Left, right handed or ambi?? Rasp.

[Ron Bontz]

For the folks who use rasp a bit. Do you find yourself switching hands a lot? While I am predominately right handed for most things, I noticed I switch hands a lot when using a chisel or rasp. Rather than moving the piece or my body. I do this as well on the lathe. Anyone else do this? It makes me wonder if I would be better off getting an ambidextrous rasp as opposed to a left or right.

[Jim Koepke]

My right side is also predominate though often I do things left handed.

I think most rasps that can be bought at hardware stores are not particularly handed.

I have noticed with my hand stitched rasps that the action seems different if they are used left handed instead of right handed. They seem to leave a slightly smoother surface when used wrong handed.

This has given me thoughts of ordering a left hand rasp sometime in the future to see if it really is the case.

It could be the attack angle of the teeth causing it to work more like draw filing (draw rasping?).

jtk

[Bill White]

Righty-Lefty? This is news to me. I never knew that files/rasps were "handed". Good to know.
Bill

[Ron Bontz]

I just ordered a couple of Liogier rasp. The rifflers I bought from Noel are very nice and quite handy. A little less expensive than Auriou.(I may have spelled that wrong.)

[russell lusthaus]

I use rasps quite a bit - and never knew they were handed. I switch hands often but find it it the grain orientation that effects the cutting action, not the hand which brought the tool to the work.

Russ

[Jessica Pierce-LaRose]

I think it's particuarly evident on these types of handmade rasps, where the teeth seem to be punched at a slight angle, as opposed to hardware store rasps, which seem to be punch parallel to the length of the tool. I'd imagine it gives the tool the same feel as the skewed cut of the teeth on files. Using a single-cut file, the tool really wants to work in certain directions. This probably also is what allows these nicer rasps to be used with a motion somewhat akin to drawfiling, as I've seen Will Anderson show on the Woodwright's Shop.