Preparing Curved Scrapers

[Richard Line]

I've prepared, at least reasonably successfully, rectangular card scrapers and for my cabinet scraper. Now, I've got a set of curved scrapers (LV's set) coming and I'm looking for tips on setting up these curved edges. I think I'm okay for squaring and smoothing the edges, but I'm not so sure about turning a decent burr on these curved edges. I'm particularly concerned with the shorter radius section on the shmoo or goose neck scraper. Any help on handling the burnisher on these curved edges would be appreciated.

[Tom Trees]

Never sharpened a curved scraper, but here's the best video I've seen on the matter

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_qY6oMaFAbk&t=12s

Tom

[Tom Blank]

I always struggled to get a card scraper to work. I found this on the Lost Art Press (Chris Schwarz) website and it works for me. I now use and enjoy my card scrapers. https://blog.lostartpress.com/2019/03/20/how-to-sharpen-a-curved-or-flat-scraper/

TB

[Richard Line]

Thanks Tom & Tom. Both of those pieces have help take my nervousness down to a much lower degree. Now I have to wait for the curved scrapers to arrive.

[Prashun Patel]

There's no magic to sharpening a curved or gooseneck scraper. You'll see. You can't raise the burr in continuous passes, though, on the gooseneck; you have to do it in sections. Not a big deal.

[glenn bradley]

Lee Valley’s triangle shaped burnisher makes this a breeze.

[lowell holmes]

I have one and I agree.

[Phil Mueller]

As Prashun said, do only the section you want to use. I find the place on the scraper I want to use and run the burnisher over that area a few times. Even just a diamond file along the edge can raise a burr...albeit a bit rough, but can be refined using a traditional burnisher.

[Richard Line]

I got the curved card scrapers yesterday. Played with them a little yesterday, and worked on the edge in the area of curve I'm currently needing. The advice I got here has helped and certainly made me more comfortable getting an effective edge. Thanks all.

[John K Jordan]

I've prepared, at least reasonably successfully, rectangular card scrapers and for my cabinet scraper. Now, I've got a set of curved scrapers (LV's set) coming and I'm looking for tips on setting up these curved edges. I think I'm okay for squaring and smoothing the edges, but I'm not so sure about turning a decent burr on these curved edges. I'm particularly concerned with the shorter radius section on the shmoo or goose neck scraper. Any help on handling the burnisher on these curved edges would be appreciated.

I use curved card scrapers a lot for woodturning, been using them for nearly 20 years now. (I usually shape rectangular scrapers to suit me using a coarse 1" belt grinder.) Here are a few I use.

415300 415310

There is a good article in FWW, Dec 2018. I do most of what he says in the article, except I refreash the curved edge when needed on a 600 grit CBN wheel.

415301

I hone the edge with a diamond hone then turn a burr with a burnisher. In the article the author shows how to make a little jig to hold the diamond hone perfectly perpendicular. I made this plus a smaller version to work on smaller scrapers. I always hold the scraper in my left hand and the burnisher in my right. I use a small diameter carbide rod most of the time, and sometimes an Arno round/triangular burnisher.

415302

These are incredible for smoothing curved surfaces! After scraping I can usually start with 320 grit sanding paper or finer. I also use StewMac scrapers - no need to add a burr to these

415303 415304 415305 415306

JKJ