Fitting rasp or file to wooden handle

[pgrbff]

None of my rasps have handles, or files for that matter.
How were they secured in a wood handle traditionally?

 

[Tris]

AFAIK a tapered hole drilled in the handle before it was turned, ferrule fitted after turning then the tang of the file/rasp tapped in. That's how I've done it in the past and the handles are all still on

 

[Phil Pascoe]

Run the tang of a file into your palm and you'll ensure all future files have handles. Damhikt.

 

[pgrbff]

Run the tang of a file into your palm and you'll ensure all future files have handles. Damhikt.

that's why I want to fit handles, I keep seeing the same thing said

 

[pgrbff]

AFAIK a tapered hole drilled in the handle before it was turned, ferrule fitted after turning then the tang of the file/rasp tapped in. That's how I've done it in the past and the handles are all still on

these have a 2.5mm hole

 

[Tris]

these have a 2.5mm hole

You could open it out with something like this:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/QWORK-Tape...2&psc=1&mcid=c31224009d3b3c1aa960537005581279

If you can find them Lidl did a set of tapered bits with countersinks that work well for this

Some gimlets have a suitable taper and would easily follow a pre drilled hole

 

[Agent_zed]

I've fitted a fair few handles recently having taken up wood turning in the past few years. If it needs a taper I have just drilled the initial smallish hole full depth then turned the handle and then afterwards just opened the holes out with increasing sized drills, just not going as deep with the next size up. It's probably not 'correct' but works for me. A square tang will cut into the sides of the hole anyway so it holds tight.

When you come to fitting the handle, a trick I was told eons ago is to hold the handle of what you fitting with the tool just started in the handle, then hammer on the back of the handle. The tool will work its way in and be nice and tight. Rather than trying to hammer the tool into the handle. much less risk of breaking tools like files that are hardened. If it ever becomes loose, again just hold the handle and tap on the back and it'll get tight again.

 

[The_Yellow_Ardvark]

In the past they were fitted with Sulphur.
Drill a hole 2/3 of the depth of the tang length, with the diameter of the tang at 2/3 of the length.
Heat the tang to a dull red and force the tang into the handle.
Repeat until handle is fitted fully.
Remove the tool. Fill the hole with powder Sulphur, heat the tang to a dull red. Push the tang into the sulphur filled hole
Allow to cool and away you go.

A saw set being fitted.

Too hot.

Just nice for the final fit.

 

[dannyr]

In the past they were fitted with Sulphur.
Drill a hole 2/3 of the depth of the tang length, with the diameter of the tang at 2/3 of the length.
Heat the tang to a dull red and force the tang into the handle.
Repeat until handle is fitted fully.
Remove the tool. Fill the hole with powder Sulphur, heat the tang to a dull red. Push the tang into the sulphur filled hole
Allow to cool and away you go.

View attachment 182636


A saw set being fitted.



View attachment 182637

Too hot.






View attachment 182638

Just nice for the final fit.

Interesting - tell us about the properties of the sulphur when cold - adhesion, gap-filling, strength etc.

ps I collected way too many 'pig-sticker' mortise chisels in poor shape - decided on a major re-handle project using some broken ash & hickory pick handles (right oval profile) --- I had been told by an expert that the makers didn't use heat/burn, but in removing many of the original (pretty certain) beech handles, surprising how many variants - a few used heat, some had barbs on the tang, some obv drilled, some chiselled. A few had some 'stuff' in the hole -- possibly S?

 

[Jacob]

The few I've done: easiest to get the file (chisel etc) to fit neatly into the hole in a roughly shaped blank for the handle, mark up centre point on back end, take it out and only then start shaping the handle.
If you do it the other way around i.e. to drill a hole in a finished handle, it can be difficult to get it straight.

 

[Boringgeoff]

I've fitted handles by heating the tang and jamming it into the wooden handle but find the use of sulpher by Yellow Ardvark very interesting. Here's an article from the HTPSWA website about the use of sulpher: https://sites.google.com/site/handtoolswa/articles/someusesforsulphur
I might have to add YA's information to that article.
Cheers,
Geoff.

 

[ChaiLatte]

When you use a file or rasp, you are pushing the tool, so you are always forcing the handle onto the file body.

It will thus need a lot less secure fixing than something like a drawknife where the normal mode of use is pulling the handles off the tool.

There is nothing different for a file or rasp than would be used for a chisel.

A cheapskate version or an option if you have more files than handles is to use a golf ball.

 

[Agent_zed]

When you use a file or rasp, you are pushing the tool, so you are always forcing the handle onto the file body.

It will thus need a lot less secure fixing than something like a drawknife where the normal mode of use is pulling the handles off the tool.

There is nothing different for a file or rasp than would be used for a chisel.

A cheapskate version or an option if you have more files than handles is to use a golf ball.

Agreed. In the case of a drawknife or something where the handle needs to be pulled against, I've most often found the tang continues through the handle and a washer is added and then the tang peened over to hold it securely in place. I'm just replacing some drawknife handles at the moment and have had to grind off the peening to get them off.

 

[stuart little]

Run the tang of a file into your palm and you'll ensure all future files have handles. Damhikt.

I always cringe whenever I see some 'silly' person using one w/out a handle. There's plenty out there on YT, especially model railroad ones.

 

[stuart little]

When you use a file or rasp, you are pushing the tool, so you are always forcing the handle onto the file body.

It will thus need a lot less secure fixing than something like a drawknife where the normal mode of use is pulling the handles off the tool.

There is nothing different for a file or rasp than would be used for a chisel.

A cheapskate version or an option if you have more files than handles is to use a golf ball.

That is - IF you have golf balls - my guess is handles are cheaper than golf balls, unless you go 'dog walking' at night on the golf pitch!

 

[toolsntat]

Is it safe nowadays to cut into golf balls?
I did this as a youngster and nearly got blinded from what can be best remembered/described as an explosion of liquid and matter.
Cheers, Andy

 

[Limey Lurker]

Interesting - tell us about the properties of the sulphur when cold - adhesion, gap-filling, strength etc.

Molten sulphur was poured into the sockets when fixing iron railings on top of walls.

 

[Tris]

Curious, always thought that was done with lead