Who is really ecstatically happy with their cabinet scrapers?

[Scott Winners]

I am closing in on ecstasy, but, no.

I am to the point I can get dust with some whispy curls in it, and a lovely finished surface, but I am still getting dust. While my finished surfaces are plenty OK, I am sure this tool could do better for me.

I started with Leonard Lee's "Complete Guide to Sharpening" and was kind of happy. I have been digging deep, lately, in Pete Galbert's "Chairmakers Notebook" where Pete says pretty much all the same things Leonard said, with the extra admonishment to be gentle with the carbide burnisher "folks often comment how little pressure I use with the burnisher."

My burnisher is round profile carbide from LN, oiled routinely, and I am using (as published) Leonard's rule of 60 with a block of straight grained hard maple in my vise to produce what should be a burr around 5 degrees. Even with Pete's admonishment to be gentle, and a burr I can't see but my thumbnail can find; I am still getting dust.

I am starting with a 12" Nicholson file (regularly carded) used for nothing else to get the old burr off, honing with guides on 300 grit diamond to visibly square across the edge, then take that up (still guided) to 8k diamond, then burnish gently ala Pete- and no. Scrapers are Two Cherries and L-N, the TC is likely higher Rockwell hardness than the LNs. Faces on all are well polished from the factory.

What should I look at and what should I try next? When I vary my angle of attack I get dust - dust with whispy curls- just dust again as the angle of attack or presentation changes.

Thanks

[Derek Cohen]

Scott, this is taken from my website ....




Preparing a Cabinet Scraper




Step1: flatten both sides of a the card. I use a well worn 600 grit Eze-lap diamond stone. This is 10 years old and now the equivalent of about 3000 grit.


http://www.inthewoodshop.com/WoodworkTechniques/FoolproofSharpeningOfCard(Cabinet)Scraper_html_m33 31bf84.jpg (http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a262/Derek50/Scraping/1a_zpscd2wg8ei.jpg)


Step 2: use a magic marker along one edge (texta to us Aussies) to ensure you get it all.


http://www.inthewoodshop.com/WoodworkTechniques/FoolproofSharpeningOfCard(Cabinet)Scraper_html_646 51a25.jpg (http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a262/Derek50/Scraping/2a_zpsklg2thm4.jpg)


Step 3: Once both sides are done (I do all 4), it is time to square the edge on the diamond stone. Use the magic marker again.


http://www.inthewoodshop.com/WoodworkTechniques/FoolproofSharpeningOfCard(Cabinet)Scraper_html_m5f fd0d4e.jpg (http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a262/Derek50/Scraping/5a_zpsrt9wn7vy.jpg)


Step 4: This is the point where many think that they have done enough. They run the card over the wood (here, softish quarter grain Tasmanian Oak). Nothing but dust ...


http://www.inthewoodshop.com/WoodworkTechniques/FoolproofSharpeningOfCard(Cabinet)Scraper_html_m56 21d4ad.jpg (http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a262/Derek50/Scraping/6a_zpsnxmu4q88.jpg)


Step 5: Use a proper burnisher. Not a screwdriver shaft - too soft to do a damn thing. I use a carbide rod. A smooth carbide rod does not require lubrication. All else benefit from a drop of oil.


http://www.inthewoodshop.com/WoodworkTechniques/FoolproofSharpeningOfCard(Cabinet)Scraper_html_704 204de.jpg (http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a262/Derek50/Scraping/7a_zps2poaxzsk.jpg)


Step 6: Draw out the steel. This is one of the vital ingredients. You want to pull the steel outwards with the burnisher. You will not create a proper hook without doing so. About 5 strokes from the left and 5 from the right. VERY LIGHT STROKES.


http://www.inthewoodshop.com/WoodworkTechniques/FoolproofSharpeningOfCard(Cabinet)Scraper_html_701 b7dc5.jpg (http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a262/Derek50/Scraping/8a_zpsglunosp4.jpg)


Step 7: Turn the hook at about 5 degrees. Do the 5 and 5 again ... Again, very light strokes!


http://www.inthewoodshop.com/WoodworkTechniques/FoolproofSharpeningOfCard(Cabinet)Scraper_html_m57 e64c72.jpg (http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a262/Derek50/Scraping/9a_zpsfyxcng8y.jpg)


Step 8: This is another crucial omitted step - do it again but at closer to 10 degrees. (Dare I say it ... light strokes)


http://www.inthewoodshop.com/WoodworkTechniques/FoolproofSharpeningOfCard(Cabinet)Scraper_html_40a 8c05e.jpg (http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a262/Derek50/Scraping/10a_zpsb4m0gixk.jpg)


Step 9: Now take your shavings!


http://www.inthewoodshop.com/WoodworkTechniques/FoolproofSharpeningOfCard(Cabinet)Scraper_html_13b 1f000.jpg (http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a262/Derek50/Scraping/11a_zpspyeoqxi7.jpg)


https://i.postimg.cc/QdVy2gzF/Scraping-html-7731962a-zpsjhnogkss.jpg

Regards from Perth

Derek

[glenn bradley]

Derek pretty much describes my method

[Carl Beckett]

How often do you need to redo the burr/edge?

[Steve Rozmiarek]

Derek, that is the best tutorial I've seen on tuning a scraper, thanks for posting.

[Kevin Jenness]

How often do you need to redo the burr/edge?

I can usually flatten and re-turn the burr 4 or 5 times before re-filing - depends on the material. For rough work like scraping glue I may just work with a burr straight from the file.

[Jim Becker]

As an aside, I've become a fan of the thicker scraper format since buying the two small ones I own from StewMac. (luthiery supplier) They are not for every task for sure and the more traditional scrapers that come in all kinds of sizes and shapes that can be, um...bent...to your will are still part of the mix, but those thicker ones are pretty durable for certain kinds of work for sure.

[Kevin Jenness]

As an aside, I've become a fan of the thicker scraper format since buying the two small ones I own from StewMac. (luthiery supplier) They are not for every task for sure and the more traditional scrapers that come in all kinds of sizes and shapes that can be, um...bent...to your will are still part of the mix, but those thicker ones are pretty durable for certain kinds of work for sure.

Jim, I have one of those StewMac scrapers and like it for concave surfaces like bowls. Do you use a burr off the grinder/file or a burnished burr?

[Jim Becker]

Jim, I have one of those StewMac scrapers and like it for concave surfaces like bowls. Do you use a burr off the grinder/file or a burnished burr?

I have both the straight and curved versions...really nice tools. I see Crimson in the UK has equivalents now, too. I haven't had to touch up the edges yet, but my understanding is that the burr/hollow grind off the grinder is pretty good. I have a burnisher so I can do that if necessary.

[Derek Cohen]

I made the following out of the end of a 3/16" thick O1 plane blade. It must be flat.

Take it to the grinder (mine uses a 180 grit CBN wheel) and create a hollow around the edge.


http://www.inthewoodshop.com/WoodworkTechniques/FoolproofSharpeningOfCard(Cabinet)Scraper_html_m7d be30df.jpg (http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a262/Derek50/Scraping/Sharpening-blade-scrapera_zpslgrvfjha.jpg)

http://www.inthewoodshop.com/WoodworkTechniques/FoolproofSharpeningOfCard(Cabinet)Scraper_html_740 a8fcc.jpg

Used on a hollowed/bow front drawer ...

https://i.postimg.cc/029gBwxS/2-zpsp9yhsrcq.jpg

https://i.postimg.cc/kXwr3gXp/1-zpspr2v0uh1.jpg

Regards from Perth

Derek

[Jim Becker]

Really nice "fluffies", Derek!

[Derek Cohen]

:) Jim

Regards from Perth

Derek

[Carl Beckett]

I have a Lie Nielsen No 212 small scraper plane. It has a thicker blade and gets a lot of use. One of my 'go-to's'

Also have a LN No 112 large scraper plane. It does not get used, instead I reach for traditional scraper holders that bend a thinner card, or a bare card handheld. The 112 just never clicked.

In fact a few years ago I sent the 112 around to various creekers to try it out and pass along. It did finally come back after many weeks. Have been considering repeating that experience (else its just sitting a drawer).

I was curious how often you reworked the burr, not so much starting over. For me it does vary.

Also some of the smaller cards I put a 45 angle on. I would guess that weakens the burr a bit with less backup, but they need very little burr.

In corners I will back pull an old chisel to scrape.

A good thread and I look forward to reading all the different experiences.

[Scott Winners]

FWIW I am happy with by card scrapers now. The"even lighter" touch with the carbide burnisher was where my technique was falling down. Besides the written admonishments of Pete Galbert and Derek Cohen qv, consider Paslo Requena at about the 5 minute mark here. Pablo isn't even gripping his carbide, or pushing as hard as I would need to push to zest a citrus fruit. Since taking this advice to the shop, my card scrapers are much improved.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xZKiJUBf5RM

[chuck van dyck]

Unless you just forgot to mention it(or I misread), it seems like you’re skipping the flattening of the faces step. I think a lot of folks skip this step and don’t get the fine shavings they’re looking for.

Another big one people glance over is the angle of the burnisher when creating the hook. Don’t just drop the burnisher down a few degrees, also rotate it out so you push the hook away from the edge.