Lets face it, not everyone is a "Hand Tool Guy". Some of us, even if we are really into cutting dovetails by hand or chopping mortises with a chisel, just want to get the job done quickly and with a little less elbow grease. This is where the Narex Rotary Rasps really shine. Think of them as a filler between a hand-stitched Riffler and a Cabinet Maker's rasp that are designed to be used in your handheld drill! Que the Neanderthal grunting.
Still not convinced? Dang, I thought I had you with the grunting. Where the Narex Rotary Rasps flex some muscle is when shaping details in tight areas, especially where you don't have room to throw a rasp back and forth.
These rasps come in 10 different shapes which gives you a lot of options when it comes to shaping three-dimensional objects, creating undercuts or simply working into tight corners. No matter the shape you need to create, we offer the perfect rotary rasp. There's a cylinder, ball, cone, or complex rotary rasp to make your cutting as simple as possible. They are not only ideal for shaping soft and hardwoods, but can be used to shape plastics and even soft stones like soapstone.
What makes these rotary rasps unique is they have hand stitched teeth. This means that each tooth is made one at a time by a craftsman wielding a hammer and specialized chisel. The reason this is important is the act of creating the teeth by hand introduces an irregularity to the tooth pattern. This irregularity allows the rasp to cut faster and leave a smoother finish than if the rasp was machine-made. In other words, you don't get a train track pattern happening while you shape the workpiece. These Narex hand-stitched rotary rasps are made In the Czech Republic by a family that have been hand stitching rasps for generations. The hand-stitched teeth also help make these rasps easier to control.
I know what you're thinking, is hand stitching really that important? After all, these rasps go in my drill. The answer is yes! Rasps are designed to perform in hard-to-access areas where sanding is a pain, so the smoother they cut the less work has to be done after shaping to be ready for finish.
It is also important to note that the Narex Rotary Rasps are intended for use in a handheld drill and are rated at 3000 RPM max. Narex went the extra mile and made the shanks slightly smaller than 1/4" to ensure that no one accidentally puts one into a 1/4" shank router collet. Because the shanks are about 1/64" undersized they simply won't lock down into a router collet. This also makes it easier to slip the rotary rasps into the jaws of a 1/4" Jacobs chuck because it does not have to open to its absolute maximum capacity.
Here at Infinity Tools we sell all of the Narex Rotary rasps individually so you can pick that one that suits your next project. We also sell them in a 10-piece money saving package so you can be ready no matter what project comes along, or to satisfy that rainy day creative urge.
Maintenance for these rasps is the same as for any other high-quality steel tool. Use a brass or nylon bristle brush to remove sawdust from the teeth, then lightly coat with oil to prevent rusting. I find Boeshield T-9 works really well for this. Because they are made from carbon steel and hardened to 49 HRc., these rasps are very durable and will last for years if properly maintained.
