Tools for thinning limbs

[TheBronzeAge]

I've got a pretty modest workshop without a lot of tools.  I've also got a hickory bow blank that's stronger than I am.  I've been trying to thin the limbs down (by sanding the belly) so I can get it to some reasonable sort of draw weight, but it's been a long, slow process.  (I'd estimate I've spent 8 hours doing nothing but sanding/rasping/filing to get the bow to bend so I can start tillering, and it's still not really there.)

Is there some tool that would be especially good for this job?  Back when the blank was REALLY strong I used a belt sander, but now that it will actually bend on the tillering tree, even if only a little, I've gone back to hand-sanding.  Any bright ideas here?

[T Folts]

I have a large rasp that will take a bow down pretty fast. With a belt sander you can go from strong to weak too easy for me.

[scrub-buster]

Rasps, scrapers, belt sander with a fine belt, would be a few ideas.  Some guys use the Stanley Sureform, but I don't have one so I don't know how it would work

[Pat B]

Your safest bet is a good rasp, a scraper and lots of patience!

[George Tsoukalas]

There are buildalongs on my site. Jawge
 http://georgeandjoni.home.comcast.net/~georgeandjoni/

[Silent Bear]

The only tools you really need are a good hatchet or ax, a vise and a drawknife

[TheBronzeAge]

Alright, sounds like maybe the rasp I have is simply useless, since the sandpaper is working faster than it is.

Silent Bear, while I certainly like the idea of using such basic and ancient tools I have to ask how idiot-proof they are.  Because I can easily see myself ruining a good bow, and maybe a good leg too, trying to do any sort of precise work with a hatchet.  But then I've never tried, so maybe it's easier than I imagine.

[m midd]

The sureform will move some material. i went from roughed out to ready to tiller in about 4 hours using a sureform and a rasp

[T Folts]

Your rasp may not be sharp, mine will down right remove wood fast.

[Jason Scott]

Can't you dull a rasp pretty fast if you leave it on the wood on the back stroke?

[fish n chicks]

4est had this posted in his buildalong on how he takes a hatchet to his bows. Maybe it's something that'll help you thnning out your limbs. The key is certainly going WITH the grain of your material. He explains more here:

 http://tradgang.com/noncgi/ultimatebb.php?ubb=get_topic;f=125;t=002064;p=12#000168

[red hill]

BA,
I use a sturdy filet knife to scrape the belly.  It works well with the stave clamped in a vise.  
Stan

[Silent Bear]

It takes some practice but the main thing is patience, when I build my bows I first start with a hatchet thinning my bow down to where both sides are flat, I use a drawknife for the precise work like shaping the handle and evening out the limbs to floor tiller depending what weight I want my bow to be I shave more off both limbs with the drawknife

[Bruce Prosser]

After the drawknife my favorite friend is the Farrier's Rasp. This baby makes short work and has at times done too much work resulting in youth bows and very happy neighborhood kids and nephews. Very aggressive cut on one side and the other is like a regular rasp. Then cabnet scrapers and a various other assortment of wood files.