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Discussion on Rasps - there's the rub...
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Member:
36541
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Posted on Monday, Jun 4, 2007 - 8:10 am:
Good morning to all. I have a couple of questions about rasps. I seem to be unable to find consistency in rasps when I get them from the local feed store, so I am considering buying a box online. I get used to how the rasp feels in my hands, the stroke length and sharpness just as I wear them out. Do you guys have any favorites?
How long should a rasp last? Mine are making it 8-10 trims before they get dull enough that I am working extra hard. I am cleaning the hoof prior to trimming, and use nippers now if there is enough hoof wall. Mostly however, I do the bulk of the work by rasp.
What should I do with the old rasps? Can they be recycled? Sharpened? If sharpened, any suggestions where to start looking for someone to do it? Thanks, Stacy
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Member:
ajudson1
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Posted on Monday, Jun 4, 2007 - 8:59 am:
Stacy,
I am just getting started doing hooves myself, and I was planning on ordering from www.Star-Ridge.com. My rasp is doing o.k., so far, it's from Country Supply I think. Came with an attached rubber handle. You've asked the very questions I was wondering about!
Can I ask you some questions? Do you sharpen your hoof knives? The same site has sharpeners too. Would you look at the site and see what your opinion is? On tools, prices, sharpeners.
I spray my rasp with the Cooling stuff that is for using on the Wahl trimmers after I use them. The Star-Ridge site has something called Spray Rasp Preserver, thought it sounded like the same thing.
Hope you don't mind I asked some additional questions in your post, and hopefully I gave you something helpful in return.
Thank You,
Angie
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Member:
image
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Posted on Monday, Jun 4, 2007 - 9:35 am:
Good morning!
Stacy, we must be have been doing some hoof work at the same time but my question is a little different! lol To answer your question, I have tried several different rasps but the one I really like is a Bellota rasp I bought through Jeffers catalog. It's really sharp and has lasted much longer than the others I had. As for what to do when the rasp is shot, I guess I am lucky. I have a friend who does metal work and he just takes them along with his scrap and gets rid of them for me!  I don't think they can be resharpened but I am not sure.
Like Angie, I apologize for asking a question along with yours but I thought since they kind of go along together...
Does anyone know how to sharpen a hoof knife or is it a "gift" you have to be born with that I don't happen to have?  
Angie, great idea for the Kool Lube! I was using the rasp preserver and it seems I always run out at a bad time! I always seem to have clipper lube around and it's easier to find at the store!
Charlayne 
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Member:
36541
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Posted on Monday, Jun 4, 2007 - 10:02 am:
Charlayne and Angie, thanks for adding your questions and suggestions.
Angie, I love the hoof meter reader I saw on the Star Ridge site. I have been using an really ancient metal gauge that is not as accurate on larger hooves. I will be ordering that today. I also like their price on the 12 in nippers. I have been struggling along with the 15 inch pair that are much thicker near the cutting edge. This price is one of the lowest I've seen. Do you guys have a loop knife? I use the Hall Loop Knife instead of a straight type blade because it gives me more control when trimming the frog, the little I do trim them. I use the crook sharpener on my loop knife but have not yet been able to get it as sharp as when it was new. I have the wooden rasp handle, but I'd like to try the rubber for comfort.
Charlayne, my latest rasp is the Bellota. I bought two at a time, but again found the first one different than the second. The site ironfreehoof lists the Simonds Black Mast and the Save Edge rasp. Has anyone tried either one?
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Member:
image
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Posted on Monday, Jun 4, 2007 - 1:39 pm:
Wow, Stacy...I haven't had that problem with the Bellota rasps. And I hope I don't because I really like the ones I have had. I haven't used the Simonds or the Save Edge yet but they will be next in line if the Bellota's performance slacks off. Are your horses' feet really hard right now? That has alot to do with the life of a rasp. I have seen the loop knives and they do look interesting but I was waiting to find someone else who had used one. More control eh? I'm gonna give that another look. (cut myself pretty bad a couple months ago when the knife slipped on a hard patch of hoof. A stupid mistake on my part. I figured it was better that I was bleeding and not my mare.) Ok...I'm off the the Star Ridge site to check out all the new toys!  I'll be back in later to see what new posts there are!
Charlayne 
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Member:
ajudson1
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Posted on Monday, Jun 4, 2007 - 7:34 pm:
I think what I have is the Loop knife..Oval hoof knife, Country Supply, BIA21 I like it better than the regular hoof knife, but it appears I need the special Crook Sharpener for it. I also like the hoof meter reader gauge on the Star Ridge site.
I just checked the Country Supply Catalog and don't see the rasp that comes with the comfy handle molded right to it. I've only been using it since the beginning of the year and it's doing good for me, with 4 horses. I had them trimmed once by a farrier, to give you an idea the amount of use I've gotten out of it.
I can check my receipts and see if CS is for sure where I ordered that rasp from, I know it wasn't too expensive. Seems sharp enough yet.
Stacy,
You think the nippers on Star Ridge is a good price? I have a hard time using the ones I have, but they are old, and were cheap to begin with. I may wait on them for you to report back after trying them,
I've got a new farrier coming some evening this week. (at least I hope he shows up) He has agreed to get me caught up as I've fallen behind on trimming and has offered to give me some pointers to continue doing the horses hooves myself.
I will ask him about recommendations for farrier supplies. He said he's been doing this for 30+ years, so I'll report back after he's been here.
IF he don't show, who on HA can come over and help me out?!?!
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Moderator:
DrO
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Posted on Monday, Jun 4, 2007 - 8:34 pm:
Hello All,
I am not particular about the brand of rasp I use though I avoid cheaper ones. Sarah you use them until they no longer are doing the job. I can see so many factors effecting an individuals wear that I don't think there is a usual time.
Currently I am at the bottom of a box of Bellota rasps that has last me for several years. I have not noticed a problem with them but must confess that I let my farrier do most of the work around here as my back gave out long ago. I don't know anyone who sharpens them but I really have not looked.
I like a large handled regular "hook" hoof knife and sharpen them with a fine toothed rat tail (chain saw) file pushed into a handle. I have a real wide blade for cleaning the sole and a real narrow blade for paring out abscesses. Some say this will not adequately sharpen a knife and recommend a ceramic file. It is true a metal file will remove a lot of metal but the ceramic file takes a long time on a dull knife. Perhaps the ideal is to use the metal file when a lot of work needs to done and then the ceramic file to touch up the file.
Charlayne, to sharpen a knife properly start the file close to the handle and making one smooth swipe all the way down to the bend while maintaining a consistent angle of what I would guess would be about 25 degrees. Less angle and the blade is sharper, more angle and the blade will last longer between sharpenings. I think maintaining a consistent angle with the blade of the knife is the key to a good knife edge so I usually hold the knife down by the handle on the edge of a table when I sharpen. This helps stabilize the blade and you can concentrate on the files angle. You just have to work the hook of the blade a little at a time maintaining the same angle to the blade as you work around the hook. You have to work particularly hard at the "shoulder" that tends to develop at the junction of the straight edge and hook where your long stroke along the straight edge stops. When done I turn the knife over and keeping the file level with the flat part of the back of the blade, gently rasp smooth the burr that forms on the back side.
DrO
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Member:
amara
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Posted on Monday, Jun 4, 2007 - 9:53 pm:
i use centaurforge.com for my farrier supplies.. i havent price checked all that much, but they carry really top of the line stuff, so it lasts longer which saves me money...
i prefer the Heller rasps... they seem to last forever.. even my oldest hellers seems sharper than the cheap stuff you can find at the local feed store..(ugh, never go there...)... they are sharp enough that a light rub on your hand will leave a gaping wound...(learned that the hard way)...
if you dont feel you're very strong you might find it easier to go without the handle... the handle will change your grip and generally requires more arm strength... if you go for a handle find one that fits YOU...
a good hoof knife has a long handle and short blade for better leverage...Dr.O's description of sharpening was very good...just make sure you get a good sharpener and take good care of it...(and it will sharpen things beyond hoof knives!)..
no known use for dead blades that i've ever heard of, except to sell for scrap metal...i did use one the other day to file down my dogs nails just before we went to visit the nursing home tho...*LOL*
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Member:
srobert
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Posted on Tuesday, Jun 5, 2007 - 9:11 am:
This is why I LOVE this site. You never know what nuggets of knowledge you are going to mine each time you open a discussion. Today I learned how to sharpen a hoof knife! Just this little gem alone is worth the cost of my yearly membership- but there is so much more. Anyway, THANKS for the lesson, Dr. O! Very cool.
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Member:
image
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Posted on Tuesday, Jun 5, 2007 - 10:01 am:
Thanks for the knife sharpening advice Dr O! I made a copy of your post so I can review it while trying to get a nice edge on my hoof knife. It's probably a lots-of-practice skill but I do enjoy a challenge! Thanks again!
Charlayne
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Member:
hwood
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Posted on Tuesday, Jun 5, 2007 - 10:22 am:
I have used both Save-Edge and Bellota. A farrier friend gave me a box of his Save-Edge rasps that would no longer rasp nails (I don't shoe, so they were fine for years of just trimming) and the Bellota I have was purchased from a booth at the EquiFest here in KS in February. A farrier we used at the ranch in Milpitas, CA, Bill McCleary, in San Jose or Sunnyvale or Gilroy or Morgan Hill or somewhere in that area, said when I asked him for his old rasps, that he sends all of his rasps to be resharpened, and I think he told me he sends them to Arizona or So.Cal. I would think the cost of shipping would be prohibitive, but that's what he does. I guess if you have enough of them to send, and if you use really good quality, expensive rasps, the sharpening might be cheaper than buying new? I wonder if you can google either Bill (Bill's Horseshoeing) or Knife/Blade/Rasp Sharpening to find contact info.
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Member:
36541
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Posted on Wednesday, Jun 6, 2007 - 10:08 am:
Thanks to all for a good discussion. I am going to try the Heller rasps Melissa. Do any of you find it worthwhile to have two rasps, using the "finishing rasp" I have seen while shopping?
While on this discussion of tools, let me put in a vote for the Hoofjack. I had only rarely used the canvas cradle attachment until recently, just couldn't be bothered to change the post as the horses and I were comfortable enough with the straight post attachment. Well, now my 18 yo has neurologic weakness in her hind end, and it was getting harder to do her back legs. I tried her in the canvas sling at the lowest height and she clearly breathed a sigh of relief. She really relaxed her weight onto it and I was able to do a complete back trim for the first time in a few months. Now I am using it for the benefit of the horse and myself routinely - it has been a great investment. Happy Hoofing, Stacy
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Member:
ajudson1
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Posted on Wednesday, Jun 6, 2007 - 10:51 am:
Stacy,
A farrier I had one time used the Hoofjack. My horses were so relaxed, it made a big difference. He only used the cradle, said he never uses the ball attachment.
My husband made me a cheap "hoof Jack". He took a 6 x 6 square post, cut it to the height I wanted, (15"?) and mounted in on a square base. Not as nice as the real thing, it's a little rough to use for the top of the hoof, but it sure helps. Sometimes I use it as a stool, and rest the horses foot on my thigh.
If I can keep doing my own horses, maybe I can afford the real thing, but other wise, there's a lot more of the post left if I need to replace the current one!
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