AmericanLongRifles Forums

General discussion => Shop Made Tools => Topic started by: HighUintas on July 02, 2025, 10:18:30 PM

Title: Thickness of steel for barrel channel scraper
Post by: HighUintas on July 02, 2025, 10:18:30 PM
I am thinking I need to make an octagon channel scraper. I dislike barrel channel inletting a lot!

Thinking about the materials I have on hand, I'm wondering how thin would be too thin for making a scraper?

The most readily available and probably easiest thing to use would be a full utility knife blade. I would think I could grind it to shape easily and solder a handle on. But would it be too thin and flex a little too much to be useful? I don't really have any other "junk" metal at my house that I could use, other than mild sheet which could be hardened with MBS cherry red, but I don't know how long that would stay sharp.

I've got a set of cabinet scrapers but they're a little too thick and don't flex hardly at all, so I don't use them for scraping much. Maybe a piece of that would do...

There's also an industrial hardware store in town. They have everything under the sun, including spring stock and O1 steel stock. I know that would work well, but isn't cheap. Perhaps an $8 wood hand saw from harbor freight would work
Title: Re: Thickness of steel for barrel channel scraper
Post by: whetrock on July 02, 2025, 11:09:19 PM
What style are you wanting to make?

Midway sells one that you may want to see. Well, it's discontinued, but you can see how to make one.

https://www.midwayusa.com/product/1006456357?pid=144152 (https://www.midwayusa.com/product/1006456357?pid=144152)
Title: Re: Thickness of steel for barrel channel scraper
Post by: HighUintas on July 03, 2025, 01:12:22 AM
What style are you wanting to make?

Midway sells one that you may want to see. Well, it's discontinued, but you can see how to make one.

https://www.midwayusa.com/product/1006456357?pid=144152 (https://www.midwayusa.com/product/1006456357?pid=144152)

I know it. I'm too late to the game. I need to make a 1" one anyway. I was thinking a single blade version of one of those
Title: Re: Thickness of steel for barrel channel scraper
Post by: Bison on September 13, 2025, 06:49:20 PM
I buy cheap files from Harbor Freight and grind the profile want on a bench grinder. Then with a torch, I heat and bent the file to the angle I want and sharpen. You get a scraper for 4$ and an hour of work with a comfortable handle. I'll post a pic in a bit. Scraper is a wood removing beast.
Title: Re: Thickness of steel for barrel channel scraper
Post by: Habu on September 13, 2025, 11:40:19 PM
I've made scrapers from spade bits, basically the same process Bison described.  Doesn't everyone have a bunch of worn-out spade bits?
Title: Re: Thickness of steel for barrel channel scraper
Post by: bluenoser on September 16, 2025, 03:48:35 PM
I've made scrapers from spade bits, basically the same process Bison described.  Doesn't everyone have a bunch of worn-out spade bits?

Just has a HELLO moment!
Thanks Habu