The rasp is a woodworking tool we all know and have seen in our lives , but many confuse its use and they think that all rasps are the same and that files and rasps are the same tools .

Rasps and files aren’t the same tools and they do totally different job on a wooden surface , even if they look the same .

The rasps are metalic rods mostly from hardened steel alloys , divided into two rough sections made by triangular – pyramid style cutting “teeth” been shaped flat , round or half round , having several lengths and widths and their one end , strait shaped for attaching a handle .

It’s very important the “teeth” of the rasp to be randomly placed in the rasp surface and not in a row , in order the wood shaping with the rasp to have a uniform pattern and not “dig” into the surface unevenly .

Is a rasp , a Shaping tool ?

Yes , rasps are shaping tools , used in an early and primary woodworking stage , designed to remove fast large wood masses , in order the carpenter proceed to his further wood actions and there aren’t smoothing tools .

Do you rasp , with or against the Grain ?

Usually you rasp along with the wood’s grain and this makes your actions and shaping very easy , but you can also rasp wood agaist its grain , if you want to remove wood’s mass , super fast .

What can rasps , be Used to shape ?

Usually rasps are used to shape any kind of wood , but you can use a rasp to shape whatever material you want and there is no restrictions in here , even if you’ll face some stability problems when you try to rasp , very hard surfaces and here is why .

When you’ll try to shape metal , steel , or whatever else with a rasp , its “teeth” will slide on this tough surface because they cannot penetrate it easily , as they do in wood .

This sliding will make difficult for you to follow the exact design lines you want and will make your life difficult , but the job can be done if you’re very carefull .

Can you Plane wood with a rasp ?

No , you cannot plane wood with a rasp because rasps aren’t slicing – cutting the wood’s fibers as a plane , they are designed for trimming wood , using their “teeth’s” fiber removal abilities , during the motion .

Rasps are the previous step , before the plane actions .

Is a rasp , a Chisel ?

No , the rasp isn’t a chisel , because it uses its “teeth’s” wood fibers removal capabilities , while the chisel uses the slicing – seperating capabilites of its sharp blade .

Rasps remove wood , chisels seperate wood from its original mass .

What is a rasp Used for in woodworking ?

The rasp is used only for shaping wood in woodworking without damaging the wood’s fibers , it isn’t the same tool with a file and you should not confuse these two tools .

Many people confuse their use and they try to do their smoothing jobs , with a rasp , which is totally wrong and the results aren’t good .

See my Top rasp suggestions and more , in HERE .

What is a rasp Used in wood Carving ?

The rasp is used by the carpenter , before he starts his main carving actions on the wooden surface , in order to remove fast and very accurate , large pieces of wood , get closer quickly to the design lines and then proceed being more “surgical” .

If you’re carefull enough you can remove big enough wood masses and be precise in a high level , at the same time .

What is the difference , between a wood File and a Rasp ?

1) Rasps are made for shaping wood , files are made for smoothing wood .

2) Rasps have more “aggresive” , they have more pyramidal deep “teeth” for rougher fiber removal .

3) Rasps have more space between their “teeth” and they fill up with wood chips , very difficult .

What Number is a rasp cut ?

The roughness of a rasp is measured with numbers from 1 to 15 , which the 15 is the finest “teeth” form of a rasp . In woodworking , we use the 6 , 7 number rasps .

What is a Combination wood rasp ?

The combination rasp has one of its side flat and the other round , in order to give you flexibility and a wider range of use , having the flat side for leveling and rounding edges and the round side for concave surfaces and rounding holes .

Do rasps Wear out ?

Yes , certainly the rasps during time and use , they wear our and after a specific “circles” of wood shaping , it gets very damaged and they need replacement .

Do rasps , get Dull ?

Yes , rasps get dull from the shaping use on wooden surfaces and if you deal mostly with hard types of wood , they get dull in a shortest period of time .

Remember in HERE all the types of wood and their properties .

What Steel is a rasp made from ?

The rasps are made from several steel alloys , according to the manufacturers choices and the hardness he wants to give to it , but usually the high carbon steel is the most common steel type .

What Safety precuations should be taken , whan using a wood rasp ?

1) When you use a rasp , you shouldn’t wear clothes with long sleeves , because they may get tangled with the rasp moves and get hurt or something .

2) The safety glasses are needed most of the times , because many times little wood chips are thrown in the air and something may get in your eyes .

3) Another thing i use to do whan i use a rasp and especially when i put more hand power than usual , is to hold the rasp and move with both my hands , for better control .

Do i Need a rasp ?

Yes , certainly you’ll need a rasp for your woodworking activities and wood shaping and you’ll see that when you use a rasp with total control and nice feeling , you can do very elite wood shaping and in areas , other shaping – trimming tools , cannot reach .

How do i Choose a rasp ?

Check the metal to be the appropriate steel alloy , the sharpness combined with the good design of the “teeth” and their random placement in order to have uniform shaping results and of course the prestige of the manufacturer .

Keep woodworking and be always safe .