How To Make Your Rasps Last Longer

One of the most consumable tools you have in your farrier box is a rasp. In many cases, if it lasts a week, you’re doing well. Uniondale, Pa., farrier Steve Teichman’s rasps last five or six times longer.

Using a pair of 2-inch sewn cotton wheels on two Baldor motors, Teichman applies a white, 80-grit water-soluble compound.

“Just coat your wheel when you’re done using it,” explains the four-time United States Olympics Team farrier. “Then let it dry so that it’s ready for you, let’s say, the next morning. It dries on the wheel. When you buff your rasps, as you’re finishing, it’ll last for a few minutes on there, maybe 5 or 10 minutes. I mean, it’ll throw sparks.”

Typically, Teichman swipes his rasp on the sewn cotton wheel a half-dozen times.

“I don’t lean on it too hard,” he says. “In the beginning, when my rasp is still good, I’ll just lightly do two or three passes. Since my wheel is 2 inches, it’s wide enough to cover my whole rasp. As it gets duller, maybe by the end of the first week or by the second week, I might have to take a few more swipes.”

When you’re finished, touch the wheel with the tube of compound and re-coat it.

“You will see huge savings,” he says. “This is something that will easily cut the rasp consumption down to certainly a quarter of what they were using. It’s the best savings that I can pick up in the truck, at least to date.”

Learn more rasp sharpening tips by reading, “Keep Your Rasps Sharp And Save Money” at americanfarriers.com.

Do you have a helpful tip that could benefit other farriers? Send them to Jeff Cota at jcota@lessitermedia.com.