Foolproof sharpening of card/cabinet scraper


derekcohen

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Oil.

i had a pain of a time  with this whole process  until I started using a drop on each edge of machine oil and a little on the burnisher.  

This is unnecessary is you use a carbide burnisher - and do not use too much down force. It is too much if there is resistance.

Regards from Perth

Derek

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Derek, that very well may be the case but many people don't have a carbide burnisher and wouldn't replace their current one for carbide.  Just throwing it out for those, not intending to troll.

If your burnisher isn't harder than your scraper then you're gonna get crappy results with or without oil.  I use a carbide burnisher but the oil makes for a smoother action and ultimately, in my experience, a stronger and sharper hook.

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Derek, that very well may be the case but many people don't have a carbide burnisher and wouldn't replace their current one for carbide.  Just throwing it out for those, not intending to troll.

Carbide is easy enough to find - such as an old router bit - and well worth the effort. Chuck it in a drill press or lathe and polish it. It is the hardness and the polish that make all the difference. A high polish (mirror) means that you never need to use oil to lubricate the steel. I've been using this particular burnisher for about 5 years.

Regards from Perth

Derek

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Hi Shannon

I've been using card/cabinet scrapers for around 25 years now. I would say that until about 5 years ago I turned the hook with a single- rather than double stroke. It worked, often very well, but the reliability rate and the quality of the shavings shot right up when I began using the second stroke.

Why? The simple answer may be that metal is hard and bends more easily when done so gradually than sharply. I'm theorising here - I doubt that I am being original, but I do not recall anyone explaining this. The double stroke offers more control of the angle as well, both in the evenness of the hook and its size. 

This method does not negate the single stroke method - just that it works better for me.

Try it out both ways, and let us know your experience.

Regards from Perth

Derek

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  • 2 weeks later...

I purchased a carbide rod (1/4" x 6") from Amazon some time ago and built my own burnisher.  I cut a copper pipe to use as ferrules and pressed it all onto a piece of turned wood (don't remember the species).  I planed some flats on the handle to keep it from rolling on the bench ... similar to those Sorby chisels.  I remember paying about $12 for the carbide rod on Amazon.  There are lots of suppliers for these rods, but you have to search a bit.  I have found that the carbide gives me much better results and the carbide never gets scratched up or gouged like the store bought burnishers I have used.

Charlie

Burnisher.jpg

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Carbide is easy enough to find - such as an old router bit - and well worth the effort. Chuck it in a drill press or lathe and polish it. It is the hardness and the polish that make all the difference. A high polish (mirror) means that you never need to use oil to lubricate the steel. I've been using this particular burnisher for about 5 years.

Regards from Perth

Derek

http://www.amazon.com/Ultra-Met-4D-6-PGPC-Precision-Polished/dp/B00KNZ3PUE/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1446114156&sr=8-1&keywords=carbide+rod

 

How is that for a cheap burnisher?

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  • 9 months later...

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