Card scraper preparation demystified

[Edwin Santos]

Hi,
I'm not new to card scrapers nor how to renew an edge and turn a burr. Or so I thought.

Like all things in woodworking there are always better ways and yesterday I happened to find a video of William Ng demonstrating his method for preparing a card scraper which I tried today with great results.
So now I've adopted his method.
Here is the video if you're interested: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nz6EpQu2HRo
I thought some of his tips on use were very good also. He's an excellent instructor.

Below are a couple of photos of scraper shavings from Alder and White Oak.

In my experience a card scraper will not deliver quite the polished results of a sharp plane, but it's a fantastically handy and versatile tool to have available. I hope someone finds this helpful.
Best, Edwin

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[Lee Schierer]

Wow, fantastic video. I definitely need to rethink my process and technique. Thanks for posting.

[Patrick Chase]

His technique is very standard, other than the part about exclusively using stones instead of files to shape the scaper before burring.

The parts where he pushes/pulls the burnisher across the edge as he work along it are pure voodoo, but ultimately harmless. Do it if it makes you feel better, don't do it if you're trying to set records for efficiency.

[ernest dubois]

You don't - well I know 99.9% actually do - use a scraper like that at all, though this way shown in the video has somehow become the norm in no small part due to perpetuation on internet and its gurus, this technique obviously is making furrows, however microscopic, along the length of the surface by supporting the scraper at the ends and flexing the middle with the thumb. The correct grip is simple, primary hand gripping the scraper, four fingers supporting from behind, countering the tendency to flex, the thumb of that hand wrapped over the top driving the scraper forward, secondary hand used to support the scraper at the right angle, guiding and applying needed pressure. The critical thing is the edge is flat on the surface along its (the scraper's) whole length and not flexed into a gouge. A lot of work it's true, very taxing on the muscles of fingers and thumbs, you ache to grip the ends and flex with the thumbs but this is giving in, resist.

[Brian Hale]

A little off topic..... What is holding that block of wood to the bench?

[Lee Schierer]

You don't - well I know 99.9% actually do - use a scraper like that at all, though this way shown in the video has somehow become the norm in no small part due to perpetuation on internet and its gurus, this technique obviously is making furrows, however microscopic, along the length of the surface by supporting the scraper at the ends and flexing the middle with the thumb. The correct grip is simple, primary hand gripping the scraper, four fingers supporting from behind, countering the tendency to flex, the thumb of that hand wrapped over the top driving the scraper forward, secondary hand used to support the scraper at the right angle, guiding and applying needed pressure. The critical thing is the edge is flat on the surface along its (the scraper's) whole length and not flexed into a gouge. A lot of work it's true, very taxing on the muscles of fingers and thumbs, you ache to grip the ends and flex with the thumbs but this is giving in, resist.

A photo of your preferred grip would be educational.

[Derek Cohen]

Hi Edwin

There are a few, set steps to the correct sharpening of scrapers. Most of the experienced users videos show them. These are laid out in the pictorial on my website ...

http://www.inthewoodshop.com/WoodworkTechniques/FoolproofSharpeningOfCard%28Cabinet%29Scraper.html

Regads from Perth

Derek

[Edwin Santos]

Derek,
Thanks for the additional info from your website, much appreciated.

Have you ever tried grinding old razor blades to bead, cove and other shapes and then turn a burr on them to use as custom mini-scrapers for moldings and intricate details?
Thanks,
Edwin

[Derek Cohen]

Hi Edwin

Not razor blades - they would be too thin and lack integrity. However I make cutters for mouldings whenever necessary.

This is a cove scraper from a 3/4" scrap of bandsaw ..

http://www.inthewoodshop.com/Furniture/LingerieChest4_html_230b511b.jpg

And used in a Stanley #66 ...

http://www.inthewoodshop.com/Furniture/LingerieChest4_html_maaebb63.jpg



Link: http://www.inthewoodshop.com/Furniture/LingerieChest4.html

Regards from Perth

Derek

[ernest dubois]

A photo of your preferred grip would be educational.

My scrapers as you can see
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View at the forward direction side.
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View at the back-side away direction.
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View of the shavings
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[ernest dubois]

One thing I would add regardless of the way you choose to get at the edge you like, 381166 striking the edge with a block of paraffin before you set the bram with the burnisher makes for a smoother ride.

[Lee Schierer]

This morning I went back to work on a filing cabinet project for our home office and needed to even out some slight misalignments in the side panel glue ups. These were maybe .005", just enough you could feel the glue joint when you slid your fingers across the joint. I followed the scraper sharpening technique shown in the video to get my scraper ready. The wood is hickory that has been air drying for about 20 years and it is very hard. Here is a photo of the shavings I got with a newly sharpened scraper.
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As was mentioned in the video, I could feel the sweet spot for the cutting edge by varying the angle of the scraper. After about a dozen or so passes, I noticed the shavings getting finer to the point of being powder. Two quick swipes with the burnishing rod and I was back in business.