Replies

1. 
   pantalones868 | May 17, 2023 02:39am | #1

   I have some older Nicholson rasps and they are just fine and have destroyed quite a few car seats because of my habit of carrying one of their 4 in hands in my back pocket but recently I was in a store and grabbed a new Nicholson rasp. It was in a carded polystyrene hang on a hook wrapper. BUT -now made in China and It is junk! Not the same thing at all! Not sharp to start with and dulls down quickly. Maybe not even up to Harbor Freight standards.
   Auriou are hand forged and hand cut by Frenchmen or maybe even woman and are a beautiful and expensive but last a lifetime tool. I have one and it's truly as good as the hand forged German rifflers that I bought 50 years ago that I still use today and in fact was using one 15 minutes ago. I lost one of my rifflers from the set and after an appropriate grieving period I bought one of the Italian rifflers to replace it that Woodcraft carries. Same size and pattern as the old one and in fact actually fit into the spot the old one was in. Not as high-class as the German ones or the French one but it is pretty good for the price. If your in this for the long haul the Auriou is probably worth the cost.
   Some people swear by those roundy sure form type rasps for doing things like Maloof chairs. I never used them -just passing on a rumor.

2. 
   john_c2 | May 17, 2023 04:41am | #2

   Are they better? Absolutely. Like night and day. Are they worth the extra cost? They were for me. But that depends on your own personal pocketbook.

3. 
   lat_axe | May 17, 2023 05:07am | #3

   After some years of suffering the inadequacies of machine-made albeit inexpensive RSOs (rasp-shaped objects) I coughed up for Liogier rasps, then became semi-addicted to their purring exactitude at removing wood in just the right amounts to leave a very good surface needing little further refinement.

   Auriou rasps are very similar, it seems - hand made French items made with the same quality of materials and manufacturing processes. Either brand seems likely to serve your needs and please your woodworking sensibilities .... although not your wallet. :-)

   Be warned, though! They are splendid and thus addictive tools, with a huge variety of shapes, sizes and grades. After thinning the wallet for a while via purchase of the dang things, one after another, I recognised my slide down the slippery slope to penury and stopped after acquiring five of them. In practice, these five are more than enough for all my shaping purposes in which a rasp is the best tool for the job.

   https://www.fine-tools.com/liogier.html

   Lataxe

4. 
   ysu65 | May 17, 2023 06:31am | #4

   Totally agree that the new Nicholson rasps are not good. I opted for the Dragon Rasps from StewMac (musical instrument maker) when I did Sam's rocking chair. Cheaper and do a good job. I also have some of their razor files that I use a lot. And good luck working on the back slats.

5. 
   PhilR | May 17, 2023 09:43am | #5

   You might want to consider Narex (available from Taytools.com ). I'm strictly amateur, but they've worked well for me at less than half the price of Auriou.

6. 
   sf1988 | May 17, 2023 10:25am | #6

   Good mornings folks, just after 7 am here on the East side of the Cascades. I really appreciate everyone’s feedback. You have made my decision easy. As with all my tools I like to buy quality and not quantity. I like hearing the AU will last the test of time and hold their sharpness. Albeit expensive compared to others, worth the extra cost in the long haul. I am ordering the cabinet rasp and modelers rasp today from Highland Woodworking along with a Woodslicer blade for my bandsaw (on sale till the 30th). Thanks again for all your feedback.
   Dave

7. 
   chuckvandyck | May 17, 2023 11:32am | #7

   Shinto baby. Its not even about the affordability. They just work.

1. 
   joeleonetti | May 17, 2023 03:44pm | #8

   I have both an Auriou and a Shinto. Both work well. The only downside of the Shinto is that they don't have a curved side.