Neal in San Jose
Agree with everything said here. However (always a however!), you don't know how handy a float is until you begin to use one. I have a pair that I bought from Saint James Bay Tool Co and use them for cleaning up joints, too - think mortise. If the floats are laying on the bench, and the rasp is WAY over on the other side of the shop, guess which one I grab! Sometimes the narrow tapered shape fits where the rasp wouldn't, and they are also easier to control than a chisel - well, in my hands, anyway.

The next skill you will develop is sharpening floats. DAMHIKT, LOL