I'm looking to buy a new good rasp for wood bow making. What kind do ya all use, or suggest? Good place to buy one?

I found several new ones at a flea market, American made.

Tractor Supply sells them for $19.99.

Roy, I use a made in the USA Nicholson farriers rasp.  It's double the thickness of most other brands.  I bought a box of 5 new old stock for $30 on craigslist a few years back.  I've traded the extras away already.  I'll try to get a picture posted later today.

Save edge makes a pretty good rasp.

I picked up one of the $20 ones from orcheln's this summer. For the price it's awesome, it cuts well and self cleans well enough I only have to clean out the fine side when rasping soft stuff like eastern red cedar. I've never used one of the high dollar ferrier rasps, but if they cut significantly better Id be surprised. After having one for a while now, I don't know how I made bows without one, especially from knotty character staves.

Kyle

I bought a new rasp at tractor supply and wasn't impressed. My old farrier rasps handed down from a farrier cut better than the new one. They are called save edge. Now that I think about it, I should buy that brand. Duh.. LOL

I bought one from 3rivera IIRC and I'm happy with it, it's got a rasp on one side, and coarse file on the other.

It's the only farriers rasp I've owned so I can't compare.

Ouch, just checked and they are $40.00 for one. Have to look for a better price.

http://www.3riversarchery.com/farriers-rasp-file-combo-bow-building-tool.html

I got mine from a farrier that was to dull for him but is still plenty sharp for wood. They require the rasp to be much sharper than the typical woodworker requires. If you know anybody who has a horse have them ask the farrier if they have any old rasps. Chances are they will. That's how I ended up with mine and a buddy of mine has 2 getting them the same way.

QuoteOriginally posted by Eric Krewson:
I found several new ones at a flea market, American made.

Tractor Supply sells them for $19.99.

Tractor Supply

Your gonna make a bow?        

Don't make me come out there BOY..  

Found it for $24.00...

You could send your old dull files and rasps to Boggs tools and they will come back sharper than new. A 14" horseshoe rasp costs $5 to have sharpened at Boggs. I have used them and the service is great.

You send them your files, they sharpen what they can, if one is beyond hope they send it back. When you get your files back there will be a bill in the box, trusting folk.

Come to think of it I have several I need to send them.

Boggs looks pretty legit. I would probably just order a new rasp from them and have it sharpened before they send it ... $25 for the sharpest rasp is a deal.

I had rasps done by them, shipping cost me $15.00. The rasps were fairly sharp though.

Here are the ones I got on craigslist Roy.  I looked up an old post and I only paid $20 for the box of 5 rasps.  They are double the thickness of a regular farriers rasp.

 


   

Very nice, Clint..

Save edge and bellotta are great brands used by pro farriers  $20- $30 and you can get a standard cut to super aggressive and they last

Being in Pennsylvania, check with the Amish locally, farriers in particular.

Might find something worthy!