Making custom scrapers

[satwel]

I have an extra set of cabinet scrapers and I'd like to make a few customized shapes - one for smoothing a ramrod groove and another to create forestock molding. What techniques are best for cutting and shaping metal scrapers to create precise and/or intricate shapes? The steel seems quite hard. Will it ruin a metal file?

Thank you.

[rich pierce]

For a scraper to be useful, it needs to be a certain hardness, probably about "spring hardness".  If too soft, the raised bur edge will not last.  If too hard, you can't raise a bur with a burnisher.  Shorter answer- you can file it.

[Larry Luck]

Not knowing any better, I made scrapers for forestock moldings from a piece of drywall knife.  I sketched out the profile on a piece of paper, glued it to an approx. 2x3 inch piece of metal, filed to the profile, and soaked the paper off.

It worked pretty well to establish the moldings, but I cleaned them up with files and sandpaper.

I also made one in sort of a part of a French curve to hollow the cheekpiece and it is still going strong.

While a cabinet scraper's thickness will probably provide more stability, the thinner stock is easy to file to shape.

Just one solution.

Larry Luck

[Dphariss]

I have an extra set of cabinet scrapers and I'd like to make a few customized shapes - one for smoothing a ramrod groove and another to create forestock molding. What techniques are best for cutting and shaping metal scrapers to create precise and/or intricate shapes? The steel seems quite hard. Will it ruin a metal file?

Thank you.

It depends on the use the scraper will be put to. For some things I like them on the soft side or spring temper.
Others I leave quite hard and do not burr them for a cutting edge I form a very sharp square edge.
These I draw back to a light straw color and these will also scrape steel.

This is a scraper that is too hard to roll a burr on. It is sharpened by stoning to a sharp edge. I use them for inletting, carving and scraping steel parts such as fitting a frizzen to a pan. It is made of O-1 tool steel about 3/32" thick. They will provide a lot of use before dulling being hard and made of O-1. They can be made in a multitude of shapes the widths. Including forend moulding with or without the "scratch stock" type tool.
Dan

[Clark Badgett]

Would .020 shim stock work for scrapers. I can check to see if it's hardness is labled or not (probably not). I do know it is hardened.

[northmn]

I have made several scrapers from HSS hacksaw blades for smaller projects but they also have worked well for barrel inletting.  One blade makes several scrapers.  Another source for scrapers are the blades used in the retractible blade carpet and linoleum knifes or utility knives.

DP

[Benedict]

I just finished making a scraper for forestock molding using a piece of an old wood saw.  Since I have not used it to do a gun yet, I do not know how well it will hold up but my tests seem pretty good.  My old one was a piece of a back saw and it worked well for several guns.  I expect this one to hold up well.

Bruce

[Dphariss]

Would .020 shim stock work for scrapers. I can check to see if it's hardness is labled or not (probably not). I do know it is hardened.

I have some that I make from thin stock and they work great they are a soft spring temper and likely less than .020", never measured them.   Vanes from older Cummins aftercoolers IIRC a friend got them from another friend some years back.

Dan

[Tim Crosby]

  I pick up Diston saws at a flea markets,lock it up in a vice and bend it till it breaks or help it along with a hammer, usually breaks just past 90. I break them into 3 inch pieces right down to the handle holes and then break then some more or grind to shape. Clean the edges on a grinder, stone all edges, roll the edge or use square. 

 Tim C.

[Kermit]

I just picked up three (more) old handsaws for a buck for the lot. Busted handles. I've been breaking saw blades and grinding/filing them for about 35 years of furniture making. Buying "cabinet scrapers" seems kinda silly--I occasionally run across scrapers that others are getting rid of because they don't know how to sharpen them.

You can make them whatever sizes and profiles you need.

[Stan]

Really good scrapers can be made from steel milling machine slitting saws. Carefully grind them to any shape, keep them cool. The mounting hole  makes a wonderfull ramrod scraper.  Stan

[Acer Saccharum]

I like a scraper to have some flex, or give, when I bear down on it. It helps to flow over contours of the stock better.

So the cabinet scrapers are a little thick for that. Old sawblades sound perfect. I also use 1/32 0-1 tool steel, because it can be used as is, or hardened and tempered if you like.

[Kermit]

Broken glass makes good scrapers too. Hard to get exactly the shape you might want! But real cheap and available wherever broken windows happen.

Masking tape on the NON-TOOL edges to keep the blood off your work.

[ptk1126]

Just finished Jim Klein's  carving class at Connor Prairie last week. For scraping the background
in relief carving, he had us just take small files and needle files and run the end against a small
belt sander to raise a burr. Worked great.

All the best
Paul

[Metalbender]

Could you guys post some pics of  these ?

[fix]

I love the recycled saw idea.

I've been using shim stock about .025 thick (bought a whole roll of the stuff once for another project)
It can be hardened, but not extremely well.
I bet the saw blades work even better, and the next time I see one broken at a flea market I'll pick it up.

[Pat Stanush]

Most people don't realize it, but you can cut a wood handsaw blade with a fine toothed hacksaw blade. Back your cut with some wood. This beats bending to get your piece.

Pat