Pearls before swine

Ladies and gentlemen, we have workshop time! Okay, not much and mainly of the "whoops, shouldn't have left that out all this time" tidying variety, but 'tis definitely much, much better than nothing. Naturally I feel as wobbly as a kitten subsequently, but that's not the point. To my chagrin I found the LN low angle smoother was left out, and as these modern planes seem to have a propensity to do, there's a light hint of oxidisation clouding its ductile loveliness. Makes me feel so ashamed when I let the "good stuff" suffer - what sort of caretaker of them am I, for heaven's sakes...?!

Anyway, I was thinking about my only Auriou rasp (yep, normal service is apparently resumed) and wondering if I'm the only person who finds the handles really, really uncomfortable? It's so thin my hand cramps up having to grip it too hard, the design doesn't give you a natural point to apply forward momentum with your thumb and forefinger and the end that rests in your palm? Ack, it's a slow road to stigmata (hope that doesn't offend anyone). I'm seriously considering replacing the darn thing, which I must admit I object to on a tool costing as much as they do.



Mind you, it's a good example of there being no one perfect handle design. This one, that I hate so much on the rasp, is very similar to the old Henry Taylor gouge also in the pic (and one of the few inherited tools from my grandfather that I have). Now the gouge is small and delicate and that handle just feels right for it. But then I've not been trying to push my way through large quantities of rosewood with it, am I? Perhaps I'm just too heavy-handed with the Auriou - wouldn't be surprised if it was too good for me and I'd be better off with some cheap Chinese verisons. At least the rasp hasn't rusted...