burnisher?

[Mark Kelly]

Where can I get a burnisher? I imagine most burnishers are high speed metal of some sort, correct?

[Bob Smalser]

http://www.cianperez.com/Wood/WoodDocs/Wood_How_To/Smalser_on_TuningCardScrapers.htm

Use the back of a gouge or make one as above. Yes, the steel has to be harder than the mild steel scraper blade, and yes, any smooth, flat tool steel can burnish.

[Mark Kelly]

When you speak of hardening a drill rod...are you speaking of a drill bit? Unfortunately, I don't have a gouge. I don't even have a Mapp torch and not sure if it would be better if I just buy a burnisher rather than make one. Obviousl I prefer to make one, but the cost of tools to make it would probably be the same!

[Dave Anderson NH]

Drill rod is a highly polished rod of steel available in both English and Metric sizes in 36" lengths. Most often it is readily available in O1 tool steel which comes pre annealed for easy fabricating. You can harden it with either a propane or a MAPP gas torch pretty easily using the old magnet trick I described in a post a coupla months ago here. After hardening you just polish it up again to remove the soot and discoloration and you're ready to go.

[Matt Woodworth]

I'm guessing that you want one for card scrapers and such. I bought a circular one made by crown that I'm really happy with from Woodcraft. IIRC, it was around $15.

I see that Lee Valley also sells one but I haven't used one with a more complex "tri profile". I might be really useful to have them or more might be less foolproof than a simple circle.

[James Carmichael]

I watched an old video recently of Tage Frid hand-cutting dovetails. He jointed a scraper then burnished with the back of a chisel lubed with machine oil, commenting that he was too cheap to buy a burnisher.

[Matt Woodworth]

I watched an old video recently of Tage Frid hand-cutting dovetails. He jointed a scraper then burnished with the back of a chisel lubed with machine oil, commenting that he was too cheap to buy a burnisher.

Steve Latta does that too but he didn't even use a lube. Still, for $15 I like a burnisher. Also, for me the round profile is easier to use and it doesn't have a sharp end. :)

[Bob Smalser]

Obviousl I prefer to make one, but the cost of tools to make it would probably be the same!

Yup...but with the tools you can make them for the rest of your life...and, more importantly, you will have acquired the skills.

Drill rod and MAPP gas aren't pocketbook breakers....buying tools you don't really need are. You'd be better served by buying a gouge or two...something you will certainly need...and have them serve double duty.

[Alan Turner]

I have the Lee Valley teardrop shaped burnisher, and this is the one I would recommend. For a straight blade card scraper, a chisel or gouge is fine; you just need to be careful. But for a goosenect scraper, I find the teardrop scraper is better.
Alan

[Clay Craig]

Ron Hock sells avery nice one for $13 ...

http://www.hocktools.com/products.htm (Hock Tools)

Right hardness, good surface texture - and it supports a good-guy small toolmaker.

Clay

[Gary Whitt]

A friend and I made burnishers out of new Chevrolet small block push rods. :eek:
That is HARD steel. ;) I've had them since 1997. They weren't doing me any good in the pack so I needed a burnisher and had the rods...... :p
Handles were made from cue sticks (decorative maple and walnut). :rolleyes:
The ferrule was made from a 20 guage shotgun barrel. :cool:
I'll try to post a pic soon.
http://www.sawmillcreek.org/attachment.php?attachmentid=7374
http://www.sawmillcreek.org/attachment.php?attachmentid=7373

I tried 3 times to attach a photo, but to no avail.
I hope these links work.

[Gary Whitt]

Let's try this stab at posting pics..... :rolleyes:

[David Wilson]

Just us an old valve out of any engine. Dosn't have to be new. Pick one up from any mechanic. Usually free.

[David Rose]

Before I learned that you shouldn't make a 3/4" deep cut in one pass with a 1/4" router bit, I broke 2 or three carbide end mills that were "extra long" lengths. They would normally break right at the end of the fluting. Epoxying in the end with partial flutes into a handle, I would still have over an inch left protruding. These rods are round, highly polished carbide so they are harder than steel and never gaul or wear. And I see no need (so far) for any greater length. The rod, the complicated part, is free. If you know anyone who works in a machine shop, they will probably get you all you want.

Being round instead of oval or flat, you should use a little lighter pressure when burnishing a scraper with a round rod. I've used these from my first card on and I am not a particularly fast learner and have had no problems.

David

[Steve Kubien]

the Veritas Variable Angle burnisher. It costs a couple more dollars but since I am a newbie to card scrapers, I though it may be worth it. I am completely happy with the results it produced and even happier with what the scraper could do!

my 2 cents,

Steve Kubien
Ajax, Ontario