hot rasping/filing

[Frank Turley]

About farriers' rasps becoming hot rasps. When I was shoeing in the long ago days as a hot shoer, I could get about 30 horses out of one rasp, and then it would be just dull enough that I would be under the horse for an extra long time, if I used it. No shoer wants to extend the time it takes to shoe the horse. After the rasp was retired from dressing the hoof, it was recycled into a finishing rasp. I would use the file side to lightly "polish" the outside, lower portion of the hoof wall and smooth any burrs that might remain from the clinches. When the rasp became too dull for finishing, it became a hot rasp.

I formerly used Simonds Red Tang brand, and they were 14" in length and tanged. All of them had a rasp cut on one side and a double-cut on the reverse, file side.

I thought it interesting that when I saw Peter Ross demonstrating, he mentioned that the Colonial period smiths probably did no hot filing, because the hand cut files on the expensive, "rare," high carbon steel would have made it a waste and cost prohibitive

[teenylittlemetalguy]

That is a shame. One of my favorite things to do it hot rasp.

[Jack Evers]

Frank, They're now Heller Red Tang - don't think there was any change but the name. Many years ago Simonds bought Heller so they have owned the name a long time and I guess decided to market it again.

Several years back I went out to our local frontier theme park (It's in conjunction with our old territorial prison where Butch Cassiday was a guest) to shoe their draft horses. I was making the shoes for crowd enjoyment but with 1-1/4 by 1/2 steel I do like to have a striker so I went to the park Blacksmith shop to see if anyone would like to strike and the smith was happy to send his helper. They were of course always getting asked about shoes and were clueless so this was a chance to at least learn a little.about making and applying shoes. Enough to answer some questions. I remember though how astonished the helper was when I started to hot rasp. I explained that I went through about a rasp a week in my normal work so I always had a supply of used rasps for hot work. Didn't feel my Makita electric hot rasp was appropriate in a frontier park. Besides, I was working a long way from electricity.

[Dan P.]

It's not really what you're talking about, Frank, but I love me a dreadnought, hot or cold! I'm a recent convert and never considered them before about a year ago.

[HWHII]

I like Rob Gunters term for it, " A Flying Bridgeport".

[thingmaker3]

It's not really what you're talking about, Frank, but I love me a dreadnought, hot or cold! I'm a recent convert and never considered them before about a year ago.

I've not heard of them before. Google image search shows what I had thought was a file for aluminum. Is there a difference between the two?

How well to thes last as hot-rasps?

[Private Entrance]

First time I've heard those called 'dreadnought' files. Used them for years and years tuning ski and snowboard bases. Nothing better for taking a lot of material down very quickly. Also nothing better for really jacking up a ski/snowboard if you don't know what you're doing.

We called them panzar files. The only other name I had heard for them was body files.

Regardless of what you call them, they are awesome.

[metalmangeler]

You guys lost me what is a dreadnaught file? Are we still talking farrier rasp or something else?

[thingmaker3]

It is a flat file with single-cut curved teeth. Type "dreadnaught file" into your favorite search engine and select "images."

They also seem to be called "panzer" files if they are without tang. I've seen them specified for aluminum work in some books.

I would love to know how they hold up - how long they last in hot-work. I can them locally for about $15.

[Michael]

Vixen file is another term for them.

[Sam Salvati]

Vixen files are awesome!

[PeteH]

_{Also called "Polish Milling Machine", back in my days at Otis Elevator Co., where half the guys in the shop were Poles.}

[Dan P.]

Dreadnought/panzer/vixen I think none were really meant for iron work, but they have the key recommendation that they do not clog up like regular files, which can be a problem especially with wrought. They "cut" rather than "grind".
There is another version specific to woodwork, the "float", which has straight teeth. They do not seem to be very widely available, and I've not tried one myself, but they seem like they would be easily re-dressable.
I think I've seen farriers using dreadnoughts, though?

[Jack Evers]

Sounds like the Pferd Hoof Plane. I haven't tried one, but the prices are dropping - now only 2-3 times a regular rasp and likely worth it. I may order one.

[Dan P.]

I'm not sure it is the pferd hoof plane, though pferd do seem to make a dreadnought; http://www.pferd.com/au-en/236_ENA_HTML.htm
I think that a dreadnought might not be so good on a hoof because it might bite to much on the fibres, but I do think I saw one being used for that purpose, or I might just be talking out of my hat.

[Quarry Dog]

In the shop where I attend blacksmithing classes I found one of these Dreadnoughts in the "pile-o-files" that are pretty much only used for hot-rasping. I started using it and never turned back. If I need a rasp and can find that thing I snag it right away. It takes off so much metal and leaves such a clean finish, as long as you can keep it from sliding side to side, due to the curved courses. Also I'm surprised I haven't worn the teeth off it yet...well, they're more blades than teeth. I just wish it was thicker metal and wider so i didn't have to keep worrying if I'm getting it too hot. I feel kinda bad about bastardizing (pun intended) a tool like that though, as I'm pretty after reading this thread now that it wasn't meant for that.