Rasps are devices used in the finishing process after basic carving is completed.
These can be used for reducing wood and stone and are sometimes used in finishing metal. They are
double-ended tools with small, medium, or large teeth and are made by hand, each tooth hand punched.
Most rasps have a radial curve on at least one side but some may be flat. The teeth are located on both sides as well as on the edges.
Rasps range in
size from the miniature to the
heavy 10 to 12 inch. There are
basically four styles of rasps
and a variety of shapes to suit
most applications. The styles
are fine cut with small
teeth, medium cut with
medium teeth, coarse cut
with larger teeth and,
miniature rasps with
extremely fine teeth for
detailing work. The size and
placing of the teeth will vary
with each tool since they are
made by hand
The rat tail rasp
(round rasp) has teeth like a hand-held rasp but is
completely rounded and generally used with an attached
handle. Knife rasps are so named because they have the shape of a knife
blade. The rounded end or handle is a rat tail rasp in
itself with punched teeth over the entire surface.
Plaster
rasps are rounded and concave, like a spoon, at both
ends unlike conventional wood and stone rasps. They are
perforated, much like a cheese grater, with sharpened
cutting edges to accommodate the set plaster. This
allows the plaster material to pass through the holes so
the rasp will not clog up with discarded refuse. The
tools come in three basic sizes: 6 ½, 7 ½ and 9 inch.
Cabinet
rasps are flat surface rasps used in the cabinet
industry as well as in the sculpture field. They are
used for fast reduction of large amounts of material.
They are half round on the upper side and flat on the
lower. There is also a combination style, four-sided
with teeth or teeth and a file. The rasps are available
in sizes from 6 to 12 inches and are normally held with
a wooden handle secured by the tang of the rasp.
Finally, since material particles clog the teeth of almost any rasp, they should be periodically cleaned using a
rasp brush.
Visit our
online
rasps store
to view the numerous types of
rasps described here.
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