What are the different types of rasp?

29th February 2020


	What are the different types of rasp?


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			As rasps are limited to use with softer materials, such as wood and plastic, there are fewer varieties of rasp than there are varieties of file.

			The defining feature of rasps is their shape. All of them are used for shaping or finishing wood, but some are more suited to specific uses.

			Cabinet rasps
			Cabinet rasps, also called cabinet files, are half round. Some have one flattened edge.

			These are the most common type of woodworking rasps. Just like half round files, they can be used for a range of different shaping tasks. For more information on half round files, see: What is a half round file?

			Modeller’s rasps
			Modeller’s rasps are similar to cabinet rasps, but smaller and narrower, which makes them more suited to working with detail.

			Cranked neck rasps
			A cranked neck rasp’s cut face is slim and the tang and handle are cranked (bent over to one side). This allows the tool to be used in confined spaces.

			Round rasps
			Round rasps are used to smooth the insides of carved detail and file straight or spiral line patterns onto wood surfaces.

			Twisting them with each push stroke is the best way to make sure you get the best out of all of the teeth.

			Square and knife rasps
			Square and knife rasps are both shaped like their namesake files, and used for similar purposes.

			However, they are much better suited to cutting wood than they are metal. For more information, see: What is a square file?and What are knife, pippin and auriform files?

			Horse rasps
			Horse rasps are double-sided tools that are cut with rasp teeth on one side and file teeth on the other. They are mainly used by farriers to care for horses’ hooves. For more information, see: What is a horse rasp?

			Needle rasps
			Needle rasps are smaller, narrow rasps used to shape small areas where precision is important. They are particularly useful in the making of guitars, violins and other instruments.

			Rifflers
			Also called riffler files, rifflers are even smaller rasps used in precision carving. Their coarseness is measured in the same way as Swiss pattern files.

			In this case, the term ‘riffler files’ is a bit of a misnomer, as their heads are cut with rasp teeth. For more information on rifflers, see: What are rifflers?