How do you sharpen a hand scraper?

[Matt Woodworth]

Friends,

Can somebody give me detailed steps on how to sharpen a hand scraper? I've read the lie nielson instructions and The Handplane Book but I still don't quite see how to create the burr. It seems like I'm supposed to file/remove the edge until it's flat then burnish a burr from nothing.

How is this burr created? Can you give me numbered steps explaining how I should sharpen a hand scraper?

Thanks in advance

[Richard Gillespie]

Matt

Sharpening scrapers gave me fits for several years. I asked for help on this and other forums and still got inconsistent results. I then saw an article in the September 2003 issue of the American Woodworker. The author was Tom Caspar.

It gives a ten step process with pictures that has helped me immensely. I would suggest that you go to a library and review the article. I just resharpened two scrapers today with that article open. The results were great. The steps are:

1. Lay the scraper down flat on a surface and with a burnisher flatten
any old burrs.

2. With the scraper vertical in a vise, use a file on the scraper tops
with two hands to remove the dull edges produce by step one.
Keep the scraper in the vise through step eight.

3. Test to see if step two has produced a consistent slight burr down
both sides.

4. With a diamond honing paddle, remove the wire edge produced by
step two.

5. Set a block of wood adjacent to the scraper and level the scraper
with it.

6. Set the block of wood about 3 inches away. Lay a file on it and the
scraper and use it to produce a square flat top on the scraper
3 to 4 strokes per edge should do it.

7. Repeat step 6 with a diamond honing paddle.

8. Use your thumb nail to test for a sharp square edge. If it scrapes the
nail it's good.

9. Lay the scraper down on a flat surface and with a lightly oiled
burnisher at a slight angle, bend the initial hook down.on four
edges.

10. Set the scraper back in the vise and bend the hook out. This is
done with 3 or 4 strokes with the burnisher at a slight angle off of
square.

It seems like a lot of steps but it goes fast once you've done it a few times. The above steps become a whole lot clearer with the pictures in the article. I hope this helps.

[Roger Turnbough]

Matt,

Here is the best instructions that I have found yet. Very complete and thorough.


http://www.brendlers.net/oldtools/scraping/scraper.htm

Hope this helps, just remember, when rolling the burr, it dont take hurculean force, a steady gently pressure is all you need.

Roger

Friends,

Can somebody give me detailed steps on how to sharpen a hand scraper? I've read the lie nielson instructions and The Handplane Book but I still don't quite see how to create the burr. It seems like I'm supposed to file/remove the edge until it's flat then burnish a burr from nothing.

How is this burr created? Can you give me numbered steps explaining how I should sharpen a hand scraper?

Thanks in advance

[harry strasil]

I use a saw jointer,(a hand held tool with a file clamped in it) to file my scrapers square, and I use an old dull metal cutting carbide burr with the cutting end driven in a wooden file handle as a burnisher. Dull burrs can probably be obtained from a machine shop for free as they just throw them away. This burnisher will last a lifetime and give a very smooth burred edge as they are so hard.

Just my 2cents worth

[Matt Woodworth]

Thanks guys, I'll give it another try.

[Matt Woodworth]

It worked! I bought the scraper a week ago and since that time I've been asking myself, "Is that what the mean by shavings or did I just make sawdust?"

It was bigger than normal sawdust but quite what I would call a shaving. Today I made shavings with my hand held scraper, undeniable shavings.

Thanks for the help guys.