using a card scraper - is this good?

[Mike Gager]

here is the shavings i got with 10 strokes from a card scraper. is this what im looking for?

scraper_shavings.JPG

also heres some pics of a scraper jig i made. its just a 2x4 with a hole in the middle for a bolt that i threaded through and 4 screws holding the edge of the scraper. seems to work good

scraper_jig_front.JPG
scraper_jig_back.JPG

[Hank Knight]

Mike,

You're getting fine shavings, not dust; so you 're doing good! Keep it up.

Hank

[Ken Werner]

Mike, your shavings look great, but remember, it's the surface you leave, not the shavings you make that counts.

[Mike Gager]

thanks guys, can you give some idea what i need to look for as far as the surface?

[Phillip Pattee]

As long as your shavings continue to look like that you are doing fine. When the edge starts to fail the shavings will begin to look more ragged, then you will start to get dust. Re sharpen your scraper when your shavings look ragged. Your surface should feel like glass.

[Rob Young]

Clever idea on the holder. I've gone back to just hand-holding mine although it does get tiring.

The surface should look and feel glass smooth. If you hold a light at a raking angle you can see how the scraper is progressing. I started using a card scraper just a few months ago as a way of knocking off milling marks instead of sanding. Wow, makes all the difference in the world!

[Derek Cohen]

Mike

This is what you are looking to achieve ... keep in mind that this is only for hard woods.

On Jarrah ..



My article on preparing cabinet scrapers: http://www.inthewoodshop.com/Woodwor...etScraper.html

Note:

(1) The larger the burr, the weaker it will be, but also the larger the shaving it will take.

(2) You can use a coarser edge with a larger burr for removal of glue and as the equivalent of a jack plane.

(3) For fine, smoothing, prepare the edge of the steel as you would your smoother's blade.

(4) A curved blade (e.g. when you push) will leave fine scollops in the surface. For a flat surface, it is better to pull the blade as this limits the curvature.

Regards from Perth

Derek

[Dan Karachio]

Derek thank you so much for this. Finally, something written clearly and easy to understand. I wish more people in this business would appreciate the basic steps and not adding a hundred sidelines on esoteric points! I digress!

One question please. I have seen a few articles showing how you can get a burr on both sides of the card - meaning one edge can have two burrs. Is this really feasible? Too much for the beginner?

[Mike Gager]

when you burnish the edge you do it at like a 10-15 degree angle, just do the same thing on the other side and youll have 2 edges

[Derek Cohen]

One question please. I have seen a few articles showing how you can get a burr on both sides of the card - meaning one edge can have two burrs. Is this really feasible? Too much for the beginner?

Hi Dan

Pleased the article was helpful.

I often prepare 8 (eight!) sides per cabinet scraper.

This is made up of the 4 ends, and then both sides of the blade.

It is not much extra work to do, just create a hook on both sides instead of just one. If the hook is small, and you just hold the edge not run a finger along it, then you are unlikely to cut yourself. When I feel a fresh edge, I can feel a slight wire. It is not like a saw or knife blade.

I use the narrow ends especially when I want to avoid the blade bowing.

Regards from Perth

Derek

[Ken Casser]

I realize I'm a little late to the party, but I've been struggling a bit with sharpening my scraper (a new adventure), and had read an article, also on In The Woodshop, by Howard Ruttan. Much of the information is close enough to Derek Cohen's, however, there is one point I need clarification on. Of course, I'll find out if it works when I get home tonight, but anyway, maybe someone has a comment.

With regard to burnishing, Mr. Ruttan's article states that one should put the scraper in a vise, then burnish the edge 4 to 8 strokes with the burnisher at 90 degrees to the face of the scraper, then burnish two strokes at 5-10 degrees to the edge. Mr. Cohen shows us that we should lay the scraper flat on a table and 'Draw the edge', then 'Turn the Burr' similar to Mr. Ruttan's '5-10 degree' angle. They both seem to get great shavings while all I'm getting is dust. Are these just two approaches to the same problem? Or am I reading something wrong?

[Prashun Patel]

It is 2 approaches to the same problem. I had my Zen moment with a scraper recently. Once that happens you realize that you can prepare the edge many ways.

I basically clamp mine in a vise, mill file down the edge roughly square, then run a burnisher at roughly 15 degrees until I can feel something with my thumb; I don't draw and roll; I just roll. Works fine for me.

Personally, I wouldn't bother trying to get 2 burrs on each edge if yr having probs. I prepare a single burr each edge, so I can keep flipping and keep my fingers cool.

A honed edge WILL produce a smoother surface, but I've found that you can compensate for this by varying your touch. That's something you can only learn with practice. But I haven't been practicing that long, and it came to me - so I KNOW anyone can do it.

[Ken Casser]

Shawn, I appreciate the encouragement! So, you don't burnish straight on the edge at all? Can you tell me how much pressure you put on the burnishing rod? Roughly how many strokes at 15 degrees? I've been putting as much pressure as I can, straight on the edge for 6 strokes, and then 2 strokes at 5-10 degrees, and it ain't working for me.

[Richard Dooling]

When I started with a card scraper I was not doing the initial setup right and I either got dust or nothing. I found I needed to pay more attention to getting the steel edge really square.

There is a handy Veritas jig to hold the file at a good 90 to the scraper but it can also be shop made. Item 05M07.01 at Lee Valley

[Ken Casser]

Thanks, Richard. I think my edge is square, but it's hard for me to see with my eyesight. I'll pay closer attention tonight. Actually, I made a jig similar to Ralph Brendler's, but I widened the part where the scraper does the work, and I lay it flat in my vise so that the vise grips the file or stone, and the jig. This way I have a flat, horizontal surface to put the scraper on and run it against the file or stone similar to the way an edge belt sander works. (I'll take a photo tonight if interested, although since your system is working fine I don't suppose you'd need it) My point is, I should be getting a pretty true edge, but it's worth studying more carefully.