Files and rasps are used for rubbing down wood or metal prior to fine-finishing - files are generally used for metalwork and rasps for woodwork.
Avoid files sold without handles, because the shaft of a file can easily damage your hand while you're using the file.
You can use a shaping tool instead of a wood rasp. This has a slotted blade which quickly cuts away the timber. The design of the blade makes it very safe to use.
Another form of rasp is the coarse abrasive sheet made from tungsten car-bide granules bonded to a metal sheet. Use it like a sanding block to shape wood.
Always work a rasp towards the centre of the ends of a piece of timber. This will make sure that the wood does not split away at the comers.
