Thread: Cabinet Scraper woes.

Regarding burnishers, I've found that purpose-made ones are better than making do with chisels or screwdrivers. However, I did use one made from an old sharpening steel that had ben turned to smooth the surface, and that was the best, because of its hardness and size.

Originally Posted by derekcohen

.... regarding the use of screwdrivers as a burnisher ... sometimes the steel in the scraper is too hard for the steel in the screwdriver (this may be due to the tempering of modern steels in new scraper), and sometimes the steel in the screwdriver to too soft for the scraper (modern screwdrivers may have a soft shaft and a hard tip). Anytime one have to press hard with a burnisher to turn a hook, it is likely to be the wrong match. ....

Derek, I wasn't advocating 'improper' burnishers, just pointing out what can be done if you're in a fix. I guess all of my screwdrivers are from 50 years back, when the steel in them was hardened & tempered to a level that is file-able, and about the same hardness as saw plate & scraper blades. There is no doubt whatever a 'proper' burnisher is to be preferred, not just for hardness but for its clean, polished surface tha leaves a much smoother edge on your scrapers.

Scrapers are not usually super hard, but tempered to the low 50s on the Rockwell scale, the same as saw plate. There will be some variation, as there is with saws, but I've not yet struck one (including Sandviks) that won't file relatively easily. Something that hasn't been mentioned yet apropos turning the edge of scrapers; it work-hardens the steel and toughens the edge considerably. If you are the empirical type, try using a scraper without a burnished edge. They will still work if truly sharp and you get the angle right, but not for as long as a burnished edge....

Cheers,

Great read, thanks for all your contributions everyone. I have a Lie Nielsen large scraper plane en-route at the moment but don’t have any means of sharpening it. Can someone recommend a good burnisher? From an Australian retailer preferably.

I also seem to recall someone telling me scraper planes need a slightly different setup to a card scraper, is that correct?

I have one of these. A bit exy but works great.
https://www.carbatec.com.au/handtool...nisher-veritas

Originally Posted by bueller

......I also seem to recall someone telling me scraper planes need a slightly different setup to a card scraper, is that correct?....

To some extent - a scraper plane blade is ground to 45 degrees and you only use one side of the edge. You can burnish it or use them plain, but I prefer burnishing if it's a file-able type blade for the reasons stated above - work-hardening the edge. You really have to be careful not to turn the edge too much or you'll run out of slope-adjustment before the blade will cut.

You can buy blades that are thicker & much harder, for all of the scraper planes and these would have to he used burr-less, I presume, as you'd have a hard time burring a Rc 60 blade, and you'd end up with a heap of fractures if you did manage it. But I've always used the old-style blades in my Veritas, so am not in a position to comment on the merits or otherwise of hard blades....
Cheers,

Originally Posted by IanW

You can buy blades that are thicker & much harder, for all of the scraper planes and these would have to he used burr-less

My magic 8-ball tells me that Bueller is getting a large Lie Nielsen scraper plane that Lie Nielsen do indeed recommend using without a burr.

From someone that has only recently started sharpening scrapers properly, I think IanW and Derek have hit the newbie mistakes on the head. Initially my scrapers were not completely flat and square and I was applying far too much pressure when turning the burr. I'd end up having a shaving on one part of the scraper, dust from other parts and a rough surface everywhere the scraper went.

If you need an aid to making your scraper square, use a block of wood and hold the scraper to it. Also, when flattering the scraper, use light pressure over your stone of choice, with my diamond stones I think I was pressing hard enough the bend the scraper just a little bit and throw things out of whack. I use another block with a 45deg cut to do the blade for the Veritas scraper (Stanley #80 style). Turning the burr does take practice - keep at it! The first time you get the feeling your scraper is cutting smoothly and you get wide curly shavings, you'll chuckle with glee. And then profess that scrapers are the best things ever, even better than spokeshaves and plow planes.

My apologies for not getting back to this thread earlier but I've been away from home and my pc for a couple of days.

Many thanks to everyone for your replies to my query. The information you all provided is very interesting and helpful and very encouraging. I am much obliged.

While I was away in Melbourne I called into Carbatec at Sprinvale and, by coincidence, bought the same Veritas burnishing tool that Lappas mentioned above. Not cheap but a nice quality tool -

https://www.carbatec.com.au/handtool...nisher-veritas

When I got back home tonight it was rather late but I managed to slip out to the workshop to give the new tool a try. Although it was just a quick trial I found that it made a big difference and that maybe with more time and practice tomorrow, and with the information you all contributed, I might actually begin to produce shavings. I'll update this thread next week to let you all know how I get on.

Many thanks to all.
redx.

Used an Ulmia burnisher as long as I can remember. Triangular with three sides usable. They also used to make one with a steel wheel in it that was fixed in the holder on right angle to the scraper. Fully foolproof. Part no 732 in my old catalogue. with the triangular tool no 1067 you can refurbish the edge. this tool has a very sharp polished point. you can work both sides of the burr. Usually a burr was put on both sides of a steel. When done correctly a burr lasts a long time and when you get it right you never go back to sanding again.

The best burnisher I've ever used was made by Tom Harrington at Sturt, from an old sharpening steel that had been cleaned up and polished so that the surface was no longer abrasive. Its length and thickness made it easy to hold when drawing out the edge and turning it, and it was hard enough to take on pretty well any scraper steel.