burnishing tool

[hudson scheffer]

Being a newbie , I am looking for some information on locating a burnishing tool for making card scrapers. any help would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks, Hudson;)

[Ken Shoemaker]

I was told not to get to complicated. I use the shaft of a round Craftsmen screwdriver and it works just fine.

Good luck...

[Lou Morrissette]

Ditto on the screwdriver shaft.

Lou

[Mike Henderson]

If you decide to buy one, Lee Valley has a well respected one - look here (http://www.leevalley.com/wood/page.aspx?c=1&p=32642&cat=1,310,41070&ap=1).

Mike

[hudson scheffer]

Many , Many, Many thanks in regards to the information and hope I can return the favor sometime. again thanks, Hudson Scheffer:)

[Wiley Horne]

Hudson,

I like the Lee Valley one also. Had it for several years, and it's just as bright and smooth as the day it was made--no card scraper has managed to put a scratch on it yet. Keep a light coat of oil on the burnisher so it doesn't have any tendency to gall the scraper.

Wiley

[Derek Cohen]

I have used many things over the years - screwdriver shafts, the back of a chisel, even this ...

http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a262/Derek50/Sharpening/Card%20scraper/Newscraper1.jpg

.. but now I use a Crown burnisher. It does a fabulous job.

http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a262/Derek50/Sharpening/CrownBurnisher1.jpg

I hear that the Veritas is better insofar as it has a variety of radii from which to choose.

Regards from Perth

Derek

[Zahid Naqvi]

I use the one from Ron Hock. I was getting a plane blade and an added burnisher didn't add much to shipping. Not all screw drivers are made equal. I tried using mine for a Sandvik scraper and it started to scratch the screwdriver shaft. Your typical burnisher has such a nominal cost that it doesn't make sense using anything else.

[John Powers]

I bought one. works fine but Wish I had tried a screwdriver first. why not save a buck?

[Don Naples]

An engine valve stem, wrist pin, or a worn triangular file that has been polished all work well. The hard steel will not gall the way softer steel does.
http://www.woodartistry.com/images/WoodNet%20Info/scraper.jpg

[Richard Niemiec]

I use a "steel" used for honing the edges of knives (I was a former meatcutter) that I picked up at a garage sale for $1; its pretty hard and turns a nice burr.

RN

[nic obie]

Right now I use a valve stem, but I'm going to try a steel after reading Richard"s post.

[Dave Anderson NH]

A warning about using a sharpening steel.

Because of it's textured surface, a sharpening steel is in effect behaving like a file when you use it to sharpen the edge of a card scraper. You will indeed get a burr, and get one quite easily compared to other techniques. The problem occurs in that the burr is coarser and more textured (rougher) than a burr put on by other methods. This can cause the scraper to leave little lines and scratches along the surface you are scraping. Remember that a file is the first and roughest step in preparing a scraper when you use a oil or water stone and a smoothe hard steel burnisher (in that order).

[Howard Acheson]

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?

[Derek Cohen]

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?

Amen.

Remember, a scraper is a plane. Consider the grit level you believe to be a minimum for your plane blades, and apply this to your scraper edges.

Regards from Perth

Derek

[hudson scheffer]

hi everyone,just to let you know that i tried a couple of the applications that was suggested and low and behold i got to make a couple of curlies tonight,nothing great but i'm happy. i also know it will take some determination and a whole lot of patience but at the age of 63 i have learned to acquire a little bit of that.i would like to wish everyone out there a happy and blessed holiday season.

thanks again
hudson scheffer;)

[Mike Swindell]

This one works great and endorsed by Bob Smalser
http://www.lmii.com/CartTwo/thirdproducts.asp?searchtext=burnisher&NameProdHeader=Scraper+Burnisher

[Tyler Howell]

I second the caution.
If you are using anything but the real deal it should be very smooth and hard.
A 1/2" drill bit works great.:cool:

[Gary Herrmann]

I know a guy that uses a section of a piston rod and swears by it. I'm keeping my eyes open...

[Richard Niemiec]

Dave Anderson has a point about using a steel, mine is all wore out (it was likely used by a meatcutter) and the little grooves are gone (which is likely why it was discarded). So my particular steel is smooth and that may be why it works so well for me. but any piece of hard steel will do.

RN

[Bob Smalser]

You can make one of these in 45 minutes. After making the pin, heat to cherry red using a propane torch and toss in a can of water to harden. Then polish it.

http://pic20.picturetrail.com/VOL12/1104763/4029777/49867320.jpg

[Eddie Darby]

I've got several burnishers, and they all work. My favourite one though is made from a broken carbide spiral router bit shaft!
I love the post by Bob Smalser!!! Looks great!!!