stock, scrape or sand

[richs]

Why scrape a stock rather then sand it?  My guns all have sanded stocks but I now see many guns advertised as having scraped, not sanded stocks?  Why the difference?  How do you fill the grain on a scraped stock?
Thanks for the info.
Rich

[smart dog]

Hi,
Scraping, particularly on figured wood, leaves a pleasant washboard like texture. Many originals show scraping because sand paper was not available. IMO, some modern builders take it to the extreme. On most originals I've viewed, the scraped stock was nice and smooth and the effect of scraping very subtle. Another advantage to scraping is that it leaves clear wood for staining because it does not mash down the fibers like sanding.  On dense, hard woods like maple, filling the grain is not hard to do with the finish. However, more open woods like walnut benefit from filling with a slurry of sanded wood and finish or at least a good burnishing.   

dave

[ron w]

scraping is preferred, mainly I believe ,....because people try to make a piece of sandpaper last too long. I have stocks done both ways and it is very hard to pick which was done with what. I also understand that sandpaper gets dull and cheap sandpaper is exactly that.

[Pukka Bundook]

Scraping was more the standard practice at the time, and if burnished, leaves a lovely finish that has a sort of correct look about it. 
High -end European /English guns don't show the scraping the same, and were finished to a higher level, but for a Longrifle, I think the scraping looks more the part.

[Tim Crosby]

 May be of some interest:

  http://www.flintriflesmith.com/WritingandResearch/Research/sandpaper.htm

  Tim C.

[bama]

I scrape most of the rifles I build for a couple of reasons.

The first reason I can do any minor stock shaping with the scraping process. A lot of times as I start the finishing process I scrape the stock using cross lighting. While doing this you will see places that are a little fat or a random rasp mark that you have missed, a scraper makes short work of these areas.

The second reason is I find I get a more traditional looking finish. After handling many originals you start to get a feel on how the finished rifle looked as it left the shop of the master. Many originals have that rippled look. Some are of the opinion that this happens by wear over time but I do not think so I think the stock was that way when it left the shop. Not all originals have this rippled look but many do, so depending on what look you are after in your finish to scrape or sand is your decision.

The third reason scraping is faster than sanding. It is also cheaper than sanding. I have been using my scrapers for years, a couple are getting to the point that I will have to replace them before long but they have served me well for a long time. How often do you have to buy sand paper?

I mostly build early rifles. All of the early rifles that I have seen have scraped surfaces. You can see the scraper marks. In my mind it would be incorrect to build an early rifle using sand paper to finish this style of rifle.

With all that said, we are many days past the days of the early builders. I have seen many beautiful rifles built where the builder used sand paper. You can not take anything away from those that want a smooth finish.

I will say that you can not replicate a scraped finish using sand paper but you can get pretty darn close to replicating a sanded finish using a scraper. So use what you want to finish your rifle. It is, after all, your rifle.

[Mauser06]

I am working on test pieces for a build now.    The piece is interesting because you can see the clarity and holographic nature of it in the pics. 










Look at the curl in each of the pics...it completely flops sides.   1st and 2nd pic show the dark curl go from the right then to the left. 

I can't get that effect or clarity with sand paper.  Maybe I try to make sand paper last too long...maybe I don't use sand paper properly.  I don't know.   



I agree, scraping is faster for me.   1 scraper leaves a smooth clean finish.  I don't have to go through grits and go over the gun numerous times.   I also do my final clean up and detail shaping with scrapers...so once it's "done", it's ready to whisker...which I do with scrapers.   

[Dphariss]

Why scrape a stock rather then sand it?  My guns all have sanded stocks but I now see many guns advertised as having scraped, not sanded stocks?  Why the difference?  How do you fill the grain on a scraped stock?
Thanks for the info.
Rich

I do both but in some places scraping to final contour will leave sharper edges and allow less sanding if that what you want to do. I usually do. But scraping allows much more competent shaping than files or rasps in difficult areas especially.
Hope this is the right link
Dan
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Il-DiBRQfww&feature=youtu.be