Just started using a cabinet scraper and wow has it been useful on the finish stage of our current project.
The thin slices it takes are perfect for shaving off a paint drip, or for removing old brush marks. On a hardwood floor it’s perfect for getting into corners or for carefully taking overspray off a finished floor. When dust is a problem I’ll be dragging out the scraper more often instead of sanding. The fine shavings are quite remarkable.
Who would have thought a bur on the edge of a simple rectangle of steel would be so useful. Definitely a stocking stuffer this year.
Happy holidays!
Beer was created so carpenters wouldn’t rule the world.
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I just got one on Friday and refinished a 16" x 60" butcher block counter with an existing polyurethane finish using the scraper and some sandpaper...Scraped the bulk of the polyu off then some 80grit then some 120grit then more scraping then steel wool and the top was like glass after. Not as much airborne dust as a random orbit sander would have made either.
I really like the reduction in dust, especially when the client is still living in the space.
Beer was created so carpenters wouldn't rule the world.
If you hand gets tired, get one of those handles with the nut that gives it the right deflection. Won't bother you when it gets hot either.
That's one of my favorite tools for shop work.
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http://www.woodcraft.com/family.aspx?familyid=575
You're so hi-tech. I got a woodie one.
Saw some plans in FWW for a wood bodied scraper plane too.
I was given a Sandvik scraper on account of teaching my neighbor how to file it and bend over the burr, a process that he hadn't gotten on top of by himself. It was a big improvement over whatever one i'd been using, which got retired to stuff like finish removal.
I could never get a good edge turned on a scraper. I square them up and turn an edge over, but it never seems to cut much of anything.Got any suggestions fer your favorite redneck?
The important thing in science is not so much to obtain new facts as to discover new ways of thinking about them.
I'll share a quick and easy way. File it at 45 degees and roll that edge over, only cuts in one direction, but takes some of the fuss outta getting it going.
Practice with the right technique is all I can say, it's hard to demonstrate in words.
But then again, given SG's tenacious grasp on the verbiage, she'll likely be able to cover it well enough. (G)Spheramid Enterprises Architectural Woodworks
"People that never get carried away should be"
Like Sphere said, you can file it at an angle, then pull it over and get more of the wire edge to bite. Keep the length of the file in contact with the full edge of the scraper - a little ungainly, but you'll keep the scraper edge straight that way. Lots of people end up filing too much out of the middle of the scraper which makes the scraper ride on its corners while nothing much is happening in the center of the blade. Filing at an angle gives you more bite, but stops biting sooner, so i file flat, but still pull the edge over in one direction so i don't have to re-dress it very often. Not a better way, just a trade-off for cutting ability v. time spent re-dressing the edge. And bec i'm a cheap sort of dame i use the longest extension out of my socket set instead of buying the fancy burnisher to do this. Wear gloves!!! You can slice your hand open so fast...
Thanks for the thoughs. Whenever I get my shop set up I'll give that a try.
As for the Second Amendment, it may pose an inconvenience for gun-control advocates, but no more an inconvenience than the First Amendment offers those who blame violence on movies and television. [Roger Rosenblat]
I've got a big cheap rough oil-stone I use. For me, it's easier to keep the edge on the stone than filing. Put it in a vise and use the hard steel burnisher or a tool steel rod pushing away from you and gradually increase the angle to 45 deg. I only do one edge, cause I keep forgetting which one to put in the handle.
You have to apply a fair amount of pressure to burnish over the edge. Start by holding the burnisher at 90 deg. to the face, give it a couple of passes, and slowly work your way to about 30-40 deg.
Its best to hold the scraper in a vise, with as little exposed as possible, so it doesn't flex while sharpening.
The best card scrapers used to be the Sandvics, but I'm pretty sure they're out of business, or bought out by someone. I've heard good things about the Lie-Nielson ones, but don't have any real experience with them.
Its best to hold the scraper in a vise, with as little exposed as possible, so it doesn't flex while sharpening.
Shep, there is a way to flex the card while burnishing that will get you some pretty good results, I cant do it very well but I watched a guy down in Texas do it, much better cut but a pain to do.
Doug
Can you describe what the guy did?
I'm always interested in better ways to sharpen stuff.
Bend the card so the side you're burnishing is a little bit concave. When you release the bend, the burnished edge is under tension which is supposed to make the edge cut better and last longer.
Like Doug I've never quite mastered the technique myself.
Mike explained it as well as I could, it is very difficult but I've used one that was burnished on the bend and it did cut nice, I cant do it and seldom bother to try. The standard method works about as well as I need so ..........
Doug
Sounds interesting. I'll have to try it sometime.
I wonder- if I used a shim when I hold the card in the vise, would that give it the needed bend?
Shep
The guy that showed me held it in one hand, sorta positioned it on the table top and flexed it! I can visualize him doing it but that card is hard to bend with one hand and burnish with the other, maybe I'm just a weakling!
I guess you could try it with a shim, what-d-ya got to lose
Doug
Would you use three shims? One on each end on the same side and then one in the middle on the opposite side?
Trying to picture how only one shim would work to bow a flat card in a vice.
Dave
If I was going to do it in a vise I think thats about the only way(the 3 shim method) that you could do it.
Like I mentioned previously, the guy that taught me did it with one hand on a bench top.
Doug
Think I'll just load mine up and find Sphere down around Richmond. I'm not worth a **** getting a good burr on them.
Dave
Dont worry about getting the burr on the "bent" scraper, dont know if its worth it for the extra efort put forth.
I've seen guys that couldnt get a good burr on their scrapers and they bought the tool that Boss Hog linked in his post a while back. They will, if you prep it right, get very good results.
Doug
No problem. I have scads of scrapers in every kinda configuration and can put a burr on pancake if I had too..LOL.Spheramid Enterprises Architectural Woodworks
"People that never get carried away should be"
Be carefull. You might have to teach this old dog some new tricks. I'm almost adequate with chisels and below average with plane irons.
I even thought about taking one of those sharpening classes at Woodcraft, but for $75 I don't want to hear the buy this, buy that sales pitch that goes with most of thier classes. Besides, I got to many irons in the fire to lose a Saturday in a class.
I'll take you up on it in a month or two.
Dave
Afterthought; did you ever get your dog door flap material?
Any time ya want, I'll help ya.
Dog door flap is a carpet protector from Advance Auto , clear poly sumthin that all I had to do was nip off the lil nibs that engage with the carpet..other wise it would be all goobered up with cat hair. It is for the cats, mostly.
Dog WILL fit thru it, but I discourage that , he gets a wipe off on muddy days, when I let him in the human doors, and just coming and going as he pleases is NOT acceptable.
If you have enough of that curtain wall plastic to make a divider of sorts behind my van seats ( so I can HEAT the damm thing) I'd be HAPPY to take it off your hands and sharpen what ever ya need sharpened as often as you like.
Deal?Spheramid Enterprises Architectural Woodworks
"People that never get carried away should be"
How much you need?
This stuff is about a foot wide and a good 1/4" thick.
With a little lap on each edge, maybe 6 or 7 seven strips 5' to 6' long ? I likely have enough,...might be close.
E-mail me at [email protected] or through BT.
Dave
That would be about right, say 5' across the van and 5' high..so about 6 wide MOL.
I'll email ya, turn off the block this time (LOL)Spheramid Enterprises Architectural Woodworks
"People that never get carried away should be"
I don't know what DW has set up on the puter at home, but most time I get stuff sent through BT. The system here at work sends new outside mail into quarantine for a while, so it sometimes shows up as being blocked to the sender.
I got it this morning, so you made the cut I guess. Your on the ok list now, so other than normal viruses scans, future mail will go straight through, unless they contain a link that is on their no-no list.
I'll call ya.
Dave
There is something missing in your recipe since it's often quite easy to get the edge, even with no experience.
I good burnishing rod isn't all that special, but it's very hard and very smooth. I have the "A" version from woodcraft and use it with Lie Nelson scrapers. The bur forms quickly and is easy to touch up. It's not necessary to refile the top for each sharpening.
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At least the instructions I've been following suggest very little bevel for fine scraping and something like a 30-40 degree bevel is for the most coarse use.
Good burnishing
Beer was created so carpenters wouldn't rule the world.
I've got the same burnisher. Haven't used the LN scrapers though.
Maybe another tip for BH is to not try to turn over too big a burr, just enough to turn up a shaving. Also the burr doesn't last all that long. I hone all four sides of the scraper so I have 8 cutting edges. Each one might last 20 to 50 strokes before it needs touching up. Three or four touchups and it needs to be honed square again.
I use a burnisher like this one:http://www.leevalley.com/wood/page.aspx?c=2&p=32633&cat=1,310,41070&ap=1I wonder if that has anything to do with it?
Calling an illegal alien an "undocumented immigrant" is like calling a drug dealer an "unlicensed pharmacist"
That seems pretty high tech. All you need is a smooth steel rod that's harder than the scraper.
I use the shank of a 1/4" drill bit . BTW any old worn out bent , rusty handsaw steel makes excellent scraper blades. As do hunks of woodmizer type bandsaw blades.
Glass works well too, just can't sharpen it when dull.Spheramid Enterprises Architectural Woodworks
"People that never get carried away should be"
So how do you cut up an old handsaw? I woiud think that snips would 'bend' the metal a bit.Would a sheetmetal shop want to put steel of this sort in their shears?
Score with a corner of a trianglular ( or flat for that matter) file and snap.
Also, for filing a scraper, I find a single cut mill file to be the best, and draw filing if ya have decent control, other wise they make file holders, like an L sheped block with a inside groove to capture the file at 90 to the other face.Spheramid Enterprises Architectural Woodworks
"People that never get carried away should be"
cut with a zip disc
roger
I've used old hacksaw blades cut into various sizes and clamped into home made holders with a handle. They do very well.My burnish tool is a large nail set.
Maybe I'm not as experienced as you, but I find simply using new utility knife blades held by hand as a scraper when finishing cabinets (instead of sanding) gives a surberbly smooth finish. And takes a lot less time.
new utility knife blades held by hand as a scraper
I also go through a lot of utility knife and single edge razer blades used for scraping, but a scraper seems to be more useful primarily by eliminating chatter marks and providing more control. The smoothness of the shavings has to be seen to be appreciated.
Beer was created so carpenters wouldn't rule the world.
While at a job site what do you guys use to hold the scraper while burnishing it? About the only thing I can think of that's easy to use is a woodworkers clamp. View Image
Beer was created so carpenters wouldn't rule the world.
Great! I'm getting one for everyone on my list. I'm sure my MIL will love getting one.
Great! I'm getting one for everyone on my list.
Even the lie nelson scrapers are only $15 a pair! The cheapest lie nelson catalog item?
Beer was created so carpenters wouldn't rule the world.