Just discovered card scrapers

[Joe Cowan]

I am working on my Maloof style rocker and ordered some card scrapers. I have not used them before as I am inept at sharpening. These things are wonderful and I will keep using them. I am going to be taking a sharpening class in about a month, but with them being so cheap, I wonder if they are disposable? How long do they last? I could not feel much of a burr and both sides seem to work the same. I had purchased this set of small scrapers from Highland Woodworking and now have ordered a larger one to expand my choices. Any feedback appreciated.

[Mike Manders]

They're great, I much prefer a scraped finish to a sanded one and it keeps the dust down too. You only need to buy 1; they're mean to be re-sharpened over and over. Here is a good tutorial on burnishing a sharp burr:

http://thewoodwhisperer.com/episode-14-barely-scraping-by/

[glenn bradley]

I've morphed over to William Ng's method. Very quick and a great result. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nz6EpQu2HRo

[JohnT Fitzgerald]

I've morphed over to William Ng's method. Very quick and a great result. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nz6EpQu2HRo


I stumbled on William Ng's sharpening info about the time I got my first scrapers - definitely took a lot of the mystery out of it for me. They are a great tool to have and use.

[Bill White]

I use 'em a bunch. Take care of 'em and they'll last a long time. I have Bahco, Sandvic, and no-name. The Bahco seems to be harder steel than the others.
Bill

[Stephen Cherry]

Seems to me that the el cheapo scraper will continue to work well when all your big money hand planes can do is tear out.

[Neil Brooks]

Other than my initial discovery of woodworking, generally, my too coolest discoveries were card scrapers and (wait for it) hand planes ;)

Save your pennies :p

[Howard Acheson]

Here is the way I was taught years ago to sharpen a hand scraper.

The first step is to put the scraper in a vise and using a fine file, file the edge perfectly perpendicular to the sides. Only a couple of strokes should be necessary and this is normally only done on a brand new scraper or one in bad shape. Next, using a fine oil stone, hold the scraper flat on the stone and remove any burr and smooth the sides near the edge. Holding the scraper straight up on edge (90 degrees to the stone), hone the edge and then lightly remove the burr. There is a tendency for scrapers to dig into a soft waterstone so I use an inexpensive fine oil stone. 400 Wet & Dry sandpaper lubricated with light oil or WD40 would work fine.

Burnishing is the next step. After filing and being sure the edge is flat and 90 degrees to the sides, put the scraper flat down on, and slightly back (1/4") from the edge of your bench. Run your burnisher along the flat side of the scraper pressing it so the burnisher is tight at the edge. This starts causing the edge corner to extend. This is a step that burnisher jigs can not do. Now put the scraper in your vise extending up about an inch. With your burnisher, run it along the edge at 90 degrees from the sides. Take 2 or three not too heavy strokes. This causes the corner raised in the first step to be bent toward the sides of the scraper. Then tip your burnisher up slightly (10-15 degrees--really makes no difference) and take two continuous, firm strokes on each edge. That's it.

You will have to try scraping at various angles to find the "sweet spot." As the scraper becomes dull, go through the same three burnishing steps as above. You can burnish 10-20 times before stoning or filing is again required. It takes less time than changing sandpaper in a sander.

I greatly favor a real burnisher for two reasons. First, it is really hard metal. Second, it it highly polished. Both of these attributes mean that there is little chance of galling (or tearing metal from) the scraper edge. Galling makes for less than a smooth cut. The smoother the burnisher, the smoother the burr. Screwdriver shafts may or may not be hard enough and the chrome plating will eventually deteriorate. Drill bits are also variable in hardness. Using a valve stem from a car engine that has been highly polished is an alternative but, why not just get a burnisher?

Finally, you can control the aggressiveness of the scraper by the way you file/stone it and how you use the burnisher to make the burr. Stoneing with a fine stone after filing and then using lighter pressure on your burnisher will give you a less aggressive but finer cutting burr and a smoother finish. I have a thicker scraper that I sharpen to an aggressive cutting burr that I use for initial work (ie: ripple removal after jointing/planing) and then a set of thinner scrapers that I put a finer edge on for finish smoothing and cutting down and smoothing varnish finishes.

Finally, to prevent frustration, scrapers work best on hard woods. Using them on pine and other soft woods is generally unsuccessful.

For an excellent description with pictures get Bob Flexner's "Understanding Wood Finishing."

[Van Huskey]

Card scrapers are one of the most underestimated tools in a shop. They aren't sexy, they are cheap, don't have a cord, won't hook up to your Festool vac but they REALLY do the job they are intended for.

[Kent A Bathurst]

Card scrapers are one of the most underestimated tools in a shop. They aren't sexy, they are cheap, don't have a cord, won't hook up to your Festool vac but they REALLY do the job they are intended for.


Yeah, Van, but they don't come in bevel-down versions. :D :D

[Steve Griffin]

Card scrapers are great.

My favorite use for one would make purists cringe--I use it for scraping off excess titebond glue when it's at the gummy stage. To make the scraper more comfy, I put a couple wraps of duct tape on one half of it.

When glue builds up too much and dries on it, I found the easiest way to clean it is carve it off with a utility knife.

[Alan Lightstone]

...won't hook up to your Festool vac

Wait a minute. They won't hook up to my Festool vac????? I wonder if Woodcraft will take mine back. LOL.

Learning how to use them is high on my list. Really have to do that.

[Will Blick]

ditto, ditto.... most underestimated, and low cost (how often do those two go together?) tool in ww.

and once again, thanks Howie for that excellent post.... I always learn something new and useful in nearly every post you make.... thx for being such a gracious member.

[Neil Brooks]

Learning how to use them is high on my list. Really have to do that.

In my experience ... set aside about ten minutes for that. They're that easy to use.

A bit more complicated to sharpen, but ... ain't it always the case ? ;)

[Joe Cowan]

I purchased a set of small, various shaped scrapers to work on my rocker. The oval ones seemed to be challenging to sharpen. The metal is so thin, it would seem like it would want to flex and be difficult to sharpen. I have alot to learn.

[Jim Matthews]

A word about getting card scrapers sharp; if a burnisher is used, the cutting edge is work hardened.

This can best be removed by briefly filing it flat (jointing). There's a feeling when the steel is coming off, as if some oil has been applied and the going gets easier.
After that, use a stone or other abrasive to get the edges squared. The burnisher is best used last, and lightly. This video (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OKZWqdPFul8&feature=results_main&playnext=1&list=PLF5254737E1E3E8C7) explains the filing steps clearly (warning - brogue without subtitles ahead).

FYI - I follow William Ng's method most of the time, but the filing step will eventually be needed.

[Keith Christopher]

When it comes to highly figured wood, nothing in my opinion leaves a surface like a card scraper, welcome to a new world of woodworking, imagine what you will learn tomorrow !

[shane lyall]

I made this little jointing jig to get a 90* angle. It's simply a Nickelson file in a saw kerf. It was a little loose so I shimed with masking tape. When the bur is to worn to turn I joint it off and start over. A few passes, then 5 or 6 with a burnisher to draw out, then a few light passes to turn a hook and you're done. I LOVE my scrapers. Do all 4 sides and you can keep turning them over. They last longer and you won't burn your thumbs.

223991

[Ron Barnes]

This is a very neat burnisher. http://www.scraperburnisher.com/

[Rich Engelhardt]

My favorite use for one would make purists cringe--I use it for scraping off excess titebond glue when it's at the gummy stage. To make the scraper more comfy, I put a couple wraps of duct tape on one half of it.

When glue builds up too much and dries on it, I found the easiest way to clean it is carve it off with a utility knife.
Speaking of utility knives..
Harbor Freight runs sales on their 100 count bulk utility blades and their 100 count bulk single edge razor blades quite often.

Either/or make great little "mini" card scrapers for glue lines.