Is this normal?

[Dale Cruea]

I like using card scrapers. I have been trying to use them for some time now. I have made scrapers from saw blades, I have purchased a few.
I have had a lot of trouble getting the side flat. Every scraper I had was always wavy. I would rub the sides on a diamond stone until my fingers gave out.
To make a long story short, I finally purchased a prepared edge scraper from what I would have thought was a reputable company. Manufactured by what I thought was a reputable manufacturer.

I got the scraper. One edge was rolled up and the opposite side was rolled down.
Looks like it had been sheared and bent. as I tried to remove the burr on the rolled up side no real problem.
However as I tried to remove the burr from the other side(rolled down) I could not. The scraper was bowed or bent down so bad I will have to completely stone this side flat at the edge.
I could not stone within 1/16" of the edge without lifting the back of the scraper up.
I will say that this scraper is flat without any waves in it.

With shipping this scraper was a little over $24.00.

Is this normal for all scrapers?
Has anyone purchased a prepared edge scraper? Was it OK or did you have this problem with it?

I don't remember noticing this condition on my other scrapers, just wavy. Not rolled over on the edge.

I have written the company an e-mail but no response yet. May not work on Saturday.
No company is mentioned because I don't want to bad mouth this company. It just upsets me.

[Salem Ganzhorn]

I have probably 10 or so. None very expensive. But they have all been flat enough. I don't think they need to be very flat though. Just need a good jointed edge. Yes I do polish the sides but have never had any issues. But I hold the scraper not the stone/sandpaper. And if one spot isn't getting polished it is easy to apply a little more pressure were needed.
Salem

[Jim Koepke]

My question is since the was a "prepared" scraper, did you try using it before doing anything else?

jtk

[Dale Cruea]

Jim,
I put a burr on it.
One side worked fine, the other side would not cut. It just slid along the wood surface.
That is when I put it on a stone to remove the burr and square the edge.

[James Taglienti]

I have made some from sawblades and bought some as well. The steel cuts quickly with a bastard file there is no need to stone 1/16 off of the edge. I only worry about polishing and flattening a little bit of the scrapers face just at the cutting edge. Trying to flatten a thin piece of steel like that would drive anybody nuts! As far as the waves go, its either the way the stock is ground or its your fingers pressing down on the card and flexing it in a wave shape as you flatten. Either way you might try just flattening and polishing the first half inch or so. It might make it easier.

[Dale Cruea]

James,
I try to flatten just the edge, about 1/4 or so back.
I think the saw blade I used was not flat I think it was a junk saw to start with.

[Tony Shea]

I think that any scraper that I;ve sharpened I've noticed what looks like a wavy surface. I used to try to get the thing flat using my fingers as pressure on the very edge and no matter what I did I would get a bit of a wavy surface. I finally figured out, being the slow learner I can sometimes be, that my fingers were causing the wavy appearance. Wherever my finger were pressed down is where the most polishing took place. Now I take a block on top of the scraper when I;m sharpening the flat side. Ever since then I get a nice even polish.

[Jessica Pierce-LaRose]

Yeah, I've polished the faces of the scraper using a backing block. I've seen folks mention using the ruler trick on scrapers too - never thought to try that. But when they're thinner, uneven pressure can make getting a nice edge a little tough.

[Trevor Walsh]

I don't polish then on stones, a fine file (just got a saw jointer, to get really accurate 90/45s) and a tri-burnisher made from a ground smooth and polished file does the trick.

[Tony Zaffuto]

Don't overthink prepping a scraper! Some guys I've been around would file the top off and use it, although the burr was abrasive as Rosanne Barr! Use a bastard file with a guide block (think of a saw kerf 90 degrees into the block to hold the file so as to flatten the top of the scraper square) and flatten the top. Take the scraper and hold it along side another block, again to hold it to square, and hone on a stone. Then hone each side, keeping the scraper flat. Make sure your burnisher is harder than the scraper (polished carbide is best) and flat on the side, take a couple of passes with as much force as you use when buttering bread. Next take the scraper upright in a vise and roll the burr over with the same force.

When you buy scrapers, hardness is usually specified, with some being soft (think between coats of finish) and some harder (think of that knot in the piece of cherry you're prepping). Once you get the scraper, you got it!

[Charles Bjorgen]

There is a quick and easy video over on the Lee Valley web site that shows how to prepare a card scraper. Hope this link works to take you there.

http://www.leevalley.com/US/Home/VideoPopup.aspx?v=8