Cabinet scrapers?

[richardkirkman]

Can someone give me a rundown of how to use a cabinet scraper properly and how to sharpen one correctly on a tormek.

Thanks

 

[lurker]

Assume you mean the sheet of steel type rather than the record tool.
In which case I cannot se the tormek being a great deal of use

 

[nev]

Maybe some hints in these old posts?

sharpening-record-cabinet-scraper-t11214.html?hilit=cabinet%20scraper

post1124019.html?hilit=cabinet%20scraper#p1124019

how-often-do-you-need-to-burnish-or-dress-a-cabinet-scraper-t97184.html?hilit=cabinet%20scraper

 

[richardkirkman]

Assume you mean the sheet of steel type rather than the record tool.
In which case I cannot se the tormek being a great deal of use

I mean the type with handles that looks like a spoke shave. I have a Stanley No.80.

 

[Argus]

The Stanley and Record versions of this tool are identical.

Here is a short clip on YouTube that explains the basics. In addition to your scraper, you'll need a decent file and a burnisher tool. The one in the clip is an expensive one, but you can use any circular piece of polished steel bar, such as a suitable scredriver shank, a larger masonary nail stuck in a bit of wood, or a pin-pinch. Any hard metal will do, but if you can scratch it with a file, it's too soft.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QQfCdmEWJF8

The bevel needs to be about 45 degreees and dead straight. It also helps to polish the back of the scraper just by the hook, as it forms one side of the cutting edge.

I can't see a Tormek being much use for this - just as quick by hand.

 

[lurker]

Richard,
My burnisher is made from the gas strut from a car tailgate

 

[richardkirkman]

Okay, thanks for the responses, but what am I going for do I need a burr or a sharp edge.
Is a burr the same as a hook?

 

[thetyreman]

I'd recommend the veritas honing guide, which can (just) fit the no 80 style scraper blades set to 45 degrees on diamond stones, then you will need a burnisher, I'm using a clifton burnisher, not cheap but it will outlast me. Burnishing isn't easy though, it took me ages to get it just right, you have to apply just the right amount of pressure.

 

[Beau]

Is a burr the same as a hook?

IMO yes.

The way I sharpen my Stanley scraper is start of polishing off the old burr/hook on a stone. Sharpen the blade to 45 degrees and hone it to a nice sharpe edge as you would do with any other cutting edge. Then turn the hook with a piece of hardened steel which is drawn horizontally along the edge at 15 degrees. Normally just one or two strokes should do.

 

[custard]

Yes, you could use a Tormek for that if you want a double bevel. Grind on the Tormek at say 40 degrees then hone at 45 degrees, polish the back and use a burnisher to develop a small hook. Personally I just grind and hone at the same 45 degree angle but each to their own, if you get the results you want then how you get there doesn't much matter. I use a the 80 scraping plane regularly, it's a fine tool.

David Charlesworth gives some good advice on scraping planes in one of his three books. If you're even moderately serious about woodworking you should get all three of them!

Good luck!

 

[AndyT]

Yes and yes.

One further tip - if you do prepare both edges, prevent the upper one from cutting you by slipping a length of slide binder over it - the plastic strip used to keep loose sheets of paper together.

 

[richardkirkman]

Yes, you could use a Tormek for that if you want a double bevel. Grind on the Tormek at say 40 degrees then hone at 45 degrees, polish the back and use a burnisher to develop a small hook. Personally I just grind and hone at the same 45 degree angle but each to their own, if you get the results you want then how you get there doesn't much matter. I use a the 80 scraping plane regularly, it's a fine tool.

David Charlesworth gives some good advice on scraping planes in one of his three books. If you're even moderately serious about woodworking you should get all three of them!

Good luck!

So could i just get rid of the first hook/burr with a piece of fine sandpaper and a flat surface, then use my tormek to grind 45 degrees and then use the leather wheel with polishing compound to create a burr/hook?

 

[custard]

You can grind off the first hook on the Tormek, you could then use the leather wheel to hone and polish the bevel side but not the flat side, nor to create the hook. You need a burnisher for the hook, there's no dodging that fact.

Incidentally, Andy's advice about plastic protective spines is worth heeding. The hooks are very fragile and won't last long getting bashed around on a bench or in a tool box. One of the many nice things about Bahco card scrapers is that they come with an excellent plastic sleeve that really looks after the hook.

 

[custard]

I should add that with the thicker scrapers, such as are used with the 080, you can get a shaving without a hook. It's worth experimenting. Personally I generally add a hook with my 80 scraper plane, but not always.

 

[richardkirkman]

Okay, just been out in garage. Sharpened 45 degree with tormek, removed burr with fine sandpaper, then used a harder piece of steel to push over the edge to form the hook.
After doing it it makes much more sense. I'm just pushing over the sharpened edge to make it cut better.
I'm now getting some really nice shavings.
Thanks everyone

 

[Beau]

Glad you managed it Richard. A cabinet scraper is such a good tool once you have them sharpened right.

 

[Ttrees]

I would like to talk some more on the subject concerning re-burnishing and regrinding/rehoning .
It seems to me that rolling back the edge is a bit more difficult on this tool than my with my Bahco scrapers ...
The same as Custards ones...
And It takes me ages to get the iron sharp again afterwards ...
I use a washita oilstone ...possibly on the finer side of the spectrum, and a diamond hone 1800 Diasharp probably worn to 8000grit or more....will give a mirror polish much more than the 4000g king stone I have.
I don't touch the back with the washita though .
Lately I done a make yer own cabinet scraper thread here, because I wanted to scrape some varnish off some press doors.
I decided to try out David W's youtube video demonstration, on using the washita for all faces of the scraper prep.
And straight to the burnisher ....
I have not used the scraper all that much, and cant decide on the longevity aspect of using only the finer hone for the back.
Has anyone experienced this longer lasting edge when scraping hardwoods with either the card or the no.80 scraper plane ...or similar ...or even an A2 iron ?
Thanks,
Tom

 

[MusicMan]

We were cheap at my school. We were taught to burnish/hook the edge with the side of a screwdriver, and I still do.

 

[AndyT]

We were cheap at my school. We were taught to burnish/hook the edge with the side of a screwdriver, and I still do.

That's fine if you have a good quality, hardened screwdriver, but could be disappointing if you were too cheap when you went shopping!

I use an old carbide router bit, with the cutter epoxied into a wooden handle, leaving the nice hard stem exposed.

 

[MarkDennehy]

Tried burnishing with a screwdriver. Then tried with something that was sold as a burnisher. Both were absolutely gouged by the scraper. Bought the Arno carbide burnisher. Suddenly I'm leaving shavings rather than dust and the scraper is actually doing what all the gushing youtube videos say it can do. Okay, it's £20 but the damn thing's going to last forever and it's going to save you £20 in sandpaper in a year or two even if you buy the stuff from China...