Scraping verses Sanding

[Old Ford2]

I have seen several gun builders refer to a scraped finish rather than a sanded finish.
Is it more traditional, or better?
Which do you guys prefer?

Thank you for any replies.
Old Ford  ( Fred )

[JDK]

Uh oh, here we go again!  Be nice fellas.  J.D.

[smshea]

I do an awful lot of both .

[rich pierce]

Still learning scraping.  One thing for sure, it doesn't just push down fibers, which sanding can do.  After scraping with a good scraper, pores of the wood are wide open and stain well.

[volatpluvia]

Only did it once, but I like it.
volatpluvia

[David Rase]

I do an awful lot of both .

Me too........... I try to scrape as much as possible but sometimes I have to sand if I can't get my scraper to mind! 
Dave

[The other DWS]

Uh oh, here we go again!  Be nice fellas.  J.D.

Looks like it'd be a nice edu-taining evening archive read with a couple cups of something or other

[Old Ford2]

Seriously, I have been here for quite a while and never noticed it discussed.
I am a MASTER at screwing things up.
I have just tried scraping with a very sharp scraper, and find it better than sandpaper, but thought I was at my old tricks ( screwing things up)
I feel that I have more control.
Traditionally was sandpaper available? ( I'm not trying to stir the pot )
I guess, with scrapers your limitations are, how many scrapers do you have?
Thank you all for any input
Fred

[rich pierce]

We know sandpaper "existed" in the period and was available in the Americas.  Scrapers don't wear out or need replacing and so are cost-effective.  Perhaps this was a consideration.  Careful examination of originals often reveals use of scrapers.  I have found glass microscope slides to be very good for scraping within the limitations of size, straightness, and that the edges can't be renewed.  Convex and concave scrapers are very useful.  The basic cabinet set offered at woodworking stores is a good one.  I make small ones and additional odd curved ones to complement a basic set.

[Jim Kibler]

Very thin (.015") cabinet scrapers are my preference.  These can be bent and bowed to fit in recesses such as above the cheek piece.  I also sometimes use smaller ones that are shaped to a bit of a radius.  Scraping is nice in that it cuts material fast and leaves a surface ready for finish.  The less than perfect surface finish that results can also be appealing.  In particular it can accentuate curl and give a rippled effect.  Personally, I think a surface that has a bit of texture is often more visually interesting than a sterile plain one resulting from sanding.  For the right project a more perfect sanded surface may be more appropriate, however.  Also, when speaking of tool marks from scraping,  in order to have most appeal, they aren't random and aren't necessarily mistakes, but are controlled and result in a relatively uniform texture.  There are good and bad tool marks.  My thoughts at least...

[James Rogers]

 when speaking of tool marks from scraping,  in order to have most appeal, they aren't random and aren't necessarily mistakes, but are controlled and result in a relatively uniform texture.  There are good and bad tool marks.  My thoughts at least...

This is a very important and interesting visual feature to obtain in my opinion. Varies to the firearm being done. Working and studying on this.

[bluenoser]

I use scrapers extensively for final shaping and finish smoothing.  For fine work, I seem to have better control with a scraper than with a chisel, gouge, file or sandpaper - and I prefer the resulting finish.

I am in the early learning stage when it comes to carving - which is still pretty much limited to practice blocks.  One area I found particularly challenging is modelling with gouges and rifflers.  Yes, I have a reasonable selection and they are razor sharp.  I decided to try scraping and made two sets of scrapers with radii from 1/16" to 1/2" in 1/16" increments.  One set is square edged and the other is hooked.  I find modelling much easier and more precise with a scraper.

Old handsaws are a good source of raw material and a scraper can be quickly made with a hacksaw, file and 1" belt sander.  It just takes a little longer if you don't have a belt sander.  Considering the ease of manufacture, low cost and utility, I cannot believe 18th century gunsmiths did not make extensive use of scrapers.  I think it is likely that, in many cases, they would make a scraper when they needed a cutting tool of a profile they did not have.  That includes shaping and carving.

Laurie

[Long John]

I prefer scrapers too.  I have a collection of shop-made scrapers that are shaped for specific jobs.  Some are made for smoothing those little spots in the carving that you just can't access with other tools.  I will admit that there are times when I will smooth things down with rasps, progress to files, maybe some sand paper.  But then the final finish always seems to be with a real sharp scraper.  Sometimes a sharp right-angle scraper like Rich's microscope slide works best, sometimes a razor-sharp cutting edge works best.  I try to let the wood tell me which tool to use and which direction to apply it.

Best Regards,

John Cholin

[Stophel]

I use scrapers a lot.  I don't, however, bother with the whole turned-and-burnished-edge thing.  Way too much trouble for a fragile edge.  I'm far too rough on tools for that, and far too impatient to curl that edge.  I just sharpen mine with a file.  A few strokes, and it's done.  With this I can hog off lots of wood, or scrape it finely, depending on how I hold it and what direction I go with it.  

[mjm46@bellsouth.net]

I still use mostly sandpaper and rasps, but have started to find uses for scrapers especially the hollow area on the cheek side and the area below the front of the comb, and final barrel fitting. They really pull wood off fast.

[Curtis]

A couple of common things I have made scrapers from are old drywall knife razor blades and handsaw blades. The handsaw blades can be snapped to size by breaking in a vise, then ground to any shape desired.  The razors I usually put a radius on the two points to avoid accidental gouging of surfaces while scraping.  Don't ask me how I know about that.....

Curtis

[Roger Fisher]

I've done both lately, scraping seems a 'slick' way to do it.

[Eric Smith]

Anyone ever used shim stock to make a scraper?

[Acer Saccharum]

I like a scraped finish. With a fair amount of handrubbing, a nice soft finish develops. This will happen anyway with wear from normal use.

[WMnBR]

Anyone ever used shim stock to make a scraper?

I haven't tried that, but utility knife blades work dandy!

[Bennypapa]

At work they strap things down to pallets with some 1-1/2" wide and some 2" wide metal strapping/banding material. It makes great scrapers as it is just the right temper.