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I have a few Aurioux rasps which I love but I think my favorite is a 15 grain, 6" modellers rasp. Seems to be somewhat like 80 grit but smoother if that means anything. For headstock to neck transitions to heel finessing,etc. it is amazing. Just used it to smooth the heel cap to heel transition on a neck. I bought one years ago for much less than half of what they want for one now, so lucky in that aspect. Hard to describe how well it works compared to sandpaper on a dowel etc. but it is a fantastic tool! https://www.leevalley.com/en-ca/shop/to ... 10antastic tool!

I have an ancient 4 in hand I use a lot. No idea on the maker.

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"Act your age, not your shoe size" - Prince

StewMac dragon rasps.

I’ve been a big fan of Aurio rasps during my wooden dory building time, especially the 10” cabinetmakers one. The Liogier ones are very nice too, previously at a better price point but haven’t checked recently.

Although not a rasp, my favorite file for filing wood is the yellow painted handled Plasti-cut duplex laminate file. It has an aggressive double cut side and a single cut mill file on the other, with a "safe" edge and an integral handle. Not as aggressive as a rasp, but it cuts fairly quickly and leaves a decent surface. it is relatively inexpensive.
https://betterleytools.com/products/pla ... -file.html

Excellent topic Darrell!
12 years ago I purchased a Liogier 7" Hand-Stitched 13 Grain Modeller with the Sapphire finish.
I use it constantly, especially for carving a neck.
It is one of my favorite tools - and it is as sharp today as the day I got it....

In addition to the StewMac Dragon rasps I mentioned earlier, I have two Auriou rat tail rasps that are great for some things.

That looks very close to my Aurioux modeller which is actually a 7" as well, not 6" as I initially posted. Fantastic tools!

I use my rat tail ones for slotted headstock ramps among other things. They are pricey but worth it to me.

I have a few old files that aren't too sharp. I have 4 Iwasaki files that I like. 2 small ones with a red handle; a flat and a half round, and 2 larger half rounds, one with a black handle that is fairly course, and a longer one in a file handle that is like a normal good size file.

They all work pretty good, but they are one sided. They slice cut, and you aren't left with any ridges.

I'll have to keep track of when I need a certain file that I don't have.

I do have a really cheap half round, that is a file and a rasp. Terrible steel! You can see the wear on the rasp teeth. Is heat treating an option?

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Why be normal?

I like the Sm Dragon rasps

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I use the Nicholson #49 and #50 rasps

I bought two Dragons from SM early on. They're not bad but I haven't touched them since buying a range of five from Ariou and Liogier.

I have two go to rasps at the moment. The first is a 200mm 11 grain Auriou half round rasp which is incredible as many in this thread seem to agree. The other is an Italian made Corradi 6" cut 10 hand rasp; shaped like a machinist file with a safe edge it's become one of my favorite tools. A violin maker friend told me about Corradi, if you're not aware of them already I'd highly recommend browsing their webstore. The rasps and files I've bought from them have been fast cutting with very fine scratch patterns, equivalent quality to my French rasp but at a much more agreeable price.

Thanks Brian, now we need a class in all the terms to know what we really want! I never knew that there was so much to know about files and rasps.
So many different kinds!

I know I don't like dull ones, and ones that leave furrows.

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Why be normal?

I ordered a pair of Lioger’s in 2013 after Noel Lioger posted a thread here about his hand forged rasps. I ordered a nine grain, 10” cabinet maker’s rasp, and a 13 grain, 7” modeler’s rasp.

I love everything about the cabinet maker’s rasp. It’s big, beefy, feels natural in my hand, and does a remarkable job taking off material without leaving a terrible surface.

I like the modeler’s rasp for detail work in the volute and heel transition, but really wish I had the wider cabinet maker’s rasp in 13 grain as well. The 13 leaves a really nice surface, but the modeler’s size itself is only about 3/4” wide, and I feel hesitant with it on the neck shaft because I’m afraid the leading edge is going to dig in or something.


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