ShapingRSS

Learning how to shape wood beyond flat and square elevates your woodworking skills and furniture projects to the next level. Whether you’re in search of the latest tools and technology or seasoned woodworking advice and easy explanations of wood carving techniques, you’ll find it here. From carving methods that use antique wood shaping tools and how-to advice on sharpening tricky carving tools to advice on modern machines that make quick work of exacting details, we’ve got you covered.

The New Auriou to Begin Selling Rasps this Month

After shutting its doors in late 2007 because of a labor dispute, Auriou Toolworks is set to re-open its doors this month and start shipping a small range of rasps directly to consumers, according to one of the owners. This is great news for woodworkers because the worldwide supply of these excellent rasps , our … Read more »

Auriou Rasp-makers to Re-open in France

The venerable rasp-making company Auriou plans to reopen its factory in France this summer after being shuttered by a labor dispute, officials said. The closing of the company resulted in a purchasing frenzy of the rasps by woodworkers that continues to this day , one Auriou flat rasp sold for $600 on eBay today. The … Read more »

How Do I Sharpen a Rasp?

John Griffin-Wiesner writes: Thanks to your blog posting last week which alerted me to the closing of Auriou, I purchased my only three Auriou rasps. While explaining them to a non-woodworker friend on the phone he asked if rasps ever wear out or need sharpening. Huh. I never thought of sharpening a rasp. But rasps … Read more »

Auriou, French Rasp Maker Since 1856, Closes Its Doors

The finest maker of handmade rasps and rifflers has closed its factory in Saint-Juery, France, after a protracted labor struggle with its workers, according to a release from Michel Auriou. The Auriou company has been making rasps by hand since 1856, and have only recently become available to woodworkers in the United States and Canada, … Read more »

When Seen in the Right Light

Hand-tool work can be confusing and frustrating when you follow the power-tool rules. Here’s a good example: I was working on finishing up the transitions between the aprons and legs of a Creole Table. After sawing them out, I had to first remove the bulk of the waste with a chisel, then follow it up … Read more »

The Venerable and Inscrutable Shinto Rasp

The Shinto “Saw-Rasp” has always been a curious thing to me. I first spotted it years ago hanging on the wall of our local Rockler store in the sandpaper section. It looks like (and probably is) a series of 10 hacksaw blades that have been bent and riveted together. It looked so unfamiliar to me … Read more »