I came across this Burnisher on the Internet a few weeks ago, and decided that I had to have one. It is likely that everyone in the universe knows about it but me. It is designed by Isaac Blackburn of Blackburn Tools and manufactured by Union Manufacturing Company. I purchased mine from HNT Gordon (Australia) but you can get one in several places, such as Lee Valley (Canada).

What is it? It is a burnisher to create a hook or burr on a cabinet scraper (to the rest of the Western World except the USA, where it is referred to as a card scraper). No, you will not get the same performance from your screwdriver shaft, or the back of a chisel. This is not just made from carbide, which has the advantages of not wearing and losing its smoothness, but its going to create the most fool-proof burr ever. Well done, Isaac. I love you!

You can buy one with handles or just the naked steel. I like making my own handles, and it is cheaper that way, so purchased just the carbide rod ...




Now I must be clear that I have a carbide burnisher already, and have been using it for about 10 years. It is truly excellent, and I am pretty good at preparing cabinet scrapers (card scrapers to you lot in the USA). Here is a photo of the full set up - handles turned today - and my old carbide burnisher in the background ..




What is special about the Accu-Burr is that the rod come with three angles built in ...




I'm not sure how well this will come up - the picture is off Blackburn Tools website ..




The important information is that the indents create, in order, burrs of 5-, 10- and 15 degrees.


Select the angle you prefer, and lightly run the burnisher up-and-down the edge of the scraper. It will create a burr on each side of the plate.





I prepared the scraper with a worn 20-year old 600 grit Eze-Lap diamond stone. It adds a polish to steel, and is probably in the region of 2500 grit. Four faces after jointing the two edges. Then four light strokes to each edge. Probably 60 seconds for the complete process. No guessing the angles. Just do it.

Using the 10-degree burr on Jarrah ...



Using the 15-degree burr on Jarrah ...




All just too easy. Perfect shavings, perfect surface.

Everyone will be an expert now.


Regards from Perth

Derek