First time with card scrapers and water stones, not what I expected at any point

[Pete Taran]

I'd get the proper 6" mill smooth file. Teeth get smaller as the file gets smaller in the same smoothness class (bastard is coarser than second cut which is coarser than smooth)

To your point, if to your senses your file and scrape experiments are yielding acceptable results, you have answered your own question. Good for you and look at the time you are now saving!

[John C Cox]

In terms of the prep... If your goal is a fast working tool to deal with scraping finishes off, getting rid of plane tracks, dealing with nasty/ switchy grain, and fine stuff like levelling out stringing and inlay where you don't want to gouge the surrounding wood or have issues with tearout .. And even scraping runs, drips, brush marks, and orange peel off finishes- the file prep works fantastic.

If you want a glistening finish that doesn't require sanding - careful stoning and burnishing is the way... And the finish you get off of a well prepped scraper is spectacular... Sandpaper leaves the wood "muddy" looking where the carefully stoned and burnished scraper leaves a very crisp and almost sparkly finish... Patrick posted a very good description of this type of prep in another recent card scraper thread...

[Patrick Chase]

It occurred to me that when people talk about "filing an edge" and then turn the burr, some specification is likely helpful. If you are using a 14" mill bastard file to work your scrapers edge, I agree 100%, that could lead to some roughness in the burr. If, however, you are using the proper 6" mill smooth file for such work, the edge nearly as smooth as it can be. An extra data point that might be useful.

I use a 6" smooth file :-).

[Patrick Chase]

I'd get the proper 6" mill smooth file. Teeth get smaller as the file gets smaller in the same smoothness class (bastard is coarser than second cut which is coarser than smooth)

It's probably worth adding that there are two systems of file-tooth pitch designation: American and Swiss. For the sorts of files we're talking about here, "Smooth" is finest designation in the American system. The equivalent in the Swiss system would be Cut-4 (lower numbers represent more aggressive toothings)

[Ryan Mooney]

I file and then finish on an oil stone (or the super hard spyderco more often nowadays).

I think its important to clarify what I mean by "file" though, I'm draw filing, not push filing and clamp the scraper between two pieces of wood close to the edge to minimize chatter. Draw filing leaves an edge pretty close to a 1000 grit stone, maybe better depending on the stone, if done with a reasonably fine file and a light hand.

When stoning afterwards I'm not also shy about cheating a little and using a block of wood to keep the scraper vertical.

As others have noted the important thing is before burnishing having a super crisp square 90 edge. What you were describing with your initial waterstone experience sounds like it was rounding the hell out of the edge (if you're in a groove in the stone 100% chance its rounding the edge) which is why pulling a burr was so hard. If you really want to use water stones here, a super light hand to just clean up the edge a little after filing would be my prescription.

[Edwin Santos]

In terms of the prep... If your goal is a fast working tool to deal with scraping finishes off, getting rid of plane tracks, dealing with nasty/ switchy grain, and fine stuff like levelling out stringing and inlay where you don't want to gouge the surrounding wood or have issues with tearout .. And even scraping runs, drips, brush marks, and orange peel off finishes- the file prep works fantastic.

If you want a glistening finish that doesn't require sanding - careful stoning and burnishing is the way... And the finish you get off of a well prepped scraper is spectacular... Sandpaper leaves the wood "muddy" looking where the carefully stoned and burnished scraper leaves a very crisp and almost sparkly finish... Patrick posted a very good description of this type of prep in another recent card scraper thread...

Hi, What you've summed up is my experience too. I didn't want to disagree outright with the file suggestion for fear of starting a fight, but I have found the finer edge you would get from a stone versus a file will create a finer scraped finish. You can see it in the quality of shavings and amount of shavings vs dust.
Going to a stone is definitely more time consuming than whipping out a file though. An intermediate solution is following the fine file with a small block with glued on abrasive. I keep a few around in 220x and 320x. Just a few passes after the file will refine the edge quite a bit and remove scratches left by the file. We're talking 10-15 seconds. Like Pete mentions, most of these suggestions are easy to try, and in the end, stick with what gives you acceptable results.
Edwin

[Robin Dobbie]

I did think the surface could have been shinier with the stone-burnish prep. However, the sheen was inconsistent I believe due to the remaining finish and potentially uneven finish penetration between adjacent boards(it was a glue up). The next go over with the file-burnish prep was perhaps less shiny, but again not sure if that was merely due to the remaining finish being completely removed.

For the test, I'll start with raw wood that's been through the thickness planer(I told y'all I was a filthy power tool user).