, and cut across the grain to scoop out a hollow cheeckpiece. Follow that with a rasp, then scrapers.
Tom

[Bob Smalser]

These are cobbler's heel shaves made by Snell Atherton up until the 1950's.  I use them to back out carvel planks building boats, but they are basically an adjustable-mouth spoke shave that works as well on wood as it does leather.  They can be had on eBay in the 15-20 dollar range.  I'd look for a #4 or #5 for your purpose.

[Jim Kibler]

Many tools can be used.  Gouges, rasps, planes, files, scrapers etc.  A small plane with a round bottom is particularly effective.  One thing for sure, get it roughed out with something  that removes wood efficiently then move to less agressive tools.

[Jerry V Lape]

If your rasps aren't performing you might want to find a #50 and a #49 Nicholson cabinet makers rasps.   The 50 is a finer cut but if you can only afford one pick that one.  The 49 can be too aggressive.  I grind the edges off the rasp as manufactured so it cuts right up to the edge.

[Acer Saccharum]

The new stock Nicholsons are hecho en Brazil. I noticed the tooth pattern was slightly different, a little more blank space between the teeth and the edge, but the teeth appeared to be beautifully formed and very sharp. I bought this as a gift, so I didn't get to give it the road test.

Ariou rasps are very wonderful, albeit a bit pricey. But they are cut by hand, and can be had in many different shapes and lengths. I bought mine from 'Tools for Working Wood: http://www.toolsforworkingwood.com/Merchant/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Store_Code=toolshop&Product_Code=AU-CM.XX&Category_Code=&Search=rasps

[Don Getz]

You guys beat me to it, but I still like those cabinet makers rasps, 49 & 50.    I hollow out the cheek piece area and shape
the forward portion of the comb with a 49, then smooth them out with finer rasps and coarse sandpaper.........Don

[Ed Wenger]

If you're having trouble with a sureform, you might want to try using it without the frame, if you're using a frame...  I find the convex blades work well for hogging off wood.  I put 100mph tape (duct tape) on each end so it doesn't tear up your hands.  You can flex the blade a little better to get more of a bite.  Orient the blade so you remove wood while pulling, not pushing, that seems to work a little better for me.

Also, like Don and the other guys said, cabinet makers rasps work really well.  I use them after the sureform, and before planes and scrapers.

                    Ed

[Jim Kibler]

The new stock Nicholsons are hecho en Brazil. I noticed the tooth pattern was slightly different, a little more blank space between the teeth and the edge, but the teeth appeared to be beautifully formed and very sharp. I bought this as a gift, so I didn't get to give it the road test.

Ariou rasps are very wonderful, albeit a bit pricey. But they are cut by hand, and can be had in many different shapes and lengths. I bought mine from 'Tools for Working Wood: http://www.toolsforworkingwood.com/Merchant/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Store_Code=toolshop&Product_Code=AU-CM.XX&Category_Code=&Search=rasps

I have several Ariou rasps and have found I like the 10" #9 grain cabinet makers rasp best.  It cuts fast, yet leaves a relatively smooth finish.  This tool is not best suited for bulk wood removal, but rather shaping after using planes, gouges, shaves etc.  This is one of my favorite tools.

[Dphariss]

I'm making my first attempt at starting from a blank. I've got the barrel and lock inlet, and the rifle rough shaped. I am attempting an iron mounted southern rifle with James River Basin influence. My question is, what tool do you gents prefer to use to make the dish out that carries the wrist back into the buttstock? I have a sureform, and a few round rasps, but I can't seem to make them work correctly for me.

Flat surforms are completely useless IMO. I have a 1/2 round in the plane style handle that has rough shaped a lot of stocks. The flats just won't cut as I want. The 1/2 round, if you can find one, is great for rough shaping.

You REALLY need a #50 cabinet/pattern makers rasp. Pricey but simply a must have for me anyway.

SCRAPERS work as well. Shaped to allow cutting the contours. These will work right down to to final stock contours but are slow for removing a lot of wood

A large 3 or  4 sweep gouge can be helpful for the initial removal of the excess. But you need to understand the consequences of grain flow before using something like this when close to final size. Fast and less sweat than a rasp or shurform.

The photos show process on Peabody from rough shape to finish in progress in 2002. Shurform, pattern makers rasp, large smooth cut 1/2 round, round files, note paper wrapped on the rubber tube for smoothing contours. Bastard cut knife file about 6" with its "safe" back used to deepen and smooth the accent line without cutting into the line and making a flatspot.
Dan

[Acer Saccharum]

I like the Ariou 10 grit for going over the stock after the #49 Nicholson.
Nothing takes wood off like the #49 Nicholson, but it is a tough act to follow with a scraper. The Ariou leaves a finer finish, does not tear the wood deeply, and leaves the stock ready for scraping.

Tom

[Dphariss]

I like the Ariou 10 grit for going over the stock after the #49 Nicholson.
Nothing takes wood off like the #49 Nicholson, but it is a tough act to follow with a scraper. The Ariou leaves a finer finish, does not tear the wood deeply, and leaves the stock ready for scraping.

Tom

This is why I use a smooth or second cut 1/2 round for.  It will leave the surface smooth enough to scrape or further smooth the wood with mill files.
But finding smooth cut files can be tough other than mail order.

Dan

[Tizzy]

Thanks for all the input.  I have read great things about the Nicholson # 49 and #50 cabinet makers rasps in this post, along with in some older posts.  I have a few wood rasps, but nothing of any great quality. They work, and I'm not complaining, but like everything else you get what you pay for. Maybee it is time to invest in the Nicholsons, or even better ask for some for Christmas.

[Jerry V Lape]

Have Santa check the prices for them at the Jamestown Supply website.

[Kermit]

My. God. Bob Smalser has arrived? Good to see you here, my man. If you guys have tool questions, he's the man. Or questions on any of several other topics. Welcome, Bob.

[Tizzy]

I will be sure to tell Mrs.Claus to check that out. Just tonight she was fishin for ideas.

[bama]

Brownells has a scraper set that I like to use for final shaping of the nose area of the comb. I think they are thr Jerry Fisher scrapers. I also like to use the french curve style scraper for final shaping of the cheek piece area. I pretty much use some shape of scraper for the final finish surface of the whole stock. Scrapers if properly sharperned can remove a good bit of wood in a fairly short time. I normally rough shape my stocks out with planes and rasp then files and finally the scrapers. I grind the smaller round Fisher scraper to the size I want to fit the area at the nose of the comb.

[Waksupi]

I'm also a big fan of the Nicholson rasps. Those, and a Vulcan rasp from Brownell's are my go-to tools for stock shaping.