I didn't know who was calling me from Canada this morning and come to find out it was the one and only Rob Cosman regarding my purchase of a shooting board! I didn't expect that call and it made my day! I can't wait to use it!
I enjoyed your video. Like the trick with the chisel burnisher. I hope you can answer some questions I have every time I see someone use a card scraper. You just spent a great amount of time making sure that your card scraper is perfectly flat, straight and polished smooth. Now you take the burnisher all polished to roll the burr. I am with you all the way to this point. I have worked with a lot of metal (17 years in a metal fab shop.) Lost a lot of hide and blood to burrs. If while you are rolling that burr your pressure is not "the same" the full length of that scraper your burr won't be the same. Since you went to 16000 polishing evidently those minor differences are important. Now comes where you really loose me. Myself when I am using a scraper I try not to bend it at all (unless you are working an isolated spot like you talked about) to maintain a straight cut with that burr. If you hold the card perfectly perpendicular to the surface your burr won't touch the surface, so you need to tilt it slightly in the direction of travel. If you bend the scraper you no longer have a straight edge against your work and will therefore have a wavey surface. My other thought is that burr at the cutting edge is very thin. In metal fab you always broke the square edge of the piece of metal before you bent it so that the sharp square edge didn't split or tear. I am confused and do not in any way claim to be an expert. That's why I am asking this question. I consider myself a life long student at Observation University and am confused by some of the things I observe. Thanks. Keep the videos coming.
First point, equal burr. THis is the reason why I dont like round burnishers, the wider flat chisel back will spread the pressure out and should (with a bit of care) make for a more uniform burr. Second point, not flat. This is why I much prefer a plane, I use a scraper almost as a last resort. I a pretty sure I warned against "digging a hole" with a scraper because there is no reference surface. Third point, this burr is not like a sharpening burr. We are shaping the metal to form a hook, much stronger than a burr as told by how long it lasts. Good questions.
Many different tools to burnish an edge. My introduction to a scraper was from a cabinetmaker whose uncle taught him to use a nail set. I’ve used a screwdriver,nail set,file end but now have a Veritas variable burnisher. I like having a scraper in my toolbox for job site work. It can remove a finish quickly and takes up little space. Thanks Rob,again.
Spectacular teaching/learning moment! There are at least 5 or 6 gems of information that are found nowhere else ... selecting and prepping the tools that will be burnished and do the burnishing is left out of most every other instructional video ... of course, now I will have to revisit your store to see whether my upcoming order for plane steel sharpening gear should be 'leveled up'! Wow! Farmer John, Ontario
Great video and new knowledge to me! One small suggestion for video editing: when you jump cut while Rob is sharpening, it would be useful to know exactly how much time you removed from the clip (maybe text on the screen saying "jumped forwards 1 minute" or something). As a viewer we can't tell whether Rob spent 30 seconds on the 16000 grit stone or 3 hours (of course we can guess it was closer to a minute, but still). Regardless great video keep the good content coming!
Rob please do a video on your thoughts on scraper planes and whether you think they are worthwhile for dealing with burl, or figured exotic woods! Thanks so much!
I like my card scrapers and use them often. I use a small scrap of carpet (a carpet sample) between the scraper and my thumbs to prevent the heat build up.
Another reason I call you "The Professor". Great video Rob. However, when I use a scraper for a long time it bothers my thumbs. Tuff being old. Made a handle for mine. Just makes it easier to use. Keep them vids coming Sir. Semper Fi.
I have a feeling the results will be worth the expense of the stones and the time invested learning to prepare the scraper and turn a burr. Thank you for sharing your knowledge and experience.
Fantastic! Been trying for ages to master the scraper. Great method and suggestions. seems lots of scrapers used in wood strip boatbuilding to get wood finish before epoxy application
Thanks Rob. I especially like the jig with the magnets in conjunction with the Charlsworth ruler method. Card scrapers save me a ton of time, but getting them sharp has always been a problem. Your technique looks flawless and fast.
HI Rob, what do you think of using Corian to make a support to hold the scrapper vertically while making the side edge flat? I do not have that special maple you used, but I do have a lot of Corian.
I found a handful of hydraulic valve rods in my garage and they work perfectly as a burnishing rod. I looked the hardness up and they are at least Rockwell 67.
Okay. Person I certainly respect; I'm a 67 year old newby. A scraper seems to me to be the simplest of tools. Now I find I need vice, a fine file, a 500 grit stone, a lapping plate, a piece of something like torified (I don't know how to spell it) maple, a 4000 grit stone, a 16,000 grit stone, a steel rule, a 4000 grit stone, and a really nice chisel, not to mention rare earth magnets. Is there a bottom line, a basement floor? I really like wood, but perhaps diamond cutting would be a more realistic endeavor. I'm not trying to give you a hard time, but I'd really appreciate some direction.
Hi David, if your plan is to get into woodworking to build things, furniture, boxes ect., then you must expect to outfit your shop with necessary tools. Sharpening comes first since edge tools only work when they are sharp and "sharp" is a consumable commodity. My approach is to buy the best and buy once, some say "buy once, cry once"! Next purchase would be a selection of chisels, followed by planes, saws and marking/layout tools. What you actually plan to do will tweak each of these tool groups.
Been wondering if you were going tp do a vid on card scrapers! Just started trying one a couple of months ago, but still need to work on my edges. Very satisfying when I get some shavings, though!
I haven’t had any luck at cards. Mine must be extremely hard steel. Your technique is the third one I have tried and still cannot attain the correct burr on both cards. Thank you for the video at least I have one that does create a little shavings because of your video.
Rob, do you sell the torified maple to make the jigs? How about adding those to your store? I’ve been using almost this exact process for years to sharpening my scrapers, but without the jigs, what a difference that would make. Thanks for the enlightenment, your the best!
Sharpening the card scraper have always been really hard. I have been using a Stanley knife blade instead. They are really cheap and always sharp😊 only problem is that they are quite soft so they will bend a little making them only scrape in a small area and there by making a small shallow in the wood and not scraping in the whole width of the blade. But if your aware of it you can counter it.
Hi Rob, have you tried putting a magnet on the back of it? Wood by Wright mentioned that tip in a video, I tried it and it by some magic stopped my thumbs from burning off! Great video
Great instruction on sharpening a card scraper. I just got a 160000 grit Shapton and I'll have to use it before using the scraper again. Is the 4000 grit stone cracked? Does that affect its performance?
Rob is such a joy to learn from. His approach is always well thought out and precise. Unfortunately the end result is a process that's daunting and takes a long time for the uninitiated. It's the reason my planes and scrapers are not tuned to the level they should be and I procrastinate on getting them to that point. lol
Moore, I also have to fiddle and fettle a lot to get the tools working (getting quicker with practice). But I think in the long run, I'm saving time because my work with the tools is more efficient. Even if it's a wash, it's so much more satisfying to get good, predictable results from a well-tuned tool I set up myself.
Rather than filing along the edge of the scraper, I hold the file turned 90 degrees and pull it along the long edge towards me. Like you do at the end of the video. Same technique for sharpening skates.
I have seen your planes in action, and if i could sharpen and tone my plane as you can, I would also prefer them lol, at last, I can't , however, i am able to very easily get my Cards to make a lovely whisp of wood and save myself a tone of sandpaper, so I stick with a card scrapper hahaha
Suggestion someone passed on to me you know the fridge magnets the flat on some company advertising. Well they stick on to the scraper and add that bit cushion when flex the scraper and protects against the heat.
I have tried so many times with several different scrapers to get a useful edge. No real luck. The burnisher on the table trick is going to change that for me I think.
You can absolutely use a 1000 diamond stone. Jake had been sharpening and he prefers the 500 shapton instead of the diamond so thats what was set up at the sharpening station. I prefer the diamond stone
In counterpoint to Rob, I can usually get another edge somewhat as good with a few strokes of the burnisher on the face, then on the edge again. Works even better on the cabinet scraper.
This is what worries me. This looks like a lot of time to sharpen every time. Maybe I’m just spoiled because a plane blade takes 30 seconds. I understand the concept of wanting both edges polished for a perfectly smooth cutting edge, but others don’t seem that fussed about this point on card scrapers. I dunno. I feel like I would have to rarely use the scraper in order to put this much effort into it because I wouldn’t want to have to resharpen all the time. I guess it would just be for problematic woods that won’t plane even with a high angle.
Ha! I've not heard of torrefied wood before and I thought you you said "terrified" wood. If I was wood in your shop I'd be terrified too! Question: I have some extra Corian I use for jigs and things that I know water will not affect. I was thinking of making the jig to support the card at 90° with the Corian. Could rubbing Corian on Shapton stones affect the stones (e.g., plug the grit up)? Thanks as always
@@RobCosmanWoodworking Fair enough. I figured that if it does clog, a flattening aught to fix that. I started to use Corian for jigs on my wet saw when I was cutting glass, it was exceptional as it didn't warp or anything.
Hi Rob, fellow Canadian here. I purchased a 16 thou Shapton stone (from watching your sharpening videos). I am wondering if there is a specific grit of diamond stone I need to get in order to flatten that Shapton stone. I have a trend dual sided diamond stone (300 and 1000). Would the 1000 grit diamond stone work for flattening the Shapton 16,000? Or do I need a dedicated diamond stone of a specific grit? Thanks in advance.
mR. c, iIf I was to make my own scraper,would heating and oil quenching be advisable or would it be too hard or impossible to burnish it? Great informative video sir.
Rob I have some really old chisels that I had in a drawer and never used. I watched your videos and purchased the trend 300/1000 and shapton 1000,4000,6000, 8000 and the 16000. Now I think I’m set to sharpen plane and chisels. I started to sharpen my current chisels that I use and they look great. Then I pulled out the really old chisels and started to flatten the backs. I’m on the trend 300 side and have been on it about two hours and still it’s so hard that I can’t get them flat. Not sure how old they are but they are hard as hell. Any suggestions on this. No names that I can see on the wooden handles been used a lot from the wear on the handles.
Hey Rob, this got me thinking. I'm making endgrain cutting boards and sanding the endgrain is a pain and takes some time. Would the scraper or even my #5 be a better or more efficient alternative?
shapton says specifically not to use soap on their glass stones. Im relatively new to sharpening, but ive heard a few do and donts when it comes to use dish soap when sharpening. For diamond stones, its encouraged, ive even heard use soap on arkansas stones and not oil. But not to use soap on water stones and the shapton instuction on their glass stones says do not. Could someone elaborate plz
It’s honerite gold, water, and a little bit of dish soap. Those are ceramic stones on a glass bed. The honerite makes the water non corrosive to the tool steel. The tiny bit of dish soap just reduces friction which makes it easier on you.
Hi Rob, what are your thoughts on using the spokeshave style handle that holds a scraper blade, or a scraper blade in a plane? Is there any advantage to using them over a card scraper?
Hi Terry, just speaking for myself. That two handled cabinet scraper is a mighty handy tool. Generally the thicker blade is filed to a bevel, rather than the ninety degrees of the card. You can bear down harder, and with that bigger hook to the edge expect to take a thicker shaving for greater stock removal. Kind of like a plane, but without the worry of tearing up some awkward patch of grain. The stock also helps to prevent scraping a pronounced hollow. My first job in the craft and trade was helping Dan Brummit of Gloucester Mass. in his two man shop. Among other jobs he supplied a lot of custom sized tabletops for a “lifestyles” furniture retailer in Cambridge. His planer was not big enough to thickness the glued up stock, so we leveled them all by hand with a cabinet scraper, ten or twenty per week sometimes. Got about three-quarters of the way through both sides of an average kitchen tabletop before needing to reburnish the edge. In conjunction with the card, two of the most basic tools in your kit.
@@leehaelters6182 Hi Lee, thanks for the reply and excellent information. I recently purchased a cabinet scraper on an online auction. I look forward to trying it out.
@@terryhastings1553, here is another tip, and keep it in mind, it’s a good one. After fifteen or so years in the trade, I was lamenting to my shopmate Carl Mesrobian about what a pain it was to remove and reset the blade when all I needed was a reburnish. Carl had been trained at the North Bennet Street School. He said “Oh, don’t you know how to do this?” Then he took his burnisher, one of those with a pointed tip, and with that tip reached into the mouth of my scraper and burnished the hook flat. Then he reached behind it on the bevel and knocked the hook back over again, all with the very tip and all without removing the blade. I was back in business in under a minute! A little nose grease helped to lube the process.
@@terryhastings1553, if your purchase doesn’t include instructions about sharpening, use these angles: file the bevel at 45 degrees. When you finish raising the edge with the burnisher, it (the burnisher) should make a 105 degree angle with the face of the blade, no less.
Totally off topic, could u show what a freshly sharpened plane blade should look like? I’m transitioning from honing guide to freehand and would like to see what it should look like
What is the thickness of the rule you use when working on plane blades. I’m saving money to buy dovetail saw and other items for dovetails. Why can’t you sell wood river planes in the US?
I noticed that you spent a few seconds polishing the stones with another stone between doing the sharpening of the scraper. What stone is it, what grit? I understand why you do it, let me see if I get it right. Since you use the outer edges of the stones on the card scraper, you have to even out the plane with a quick polishing.
He’s flattening the softer stone because sharpening tools leaves uneven wear on the stones. What he’s using is the Shapton lapping plate. It’s designed for nothing more than flattening the other stones. He also recommends using the 300 grit side of.the diamond stones that he sells. This will, of course, only make your stones as flat as the plate used to flatten them.
Rob, how come when you used the file, you didn’t rub back and forth? Is that the proper way to file, or am I just being pedantic in paying attention o what you’re doing?
Thanks for the video, Rob. As you mentioned in the beginning, it's important not to roll the bur over too much. However, it was difficult to see how much you raised the card in your voice and also, how much you tilted your burnisher. Thanks.
So initially i rested the chisel handle on the bench so the chusel blade was at 90 degrees to the scraper edge. After drasing the edge a few times i raised up the card cresting a slight angle where the chisel rests on ghe edge. Does not take much
Cripes! I thought simple steel scraper maintenance would be easy, but you need a whole set of water stones, file, and special burnisher rod…I think I’ll stick to glass paper!
These tools separate really good from average. They take skill to prepare and sharpen, like a plane or a chisel. Acquiring the tool is only part of the work.
It depends on what results you want. The file is to speed up the process. You can do it with sandpaper if you want. A file is also a basic tool and woodworking is notoriously expensive size. So I’m not sure if a common file should be the cause for financial complaint. The special burnishing rod used here is the back of a chisel. Again. How are you doing woodworking without a chisel long term? You can use the sandpaper instead of stones if you want. This is no different than any other bladed tool. How are you going to get it smooth so that the cutting edge doesn’t have serrations in it? It’s no more simple than a plane blade or chisel or any other smooth edge cutting tool. Now if you don’t want it to leave a finish ready surface then you don’t have to make the edge as perfect as shown in this video. Other woodworkers are in film saying their scrapers always leave tracks on the wood which is why they always sand after scraping. They clearly are not prepping their scrapers like this so they aren’t getting the best results. Depends on why you’re scraping. Scraping to avoid sanding is another level of precision that requires extremely well prepared tools. If you’re just going to sand after then why are we even scraping to begin with. Just to fix tear out?
I didn't know who was calling me from Canada this morning and come to find out it was the one and only Rob Cosman regarding my purchase of a shooting board! I didn't expect that call and it made my day! I can't wait to use it!
Let us know how you like it
I enjoyed your video. Like the trick with the chisel burnisher. I hope you can answer some questions I have every time I see someone use a card scraper. You just spent a great amount of time making sure that your card scraper is perfectly flat, straight and polished smooth. Now you take the burnisher all polished to roll the burr. I am with you all the way to this point. I have worked with a lot of metal (17 years in a metal fab shop.) Lost a lot of hide and blood to burrs. If while you are rolling that burr your pressure is not "the same" the full length of that scraper your burr won't be the same. Since you went to 16000 polishing evidently those minor differences are important.
Now comes where you really loose me. Myself when I am using a scraper I try not to bend it at all (unless you are working an isolated spot like you talked about) to maintain a straight cut with that burr. If you hold the card perfectly perpendicular to the surface your burr won't touch the surface, so you need to tilt it slightly in the direction of travel. If you bend the scraper you no longer have a straight edge against your work and will therefore have a wavey surface. My other thought is that burr at the cutting edge is very thin. In metal fab you always broke the square edge of the piece of metal before you bent it so that the sharp square edge didn't split or tear. I am confused and do not in any way claim to be an expert. That's why I am asking this question.
I consider myself a life long student at Observation University and am confused by some of the things I observe.
Thanks. Keep the videos coming.
First point, equal burr. THis is the reason why I dont like round burnishers, the wider flat chisel back will spread the pressure out and should (with a bit of care) make for a more uniform burr.
Second point, not flat. This is why I much prefer a plane, I use a scraper almost as a last resort. I a pretty sure I warned against "digging a hole" with a scraper because there is no reference surface.
Third point, this burr is not like a sharpening burr. We are shaping the metal to form a hook, much stronger than a burr as told by how long it lasts. Good questions.
Many different tools to burnish an edge. My introduction to a scraper was from a cabinetmaker whose uncle taught him to use a nail set. I’ve used a screwdriver,nail set,file end but now have a Veritas variable burnisher. I like having a scraper in my toolbox for job site work. It can remove a finish quickly and takes up little space. Thanks Rob,again.
Spectacular teaching/learning moment! There are at least 5 or 6 gems of information that are found nowhere else ... selecting and prepping the tools that will be burnished and do the burnishing is left out of most every other instructional video ... of course, now I will have to revisit your store to see whether my upcoming order for plane steel sharpening gear should be 'leveled up'! Wow! Farmer John, Ontario
Thanks for watching and commenting
Nice instructional vid. I use a cabinet scraper to finish the ribs on the lute I'm making. Thanks for sharing.
I have never heard anyone mention having the burnished polished to the same level as the scraper. Genius!! Gonna try resharpening mine today!
You must. Or you will just transfer scratches to your card scraper
I was so impressed by this video. I made myself one. It is not as good as the scraper you sell, but it works. Thank you for the idea.
Thanks for the tip of Burnisher substitute. as long as it’s harder and same polish.
im glad king jake finally showed rob how to do this so he could share it with us. thanks again jake. ;)
Jake is the man!
This method looks so much easier and faster than all the other videos I've seen
Thanks for sharing you expansive knowledge
You bet
great video Rob, very informative.
Great video and new knowledge to me! One small suggestion for video editing: when you jump cut while Rob is sharpening, it would be useful to know exactly how much time you removed from the clip (maybe text on the screen saying "jumped forwards 1 minute" or something). As a viewer we can't tell whether Rob spent 30 seconds on the 16000 grit stone or 3 hours (of course we can guess it was closer to a minute, but still). Regardless great video keep the good content coming!
Thanks for the tips and the trick to use one when finishing too is a game changer!
You bet! the finishing trick works well
I've always had trouble sharpening my scrapers. Great suggestions! Thanks
Thanks for watching
I remember having asked for this video!!! Thank you Rob for following followers!
We try our bedt
Dang Rob!... Wish you had this video out before I bought a burnisher. I like the chisel idea for forming a burr! 👍
You can still use the burnisher
Of course. I am.
Thanks for sharing that and tips!
Happy to.
Fantastic wood working channel
Thanks for watching
thanks from California
This is very timely, I was making one today and stopped for a break when I saw your post 😀
same here. I just got my sharpening stones from Rob and the kit and doing this is on my list for this week lol
Absolutely great video. 👍🏻
Thanks
HI rob thank u so much. I have used the cabinet scraper but never knew how to sharpen it. thanks.
Give my method a try and let me know how it works for you
@@RobCosmanWoodworking cool will do. thanks rob.
Rob please do a video on your thoughts on scraper planes and whether you think they are worthwhile for dealing with burl, or figured exotic woods! Thanks so much!
Thank you Rob
Señor Cosman video excellente👍🏻👍🏼👍🏽👍🏾👍🏿
As expected, a number of great tips for sharpening the card scraper. Thanks!
Glad you found it useful
Superb, Cleared up a lot of myths and simplified things for me. As is so often the case, sharp edges are the key. Thanks, Rob.
You bet. Thanks for watching
I like my card scrapers and use them often. I use a small scrap of carpet (a carpet sample) between the scraper and my thumbs to prevent the heat build up.
Good tip
Excellent method! It seems better, as it has fewer steps that require a practiced touch/skill.
Glad it was helpful!
Another reason I call you "The Professor". Great video Rob. However, when I use a scraper for a long time it bothers my thumbs. Tuff being old. Made a handle for mine. Just makes it easier to use. Keep them vids coming Sir. Semper Fi.
You bet. Try the stanly scraper plane that hold the card scraper
Thanks Rob another tool I have to learn to use the list keeps growing
Keep watching and we will keep filming
Using an “unburred” card between coats. Interesting. Thanks for the video.
Works great
I have a feeling the results will be worth the expense of the stones and the time invested learning to prepare the scraper and turn a burr. Thank you for sharing your knowledge and experience.
You bet. Thanks for watching and commenting
Thanks I'll use it the next time good information
Thanks for commenting
Very helpful, thank you.
Fantastic! Been trying for ages to master the scraper. Great method and suggestions. seems lots of scrapers used in wood strip boatbuilding to get wood finish before epoxy application
Keep at it and soon you will master it
Use um all the time.... thanks for sharing
Thanks a mill Rob.
You bet
Thanks Rob. I especially like the jig with the magnets in conjunction with the Charlsworth ruler method. Card scrapers save me a ton of time, but getting them sharp has always been a problem. Your technique looks flawless and fast.
Try it i think you will like it
Thanks
HI Rob, what do you think of using Corian to make a support to hold the scrapper vertically while making the side edge flat? I do not have that special maple you used, but I do have a lot of Corian.
I found a handful of hydraulic valve rods in my garage and they work perfectly as a burnishing rod. I looked the hardness up and they are at least Rockwell 67.
Wow thats great
Are you positioning the chisel perpendicular to the vertical scraper in the vice?
Love your 2-14 infantry patch! I was a Golden Dragon 2007-2011. The Right of the Line!
Card scraper is a fantastic tool. I use a goose neck to scrape the dead skin from my heels. Smooth.
What a great use!!!!!
Ranks with Anthony Hopkins using a grinder to trim his toenails in “The World’s Fastest Indian”.
Okay.
Person I certainly respect;
I'm a 67 year old newby.
A scraper seems to me to be the simplest of tools.
Now I find I need vice, a fine file, a 500 grit stone, a lapping plate, a piece of something like torified (I don't know how to spell it) maple, a 4000 grit stone, a 16,000 grit stone, a steel rule, a 4000 grit stone, and a really nice chisel, not to mention rare earth magnets.
Is there a bottom line, a basement floor?
I really like wood, but perhaps diamond cutting would be a more realistic endeavor.
I'm not trying to give you a hard time, but I'd really appreciate some direction.
Hi David, if your plan is to get into woodworking to build things, furniture, boxes ect., then you must expect to outfit your shop with necessary tools. Sharpening comes first since edge tools only work when they are sharp and "sharp" is a consumable commodity. My approach is to buy the best and buy once, some say "buy once, cry once"! Next purchase would be a selection of chisels, followed by planes, saws and marking/layout tools. What you actually plan to do will tweak each of these tool groups.
Been wondering if you were going tp do a vid on card scrapers! Just started trying one a couple of months ago, but still need to work on my edges. Very satisfying when I get some shavings, though!
Keep at it and you will figure it out
Aaah...my favourite tool.
Its a goid one
I haven’t had any luck at cards. Mine must be extremely hard steel. Your technique is the third one I have tried and still cannot attain the correct burr on both cards. Thank you for the video at least I have one that does create a little shavings because of your video.
Is your card easy to bend with your hands? If not try a thinner card scraper
Rob, I inherited a toothing plane that seems to be for similar applications. What's the difference?
Thanks!
A toothing plane is for roughing up the wood surface a scraper is for smoothing the surface
John, I am guessing that your toothing plane holds the iron at ninety degrees to the work. You would be restricted to working without a burr.
Good information..
Thanks
Rob, do you sell the torified maple to make the jigs? How about adding those to your store? I’ve been using almost this exact process for years to sharpening my scrapers, but without the jigs, what a difference that would make. Thanks for the enlightenment, your the best!
Sorry we don’t sell wood. I get mine from exotic woods on Toronto
Sharpening the card scraper have always been really hard. I have been using a Stanley knife blade instead. They are really cheap and always sharp😊 only problem is that they are quite soft so they will bend a little making them only scrape in a small area and there by making a small shallow in the wood and not scraping in the whole width of the blade. But if your aware of it you can counter it.
Rob, where did you get your "Extra Eyes"? The grey magnifiers you wear on your head?
Harbor Freight sells a cheap version. Not as nice as his but they work and are inexpensive
Hi Rob, have you tried putting a magnet on the back of it? Wood by Wright mentioned that tip in a video, I tried it and it by some magic stopped my thumbs from burning off!
Great video
Great instruction on sharpening a card scraper. I just got a 160000 grit Shapton and I'll have to use it before using the scraper again.
Is the 4000 grit stone cracked? Does that affect its performance?
Nope. My 16,000 stone has been crackes for years
Rob is such a joy to learn from. His approach is always well thought out and precise. Unfortunately the end result is a process that's daunting and takes a long time for the uninitiated. It's the reason my planes and scrapers are not tuned to the level they should be and I procrastinate on getting them to that point. lol
An the $400-600 worth of sharpening stones he uses tends to make getting sharp for those of us without these stones a lil more difficult
Moore, I also have to fiddle and fettle a lot to get the tools working (getting quicker with practice). But I think in the long run, I'm saving time because my work with the tools is more efficient. Even if it's a wash, it's so much more satisfying to get good, predictable results from a well-tuned tool I set up myself.
If you want good results you cannot go chesp
Rather than filing along the edge of the scraper, I hold the file turned 90 degrees and pull it along the long edge towards me. Like you do at the end of the video. Same technique for sharpening skates.
Yes that works too
I have seen your planes in action, and if i could sharpen and tone my plane as you can, I would also prefer them lol, at last, I can't , however, i am able to very easily get my Cards to make a lovely whisp of wood and save myself a tone of sandpaper, so I stick with a card scrapper hahaha
Suggestion someone passed on to me you know the fridge magnets the flat on some company advertising. Well they stick on to the scraper and add that bit cushion when flex the scraper and protects against the heat.
Dang! but that’s a great idea! Thanks Richard. I like it better than band-aids on the thumbs!
I have tried so many times with several different scrapers to get a useful edge. No real luck. The burnisher on the table trick is going to change that for me I think.
Glad it was helpful
Rob, Why a ceramic stone rather than a diamond stone for the step after the file? Bill Mellon
You can absolutely use a 1000 diamond stone. Jake had been sharpening and he prefers the 500 shapton instead of the diamond so thats what was set up at the sharpening station. I prefer the diamond stone
Do you crushthe burr of the first edge when you turn it upside down and clamp it in the vise to do the opposite edge?
No, my vise jaw is leather and it’s squeezing against wood. If it were a metal vise you would.
Hi Rob, when re-sharpening, would you start from scratch, or can you get a few goes a reforming the burr?
start from scratch
In counterpoint to Rob, I can usually get another edge somewhat as good with a few strokes of the burnisher on the face, then on the edge again. Works even better on the cabinet scraper.
This is what worries me. This looks like a lot of time to sharpen every time. Maybe I’m just spoiled because a plane blade takes 30 seconds. I understand the concept of wanting both edges polished for a perfectly smooth cutting edge, but others don’t seem that fussed about this point on card scrapers. I dunno. I feel like I would have to rarely use the scraper in order to put this much effort into it because I wouldn’t want to have to resharpen all the time. I guess it would just be for problematic woods that won’t plane even with a high angle.
Ha! I've not heard of torrefied wood before and I thought you you said "terrified" wood. If I was wood in your shop I'd be terrified too!
Question: I have some extra Corian I use for jigs and things that I know water will not affect. I was thinking of making the jig to support the card at 90° with the Corian. Could rubbing Corian on Shapton stones affect the stones (e.g., plug the grit up)?
Thanks as always
Dont know but the corian will wear out of shape as does the wood. as for clogging, only one way to find out.
@@RobCosmanWoodworking Fair enough. I figured that if it does clog, a flattening aught to fix that. I started to use Corian for jigs on my wet saw when I was cutting glass, it was exceptional as it didn't warp or anything.
Hi Rob, fellow Canadian here. I purchased a 16 thou Shapton stone (from watching your sharpening videos). I am wondering if there is a specific grit of diamond stone I need to get in order to flatten that Shapton stone. I have a trend dual sided diamond stone (300 and 1000). Would the 1000 grit diamond stone work for flattening the Shapton 16,000? Or do I need a dedicated diamond stone of a specific grit? Thanks in advance.
Actually, I typically use the 300 grit side.
Did you drop that 4000 Shapton Rob?
I dont think so
@@RobCosmanWoodworking Great, it looks quite cracked on screen. Thanks for the reply.
@@MarkWoodwardPhotographyit’s probably just getting thin. It’s okay if it’s cracked as long as it’s lapped flat.
mR. c, iIf I was to make my own scraper,would heating and oil quenching be advisable or would it be too hard or impossible to burnish it? Great informative video sir.
No dont do that. You want milld spring steel that you can sharpen
Rob
I have some really old chisels that I had in a drawer and never used. I watched your videos and purchased the trend 300/1000 and shapton 1000,4000,6000, 8000 and the 16000. Now I think I’m set to sharpen plane and chisels. I started to sharpen my current chisels that I use and they look great. Then I pulled out the really old chisels and started to flatten the backs. I’m on the trend 300 side and have been on it about two hours and still it’s so hard that I can’t get them flat. Not sure how old they are but they are hard as hell. Any suggestions on this. No names that I can see on the wooden handles been used a lot from the wear on the handles.
Please address my problem
I think you have some alien metal there. What could resist diamond?
I wonder how difficult it is to set up the other shapes of scrapers !!
Hey Rob, this got me thinking. I'm making endgrain cutting boards and sanding the endgrain is a pain and takes some time. Would the scraper or even my #5 be a better or more efficient alternative?
Probably not. An entire board of end grain is tough. Change your design
Scraper won’t take the guff, any kind of scraper. End grain is plenty tough, beats the bejeez out of planer knives, too. Plane or belt sander.
@@RobCosmanWoodworking ya, I didn't think it would be an option for this application but wanted to inquire before I damaged something
shapton says specifically not to use soap on their glass stones. Im relatively new to sharpening, but ive heard a few do and donts when it comes to use dish soap when sharpening. For diamond stones, its encouraged, ive even heard use soap on arkansas stones and not oil. But not to use soap on water stones and the shapton instuction on their glass stones says do not. Could someone elaborate plz
What is that liquid you're spraying on your stone and does that alleviate the need for soaking the stones in water?
It’s honerite gold, water, and a little bit of dish soap. Those are ceramic stones on a glass bed. The honerite makes the water non corrosive to the tool steel. The tiny bit of dish soap just reduces friction which makes it easier on you.
Hi Rob, what are your thoughts on using the spokeshave style handle that holds a scraper blade, or a scraper blade in a plane? Is there any advantage to using them over a card scraper?
Hi Terry, just speaking for myself. That two handled cabinet scraper is a mighty handy tool. Generally the thicker blade is filed to a bevel, rather than the ninety degrees of the card. You can bear down harder, and with that bigger hook to the edge expect to take a thicker shaving for greater stock removal. Kind of like a plane, but without the worry of tearing up some awkward patch of grain. The stock also helps to prevent scraping a pronounced hollow.
My first job in the craft and trade was helping Dan Brummit of Gloucester Mass. in his two man shop. Among other jobs he supplied a lot of custom sized tabletops for a “lifestyles” furniture retailer in Cambridge. His planer was not big enough to thickness the glued up stock, so we leveled them all by hand with a cabinet scraper, ten or twenty per week sometimes. Got about three-quarters of the way through both sides of an average kitchen tabletop before needing to reburnish the edge.
In conjunction with the card, two of the most basic tools in your kit.
@@leehaelters6182 Hi Lee, thanks for the reply and excellent information. I recently purchased a cabinet scraper on an online auction. I look forward to trying it out.
@@terryhastings1553, here is another tip, and keep it in mind, it’s a good one. After fifteen or so years in the trade, I was lamenting to my shopmate Carl Mesrobian about what a pain it was to remove and reset the blade when all I needed was a reburnish. Carl had been trained at the North Bennet Street School. He said “Oh, don’t you know how to do this?” Then he took his burnisher, one of those with a pointed tip, and with that tip reached into the mouth of my scraper and burnished the hook flat. Then he reached behind it on the bevel and knocked the hook back over again, all with the very tip and all without removing the blade. I was back in business in under a minute! A little nose grease helped to lube the process.
@@terryhastings1553, if your purchase doesn’t include instructions about sharpening, use these angles: file the bevel at 45 degrees. When you finish raising the edge with the burnisher, it (the burnisher) should make a 105 degree angle with the face of the blade, no less.
What is the magnifying visor you have? My closeup sight is suffering as I age... dang it!
Optivisor. You can find them everywhere on the internet
Totally off topic, could u show what a freshly sharpened plane blade should look like? I’m transitioning from honing guide to freehand and would like to see what it should look like
Scrapers are used often by luthiers because there are so many places on an instrument where no plane can get to.
I watched this video. It’s terrific. What’s not terrific is that I’m now being pummeled with hundreds of card scraper sharpening videos. SMDH…
Leaves you wondering “what else are they watching “?
It's unfortunate that so few people have experienced the joy of using a properly sharpened card scraper
What is that big pencil you are drawing with?!
A pencil a fan turned and sent to me
WOW, your stone just SNAPPED!!! Or was it like that?!
When they get thin that can happen. But as long as the surface is lapped flat again it doesn’t matter.
Don't you need to worry about cross contamination of the stones using the flattening device and the torrified wood on different stones?
No. When i flatten with the diamond sone it goes away. Has never been a problem for me
What is the thickness of the rule you use when working on plane blades. I’m saving money to buy dovetail saw and other items for dovetails. Why can’t you sell wood river planes in the US?
HI John, it is an agreement I have with woodcraft. rule is .020
I noticed that you spent a few seconds polishing the stones with another stone between doing the sharpening of the scraper. What stone is it, what grit? I understand why you do it, let me see if I get it right. Since you use the outer edges of the stones on the card scraper, you have to even out the plane with a quick polishing.
He’s flattening the softer stone because sharpening tools leaves uneven wear on the stones. What he’s using is the Shapton lapping plate. It’s designed for nothing more than flattening the other stones. He also recommends using the 300 grit side of.the diamond stones that he sells. This will, of course, only make your stones as flat as the plate used to flatten them.
Rob, how come when you used the file, you didn’t rub back and forth? Is that the proper way to file, or am I just being pedantic in paying attention o what you’re doing?
Files only cut in one direction..
^ what he said. Files have teeth and cut just like a saw would.
Thanks for the video, Rob. As you mentioned in the beginning, it's important not to roll the bur over too much. However, it was difficult to see how much you raised the card in your voice and also, how much you tilted your burnisher. Thanks.
So initially i rested the chisel handle on the bench so the chusel blade was at 90 degrees to the scraper edge. After drasing the edge a few times i raised up the card cresting a slight angle where the chisel rests on ghe edge. Does not take much
Oh, that is the timing
Cripes! I thought simple steel scraper maintenance would be easy, but you need a whole set of water stones, file, and special burnisher rod…I think I’ll stick to glass paper!
These tools separate really good from average. They take skill to prepare and sharpen, like a plane or a chisel. Acquiring the tool is only part of the work.
It depends on what results you want. The file is to speed up the process. You can do it with sandpaper if you want. A file is also a basic tool and woodworking is notoriously expensive size. So I’m not sure if a common file should be the cause for financial complaint. The special burnishing rod used here is the back of a chisel. Again. How are you doing woodworking without a chisel long term? You can use the sandpaper instead of stones if you want.
This is no different than any other bladed tool. How are you going to get it smooth so that the cutting edge doesn’t have serrations in it? It’s no more simple than a plane blade or chisel or any other smooth edge cutting tool. Now if you don’t want it to leave a finish ready surface then you don’t have to make the edge as perfect as shown in this video. Other woodworkers are in film saying their scrapers always leave tracks on the wood which is why they always sand after scraping. They clearly are not prepping their scrapers like this so they aren’t getting the best results.
Depends on why you’re scraping. Scraping to avoid sanding is another level of precision that requires extremely well prepared tools. If you’re just going to sand after then why are we even scraping to begin with. Just to fix tear out?
So close to first comment...
You get 1/2 a star
👍🏻
Glad you liked it
Use all the time in guitar making
I can see that
No matter how close I follow I cant get curls...
Many points have obstruction between.
How to sharpen a cabinet scraper with $1000 wworth of stones and diamond dressing tools….
Point?
Poor soles scraper!