Can anyone out there suggest a decent set of rasps or files for doing stock shaping? I know Nicholson makes some good quality files but not sure which ones to get for general shaping.

I use Farriers rasp for the rough work. Two sided extremely rough and rough. They vary in price from cheap to really expensive.

Get a Woodcraft catalog or go online. Good selections of wood working files and rasps.

A Nicholson #49 Cabinet Maker's Rasp is what we used in gunsmithing school. A smaller version called a Four In Hand Rasp has rasp and rough bastard files in flat and half round combined in one tool. They are very handy for detail shaping, comb flutes, cheekpieces, bolt notches, etc..

I like these no-clog files. The way they are cut makes them work more like a plane than a gouge and the rate of wood removal can be controlled by how much pressure you use. I'm far from expert but it's a tool that works well for me.

The "teeth" look like this:

That looks pretty much like a shoeing rasp

I'll second the Nicholson #49 rasp as being indispensable. I've used one for a lot of wooden boat work, cabinetmaking, as well as gun stocks. They're a bit pricey, but seemingly last forever.

I use a good cabinet rasp for stock shaping then a cabinet file to remove the rasp marks and tp prepare the wood for sanding.

Oh yeah? That's how much I know about horses. The thing really knocks wood off fast when you want it to and cuts smooth.

Had to look it up, all the pictures of farrier files/rasps looked pretty much like this:



The no-clog file has what I guess you could call canted grooves machined across the face. So it cuts along the surface rather than teeth digging in. Really knocks off the wood if you lean on it but takes a fine cut if you don't. Can chatter on you though.

Go to this link and page backwards and forwards to see about every type of file you might be interested in.

http://www.icscuttingtools.com/catalog/page_356.pdf

dave

I see they call them curved tooth files and a lot cheaper than Brownell's. (page 353)

The one I want and simply can not find is a crossing file.

Is this what you had in mind?

http://www.amazon.com/Pattern-Double-Crossing-Coarseness-Thickness/dp/B000ZEEQ74

The Four in Hand File that I spoke of in my previous post is made by the Swiss firm Grobet. It is used in the jewelry trade to file wax (they work great for wood and the no-clog feature will be appreciated), Grobet's description is a "Vulcrylic Wax File". The files have a tapered tip like a Nicholson #49 and two different coarsness bastard style teeth. I was introduced to these files by my stockmaking instructor in gunsmithing school, they are very handy for doing fine detail work in many areas of the stock.
These files are available from the Jewelry Tool supply firm by the name of Otto Frei, the 6" version is priced at $35.75. Once you've tried one of these files you'll wonder how you got along without one.

Yep, that's the one rasp to get if you want to shape detail, not just hog off wood. You can really lighten up on your touch with these then clean up with a bastard and/or second cut prior to sanding.
Kimber of Oregon Model 89 BGR, circa 1990.

Doubletap: That's it! Thank you.

An oldy but a goodie. The tapered width toward the end lends to cleaning up after the Nicholson #49, especially in flutes and around a cheekpiece. Its a Simonds Nucut bastard. Don't see tapered half-rounds in their current offering though...

that "no Clog" file is a Vixen file, once quite common in auto body shops for shaping lead, thehey are also great on aluminum, steel, wood, plastics, and cut with a planing effect, neatly slicing off the top surface