Official Luthiers Forum!

What rasp do you guys have in your stable for building guitars?

I see that Nicholson 49&50 seem to be a popular choice for availability and price.

I also see that Gramercy, TBT, Auriou are top choices for highend rasp. Links to all three below.

Questions:
-What is the difference between modellers rasp and cabinet rasp for use on guitar necks? does it even matter?
-How about the size and teeth per inch? Is there a preference?

Thanks, David

http://www.toolsforworkingwood.com/Merc ... rchant.mvc
http://www.thebestthings.com/newtools/files_rasps.htm
http://forge-de-saint-juery.com/acatalo ... ood_5.html

A 10" coarse Dragon file, those are great:
http://www.stewmac.com/shop/Tools/Files/1/Dragon_Hand-cut_Rasps.html
Plus Nicholson #49 and cabinet bastard file for finish before fine sanding.

_________________
Laurent Brondel
West Paris, Maine - USA
http://www.laurentbrondel.com/

My favorite rasp, and the tool I could not do without, is my auriou rasp. Unfortunately, I've heard that they went out of business. Not sure.

-

I'm just bit confused with so many to choose from any of those companies. Too many sizes and options so I would appreciate some guidance from those who have had either Gramercy, The best thing, and Auriou. Particular confusion is Modeller versus cabinet and length/tpi.

-

The Best Things is carrying Auriou rasps again.

http://www.thebestthings.com/newtools/files_rasps.htm

_________________
Aoibeann

I think altough they are French made by ex-Auriou employees, they don't go by or are not Auriou. They have their own brand name "thebestthing" TBT.

Auriou is back but from what I understand, at a much smaller scale with higher price tag.

I am very curious to see if there are much difference between TBT and Auriou.

So from reading archive and doing some research, I went with Shinto rasp for aggresive initial cuts. I'm thinking I might pickup a modeller rasp by Gramercy and cabinet rasp by either TBT or Auriou. Just from a short research, It is my understanding that Gramercy does better modeller than Auriou, and Auriou/TBT does better cabinet. I don't think TBT does modeller.

the herdim cabinet rasps from dick in germany are the absolute best IMHO.
expensive but wel worth as one will last you for many years.

look here.

http://www.dick.biz:80/dick/product/704716/detail.jsf

Joel.

aparantly Ariou are back in business.
classic hand tools in the uk sent me this a month or two ago,

* Auriou Rasps **
Forge de Saint Juery apologise for the glitches in the new Auriou site but we hope they have now been fixed. If you haven't already had a look at the products currently available then do so now. [ Find out the latest from Forge de Saint Juery ]

heres the website

http://www.forge-de-saint-juery.com/

i know this was posted earlier i think that ariou went into recivership or somthing simmaler and opend under the name forge de saint juery so the rasps should be very simalar.
i only know this becouse classic hand tools in the uk have been promoting the heavily.

i however go for the herdims as they are a bit cheaper but frist class hand cut rasps.

Joel.