Question about Cabinet scraper

[Paul Johnstone]

Hi, I generally don't use many handtools, but I tried to use a cabinet scraper last night.

I bought the jig to hold the file at 90 degrees, and the Vertitas jig to produce the curl on the cutting edge of the scraper (I think this is called a burnishing tool). I know that there are cheaper ways to do it, but I wanted all the help I could get.

After you burnish the scraper, should there be a razor sharp edge? I dialed a 10 degree burnish on the jig and ran it over the scraper blade about 4 times. I could feel a little edge bending, but it did not feel sharp.

When I attempted to use the scraper on oak, I got some shavings, but not like David Marks does.. Just little shavings at the edges where the scraper met the wood.

I was hoping for more aggressive scraping. Did I sharpen it wrong or am I being unrealistic with my expectations?

Any feedback/tips would be appreciated.

[Marcus Ward]

When I sharpen a scraper I sharpen it like a plane blade before I turn the hook. Razor sharp, shiny like a mirror. The times I've done that the hook has been great and I get plane shavings from the scraper. If I try to shortcut that, I never have good results. Going straight from the file to the hook leaves an iffy edge, not good at all.

[John Dykes]

Using the cabinet scraper probably isn't your issue, it's the preparation that is holding you back.

Again, we've heard that sharp is defined as the point where two highly polished planes meet. As with plane blades and chisels - they don't come ready to go from the factory. It takes some effort to get them working correctly.

So a search on google and you'll find both articles and video. There's also some good info on Finewoodworking.com - including videos (not sure if they are in the free section). Chris Schwartz has a video you can buy, rent, steal as well.

The quick and dirty (I'm headed to a meeting shortly). Use a file to get a nice flat edge on the thin edge of your scraper. Hold it in a vise and use a block of wood to keep it perpendicular to the "face" of the scraper. Don't take much grunt work - just a few solidly controlled runs on the thin edge of the scraper.

Now work on the "faces" of the scraper. Stone them with a coarse stone till you get an even pattern, then progress to medium, and fine stones on each face. You're working towards polish. Schwartz has found that Charlesworth's ruler trick works well for this. (Place a small ruler on one edge of the stone in order to tip up the scraper on the other edge so you're just working the very edge of the face (clear as mud?)).

Your two faces should now be flat and polished at the very edge of the face - the business end where you'll be turning the bur. Now you need to get the thin edge that you filed flat nice and polished. Same technique - offer up the scraper at 90 degrees to the stones. It needs to be perpendicular to the stones.... Work till you have a polished edge.

The hard part is over, you have two very fine, very polished edged on which to turn the bur. I've not tried your jig - but assume it works fine. Dial in the 10 degrees and run it through. You should feel the bur, and it will cut you - but I've never tried shaving with it!! :)

See what you get....

Again, you can find some resources - but Schwartz has an entire DVD you can get.

Let us know -

- jbd in Denver

[Louis Bois]

Chris S. has an abbreviated version of his scraper sharpening method here:

http://www.popularwoodworking.com/article/A_Better_Way_to_Sharpen_Scrapers

[Don Dorn]

Perhaps, I'm simply too lazy to go through that level of effort. I place mine in a vice and using my fingers as a fence, file the edge until I have a shiney surface all the way across - then the other side. That process takes about 30-40 seconds.

I put some WD-40 on both sides of the scraper and wipe the residule on my finger and then on the burnisher. I lay the scraper down flat on the bench near the edge and without using any real pressure, consolodate the edges with the burnisher. Then, I simply slide the edge out over the edge of the bench and at about 90 I start at one side and bring the burnisher to the other - again, I do this lightly which I think is the secret. I do it no more than three times, then flip it over and do the other side. Turn the scraper to do the other edges and wipe the oil off. Beginning to end is about three minutes tops (and that includes getting the stuff).

My experience has shown me that I get great shavings both directions for along time. I then just tune up the edge two or three times before going back to the beginning. Anyway, it's my .02 and your mileage may vary.

[Wayne Cannon]

Same (as Don Dorn) here. I'm sure I would get a nicer finish (e.g., for staining) with more effort, as with a plane blade, but I get nice, fine, plane-like shavings sharpening almost exactly the same way that Don Dorn describes -- file the edge smooth and square, burnish it flat, then roll/burnish a burr onto the edge.

[Don Naples]

I made a couple of video clips showing how to sharpen a cabinet (card) scraper and roll a burr. The video shows how to do it using a Lap-Sharp, but most sharpening methods will work. It helps to have a smooth edge. The essential issue is to have a crisp edge along the side and not have any radius prior to rolling the burr. The same method can be used for a scraper plane, thought the angle is then set to 45 degrees. I have more information posted on the Wood Artistry website.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VzAYZ92z5C4

[Paul Johnstone]

thanks everyone for the excellent feedback. Time to resharpen using your hints.

[glenn bradley]

thanks everyone for the excellent feedback. Time to resharpen using your hints.

No kidding. I was perfectly happy with my methods. Now I'm going to experiment with my Worksharp.