I have over the last year I have been asked with to install handrail with greater frequency.  Some of it reference work and some from repeat remodeling contractors who don’t want to handle it themselves.  I am not complaining as I enjoy the challenge and the cash in my account.

The rail has been of the common 6010 style found almost anywhere but after giving a customer a couple catalogues they said they liked the Coffman 6719 syle.  The job will include 2 volutes, 2 level quarter turns for a continuous rail, 1 level quarter turn for a wall termination, and 2 up easings to cap a section of balcony rail going into half newels at each end.

To fair out irregularities between fiiting and rail I have been using in combination a set of collins bunny planes, 151 stlye spoke shave, card scrapers, Shinto rasp, rat tail files, Lj Smith handled scrapers, block plane, and sanding blocks of various sizes and styles.  Given the amount of detail in the 6719 rail I am afraid that my current tooling may not be able to deal with certain portions of the profile without spending way to much time sanding.

I have read and heard of stairbuilders using a variety of carving gouges and veining tools in addition to the above mentioned tools for this task.  I have checked the web sites of several wood working suppliers but have found the numbers and sizes a bit confusing.  Given my limited knowledge of carving I believe that I would be using some of these tools backwards, paring instead of gouging. I did see a selection of scribing gouges offered by Japan woodworker that seem more suited to this. I am hoping to get some advise before I start throwing money at tools I may not need and never use as well as possible suggestion for other tools used for this task.

My appreciation in advance,

Justin