Tuning the Scraper

Getting a new cutting edge after a weekend of work.

I’m doing my best to stay away from the shop today. I worked this past weekend alongside three students making dovetailed wooden carriers. It’s best to keep from working the day after a class, even if I feel uplifted from our time together, because I’ll crash before the end of the work week if I don’t.

But I snuck in for a little cleaning and to assess the tools. We used the scrapers a fair amount throughout the class on the thin cherry part, to the point the edges were making dust instead of shavings. I gave the scrapers a quick tune up before putting them away and made a video of the process.

The entire process took a few minutes. My steps:

• Draw out the old cutting edge.

• Cut a fresh edge with the mill file. I’ll use the mill file once every handful of tune ups….not every time. I’ll likely omit this step when the edge needs touched up next time.

• Square the edge and remove any remaining burr on the oil stone.

• Draw out any steel on the scraper faces.

• Roll the burr with the burnisher and a drop of oil. I start at 90, then continue until I’m a couple degrees off 90. My goal is a light burr. I feel for it after the burnisher work and will start with the burnisher again if I don’t get the desired result. I’m careful while pressing with the burnisher and use light/medium pressure.

• I’ll create the burr on all four cutting edges, then check for shavings, not dust.