Est. 1998 — 27 years of woodworking knowledge
Sharpening-Auto Body rasps?
Don Clark
>Has anyone here ever seen or heard of an "auto body rasp?" It was recommended for quick sharpening of arrow broadheads and I thought it should work as well for axes, etc. The fellow who made the recommendation has spent the last few decades in the bush of South Africa and now Australia, so it may be a term used in other parts of the world and may be called something else in the U.S.
Thanks,
Don
Re: Sharpening-Auto Body rasps?
Jack from Maine
>They're found in most auto parts stores. Should be near the bondo and auto body suppies/tools.Yes,they are called that here also.---Jack
Re: Sharpening-Auto Body rasps?
Don Clark
>Jack,
What do they look like? How do they differ from wood rasps?
Don
Re: Sharpening-Auto Body rasps?
Jack from Maine
>Picture a stanley shurform. It's a very simple tool. Thin steel with punched out teeth. They're not very expensive.They're designed for shaping hardened bondo.---Jack
Re: Sharpening-Auto Body rasps? *LINK*
Fred Peake, Okie Neanderthal
>I don't think a rasp would be very effective for sharpening, it would leave too many deep scratches and could never produce a smooth edge. I think it more likely he was referring to some type of vixen file. These are very aggressive files used for auto body work, that also leave a very smooth surface. See the attached link.
VIXEN Files
HIJACK ALERT! planemaker's floats...
Sandor in Boyds, MD
>Hmm.. Go me thinking....
Buy some of the Vixen files, anneal, shape to a taper profile, reharden and voila! Planemaker's float.
At least the face cutting profile. The edge cutting profile is another story....
Sandor
Easier to find floats
Bob Hackett
>Some file companies still make vixen files and even more fine files that resemble vixen files for use on aluminum.The aluminum files go by such names as Magi-cut and Alumi-cut and Nicholson markets one stamped superior standard.
Companies marketing vixen files include Nolvex and Titan,you can also get vixen files from Snap-on.
All these convert easily to planemaker`s floats.They`re also real rippers for removing any kind of wood in thier original form.There are handles offered by Snap-on(and others)that allow you to bend these files so they act like a compass plane.Handy tools these.They leave a MUCH better finish in thier wake than a rasp,you can start about 100/120 grit if so inclined,or just spend less time with a scraper.
Awhile back there was a post about crossover tools.I meant to get into these in depth but let it slip by with just a mention.
One other tool that works well as a crossover tool is an old babbit bearing scraper.Sharpened up properly you can do some very fine and intricate scraping on wood with these.They look and work like a japanese spear plane,worth looking into.I think I paid $3 for the last one I bought.
Thanks for the highjack,I don`t feel so bad about straying so far OT now.
Mainely,Bob
Hmmpphh
Bill Houghton, Sebastopol, CA
>And when I think about how many babbit scrapers I've walked past - now that I'll be looking, of course, I'll never see one.
Better late than never...
Scott Burr in Ben Lomond CA
>Thanks Bob, looks worth loking at! Babbet? isin't that something some Costello characater said...
Re: Sharpening-Auto Body rasps?
Don Clark
>I did get an answer on another forum from the fellow who is presently in the Australian outback. He, indeed was using what we call vixen files or curved tooth files for sharpening. Obviously, he was using the fine tooth version. They call them auto body rasps in the Southern Hemisphere.
Don
Re: Sharpening-Auto Body rasps? *LINK*
John Aniano in Central NJ
>Hi Don,
I'm pretty sure that Boggs Tool & File Sharpening Co. can put a new cutting edge on Vixen files using their "liquid honing" process. I don't know the cost. Check with them.
No association with Boggs, just a satisfied customer...