I just rcd via UPS a new very competitively priced hoof plane. This new style has the look of the German made hoof plane but is heavier and is intended to retail at $43.00 each I only have 9 of them for now! I will post pics of this new plane, and of it's cousin the 6/6 plane this evening. The 6/6 retails for $43.00 ea. Regards Ray Steele
Tom, the 6/6/6 should be ready by all hallows eve. ,just waiting on your order and check! we have tried a 6/9, the # have to do with the teeth per inch, I expected the 9 teeth per inch to last longer and cut finer, because if the added cutting edges and finer tooth arrangement but that has not been the case. Both the 6/6 and 6/9 performed the same to me and a few others. Often times farriers told me that they initially went to the 6/9 because it "looked " less coarse, looked being the operative word as opposed to how they performed. We have also experimented with a curved tooth, basically a body file concept. It works also but one needs to change your stroke to get a good finish. If you look the I Plane and the 6/6 are the same teeth on the "coarse " side, the difference is that the I Plane has chip breakers added, since a very nice finish can be achieved by the "coarse side" we thought the 6/6 would be a good tool. I will be using the new I Plane today on 4 horses and will let you know how it works this when I get back to the keyboard. Eric, I can't answer how the mill tooth files work for hot rasping, I have not tried them in that service, my guess is that they would not be my 1st choice for that purpose but when I give it a go I'll let you know! The thoughts have been to come market with a very good tool for hoof work at a more reasonable price, and had not given thought to hot rasping. Regards Ray Steele
Well, here I sit broken hearted.... The new I Plane just didn't get off the ground, not sharp to me, it didn't feel sharp to the touch but the proof is at the hoof, and the coarse side just didn't cut it, the finish side was real good, back to the drawing board, I've still got the 6/6 s and Pferds to tide me over, I'll have an update/s as they happen. Dana I'll try to get some pics one of these days Tom, do you want pics of the 6/9 in action also, if so have your credit card ready and a young lady will be standing by to take your info and direct your voyeurism to the x rated thread... Regards Ray Steele
Strait away the thread turns to smut he he I don't suppose Ray that you've had need yet to sharpen these new rasps to see how they buff up they look quite course and they tear a muslin wheel to shreds I also wonder at the price here as we pay through the nose for every thing good thread thank you mate
Red Price wise if we can get them working correctly at the $43.00 usd mark they would be $13.00 less expensive than the German plane. I heard of a farrier in Oklahoma that said he used one German plane on 750 horses. If correct per horse cost was pretty small. I believe he was resharpening them. With the flat rate shipping box of USPS 13 pcs of the Pferd hoof plane travel to you for about $67.00 usd plus insurance. Red Your correct I've not sharpened one yet, I don't think that they would act any different being re sharpened on a muslin wheel than a conventional rasp. That said the new I Plane is gonna need alot more than the wheel. The 6/6s have not bothered the wheel either. Regards Ray
I think I discovered why the new I Plane was not working so well. It appeard that the chip breakers have been set by pressure and in so doing the xtra material has been put off to the sides and to some extent to the top of the tooth. this i believe has put a slight bump of steel just above the cutting plane of the teeth. I just finished putting a die grinder to each chip breaker, enlarging it therfore reducing the cutting edge but it now cuts plastic block very similar to the German plane. the test on the hoof will be coming. Regards Ray Steele ps trivia info, there are 266 individual chip breakers on an I plane, in case your ever asked, or atleast on the one that I'm working on today!
Ray, I started using the 6/6 rasp yesterday. After the first couple of horses I started loving it. Takes a lot of hoof with just a few strokes and leaves a glass like finish.. Something I hadn't thought about is that you are actually getting two rasps for the price of one, because it has two course sides, and because of the way it cuts you don't need a smooth side to finish. Holding the blade corners is like grabbing a porcupine, but they don't seem to cut my fingers any, so I guess I'll have to learn to live with it (sigh). Regards
Rick, is that game of holding a porcupine something unique to Maine? i m hoping that it doesn t spread to us in the lower 49 ! please keep me posted about the 6/6, thanks ray
oops, should have posted lower 49 United States, meaning all the others, Maine being Maine! sorry to add to your state of confusion, does that make 50? Regards Ray
Grabbing a porcupine, kicking a skunk, hitting a hornets nest with a bat, all rites of passage we go through as kids up here in the upper 1. Regards