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How do you shape the fades?

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Kidder:
I draw mine with a 7” chop saw blade. I then use a chisel bevel down to carve them out and finally finish them on the roller end of my belt sander. Always being careful not to dig in at the base of the fade and create a hinge and always check that spot thoroughly with my fingers to ensure it isn’t thin before I start tillering.

Eric Krewson:
I have found if you rasp off the fades from the handle to the limb you will almost always gouge out a depression at the end of the fade, if you rasp from limb to handle this doesn't happen, at least for me. I finish up the fades with an orbital sander, this takes any washboard off that you may get filing across the grain.

Another consideration is making your fade transition to the limb too short and too abrupt; you need some room to blend the handle into the limb.

I make my fades like Pat, long and lean. If I have thin wood in the handle, I add a couple of 1/8" shims between the main handle wood and the limb to ensure the handle won't pop off down the road.

osage outlaw:
Half round wood rasps will help your fade problems.  I have some that are aggressive all the way down to smooth files.  Use them at different angles to avoid getting the steps in the growth rings that you can feel. 

Russ:
Depending on how steep or subtle I make my fades, I use a farrier rasp and my drawknife.

Pappy:
I do like Clint and finish up with a scrapper moving it at different angles to avoid the steps in the growth rings, also as Brad said, gentle on the fads. ;) I see people use belt sanders a lot on fads and shelves but for me i can make a quick mess with a belt sander so I avoid them most of the time.  :)
 Pappy

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