Rasps, files, and rifflers are tools used for shaping and smoothing wood, each differing in construction and typical use.
A rasp has individually raised, coarse, cone-shaped teeth, making it the most aggressive of the three, designed to remove material quickly. It leaves a surface that is rougher compared to that left by a file. Rasps are available in various shapes, sizes, and coarseness grades, such as flat, half-round, and round. Cabinet rasps have a fine tooth pattern, wood rasps have coarser teeth and four-in-one (also called four-in-hand) rasps have different teeth patterns and shapes on each side.
A file, on the other hand, has low, tightly spaced rows of teeth cut into its surface. Straight-cut (also called single-cut) files have parallel rows of teeth, while cross-cut (also called double-cut) files have rows running at opposing angles, delivering a more aggressive cut. Although a file can be used on wood for more precise shaping and smoothing, it is typically used on metal since the teeth tend to clog quickly with wood fibers. Like rasps, files come in various shapes and sizes, including flat, round, half-round, triangular, and square.
A riffler has variously shaped cutting surfaces on both ends, with a handle in the middle. File-cut rifflers have long lines of teeth, while rasp-cut rifflers have pointy teeth. They are primarily used for shaping concave and convex surfaces. There are eight traditional styles available in different lengths, proportional to the coarseness of the cutting surfaces.
