scraper

[mountainman]

Anyone have any ideas on the kind of scrapers, that a guy can use for clean up on relief carving areas, or background?

[Acer Saccharum]

Check the tutorial section. Look for the posts about 'relief carving'.

One such tutorial:  http://americanlongrifles.org/forum/index.php?topic=23123.0

I make scrapers out of various steels, from spring steel to 0-1 Tool steel. Bandsaw blades, old screwdrivers, concrete nails; in short, anything that's high carbon can be re-purposed.

More home made tools here:  http://americanlongrifles.org/forum/index.php?topic=12.0

[smylee grouch]

I have made sevicable scrapers out of old hacksaw blades. You can grind lots of different sizes and shapes out of them. There are different steels that will make better ones I'm sure but I just happen to have alot of old hacksaw blades so thats what I use.

[galamb]

If you are "metallurgically challenged" like I am, places like Lee Valley have a decent set of miniature scrapers for about 5 bucks - their set of milled scrapers (for about 20 bucks I think) are pretty excellent as well..

[Mark Elliott]

I would suggest two easy to acquire items to use for cleaning up carving.   First, take an extra slim triangular file.  break off the tip where the teeth start and polish the broken end flat and perpendicular to the line of the file.    This way the tip and the file teeth act as scrapers.   The other item to use is a double pointed utility knife blade.  Just hold the blade perpendicular to a stone and hone off the sharp edge leaving a thin, flat edge.    You can then use that pointed tip to get into tight places.    I use the utility knife blade scraper for a lot of finial shaping and finishing work on a gun.   This is really all I use on my carving and I think my result are pretty good.

[davebozell]

There is also a post under Shop Made Tools on making scrapers from washers.  Here's the link:

http://americanlongrifles.org/forum/index.php?topic=24232.0.

I would think that you could also use lock washers since they are harder than a normal flat washer.  A little bit of file work to make a square edge and you'll be all set.

[Hungry Horse]

 A relatively cheap commercially produced scraper that is rarely mentioned here, is the round scraper blades from the Exacto sets. Combined with the screwdriver type handle, these allow one to draw them away from raised carving taking just a whisker of wood. I have a couple of them that I've use for years. I sharpen them with a Diamond Lap rod, or ceramic rod. they are great. I haven't found them at just every hobby shop though, so you might have to order them direct from Exacto.

                Hungry Horse

                               

[Chris Treichel]

In the engraving class I am taking we use the Japanese style scraper "hisage" which is great for getting into small spaces since you work at it from the side not top down.

http://followingtheironbrush.org/viewtopic.php?f=9&t=1018

[whetrock]

In the engraving class I am taking we use the Japanese style scraper "hisage" which is great for getting into small spaces since you work at it from the side not top down.

http://followingtheironbrush.org/viewtopic.php?f=9&t=1018

Chris,
These look very useful. Thanks for posting this. I found the later posts in that link to be especially helpful. I thought some of the photos and diagrams that came in as replies were really good.
Whet

PS to other readers: Chris's link also includes a photo of European style scrapers and diagram of sharpening angles for the  "hisage" , etc.

[Acer Saccharum]

I see how these Japanese scrapers could be extremely helpful. There is a heel behind the cutting edge that could be used to control depth of cut. You know, this is something I'd never have thought of on my own in a million years. Therein lies the beauty of this forum. Thanks for posting that link.

Tom

[Chris Treichel]

The critical element with the hisage is that the bottom angle is not flat... not 90degrees but a bit more acute than that depending on what you are doing... this creates the egde you scrape with.

I'll probably post some pictures of some of my current practice work.  Can't really say much as it was to inlay a silver teapot into a copper plate, including the bail.

[Dphariss]

Anyone have any ideas on the kind of scrapers, that a guy can use for clean up on relief carving areas, or background?

I usually use 01 tool steel scrapers for this with a square end that will cut almost anyway its pointed.


They cut like this. Or by pulling as a "burred edge" scraper is used.


They can be made any size or shape but are not "burred" with a burnisher (I use these too) since they are hard enough to cut steel. But these will cut up to a ornament by pushing.
Like Acer I make scrapers out of many things and many sizes and make them hard and relatively soft, I have some small wooden handled scrapers for close areas in carving or I use small chisels.

Dan

[Acer Saccharum]

Excellent info, Dan.


In some conversations with other gun makers, I realized I use scrapers on the whole gun. For inlets, for barrel channels, for the entire outside of the gun. Familiarity with scrapers and their various forms is essential.

[Dphariss]

Excellent info, Dan.


In some conversations with other gun makers, I realized I use scrapers on the whole gun. For inlets, for barrel channels, for the entire outside of the gun. Familiarity with scrapers and their various forms is essential.

I have some soft spring temper pieces that I have been told are vanes from a diesel aftercooler (my WYOTECH trained son does not know about this but its what I was told). They are soft enough to sharpen with a file, shape etc the form a burr with a burnisher. They are thin and can be flexed somewhat to form to curves.
Hard scrapers are a great aid in fitting pan covers to pans.
The more one uses scrapers the more useful and versatile they become.

Dan

[Acer Saccharum]

You can scrape brass hardware and burnish it to mirror bright, use to fit tumbler to the hole, work areas you can't get to with a file.

[Elnathan]

Dan's scrapers look an awful lot like Bill Carter's 'ground off chisels," at least in terms of function: http://www.billcarterwoodworkingplanemaker.co.uk/12.html  (scroll down a bit)

I have seen these very high-angle chisels (70-90 degree bevel) elsewhere as well.

[DaveP (UK)]

Now there's an interesting idea. All those old chisels in duplicate sizes that I inherited now have a new purpose!

[Kermit]

Carter's site is inspiring. I've made some of my own planes, "Krenov style," and now want to try Carter's wooden plane methods. Thank you VERY much for leading me to his site! WOW!

[Jerry V Lape]

I have made many scrapers from an old handsaw blade but now I find them ready made as disposable blades for paint scrapers in Lowe's, Home Depot and Woodcraft stores.  Saves a lot of time filing and grinding.  I prefer small steel pieces I can hold and work with one hand for inlet cleaning and final fitting of barrels into the stock.  Most are not burred, just stoned square on the edge I will be using.