Scraper shape(s) ?

[L.B. Myers]

Hi All,

Can anyone give me some advice as to where to look for the shape of a scraper? I

 

[Zonie]

The little I know about scrapers came from reading about them, so this is just mainly hearsay? Maybe it's "hear-read".
Anyway, the scraper is just what the name implys. It is used to scrape away the wood, leaving its form behind.

It can be any shape you need, and is often made from thin steel. Glass and other materials can be used as well, but they don't lend themselves to the sharpening method I've read about.

It can have a handle to give you a better grip, but that isn't really needed unless it is small.

If it is made from steel, it is often hardened but it is tempered to a much softer condition than most cutting tools.
This is important because of the way it is "sharpened".

Picture a relative thin piece of steel with the shape you want ground or filed on the edge. The edge is square to the face of the plate.
The edge should have a really good, smooth finish.

To "sharpen" it, you use a piece of very hard steel rod, like the unfluted area of a drill bit.
By sliding this rod along the surface of the shaper, applying more pressure to one side than the other, it will roll a little steel burr over the edge towards the face of the tool.
This little burr is the cutting edge of the tool.

By pulling the shaper along the desired path on the stock, its cutting edge will shave off any wood which gets in its way.

As I said, I haven't used one of these, but I would think they work well when used with the grain of the wood. Using them to cut across the grain may be more difficult?

Perhaps some of the folks who have really used these tools can jump in and give us some insight?

 

[cptleo1]

The best one I know of is a Stanvik

also look on the bottom of this page for curved scrapers and or the sharpening stuff you will need

http://www.rockler.com/findit.cfm?page=1079&sid=AF998

:imo:

 

Normally one does not purchase a scraper. One builds the scraper to meet the immidiate need.

Some people use tool steel, and that is a good option if one has several projects to accomplish. Most persons use whatever thin sheet metal is available and suitable. Cut it and smooth the edge with a file, then smooth with a stone and scrape away.

I did my first gunstock, many years ago, with broken glass. Use a patch of duct tape to protect your fingers and scrape away. You have almost any shape you need available from any broken glass bottle and it works as well today as it did for the cave men.

It's really amazing to watch those long curls of wood form as you move the glass along the grain! It dosen't clog the pores of walnut and maple as sanding will, and gives you exactly the finish that was on the guns of the masters of the "golden age".
:imo:

 

[2172]

I had good luck using an old butcher knife blade...worked on horn...I just held it in two hands, at right angle to work surface..Hank

 

[steved]

Two years or so ago in Muzzle Blasts or Muzzleloader Mag there was an article about making scrapers out of old saw blades. From what I could remember, the guy laid out the shapes he wanted with masking tape and then used a cutter (Dremel or something like it) to cut out the shape. Then he sharpened as described in the other post. Dig thru your back issues.

L.B. If you don't have these mags, drop me a note and I will look up the article for you.

 

i made some from those cheep little dollar screw drivers . i just took them to the grinder and made the shape i want then filed to a nice sharp edge . they work good for those tight spots

 

[Birddog6]

Here are some of the scrapers that I use. The deer antler handle one is the one I use the most while building as I use it to cut my barrel underlug (tennon) slots in the forestock. I go straight down with the first lil chisel scraper & make each end cut & then I take the deer antler handle one with handle in vertical position & pull the scraper & scrape the slot out. Takes about 5 min to do a slot with this tool & it is offset it works well down into the barrel channel. The round knob handle one I use around lock panels & carvings..

First 3 are made from just cheap old needle files of various sizes. Heat red hot & bend to shape then quench in motor oil. Then grind on grinder to sharpen it & you sharpen from only the back side.

The next 3 are made from cheap carving tool set from the flea market ($5.) and you take pliers & pull the blade out, put in vice, heat red hot where you want to bend it, bend to desired angle (usually just past 90 deg.) then quench in motor oil. Then grind 3 lil notches in the blade part that is going up into the wood. Clean oil off with electrical cleaner or alcohol & put some clear epoxy in the hole in the handle & shove the bit back into the handle. I use these in barrel channels & around carvings, etc.

Last one is an old screwdriver. Old drill bits also made good small scrapers. A very snall chain saw file makes a very good scraper.

 

[L.B. Myers]

Thanks All,

I really appreciate the help!

L.B.