Replies

1. 
   Napie | Feb 03, 2009 12:13am | #1

   My guess is that you are using far too much pressure.  Turning a burr requires a very light touch and I mean LIGHT.  Tage Frid described it as the same pressure you’d use when shaking an elderly lady’s hand.  And (here we go again….) no you do not need a special burnisher, I have used an old hard round shank screwdriver for years with great results.

   Edited to ask if you are drawing out the burr prior to turning it?  That is when you run the burnisher along the face of the card before you do the edge.   

   
   

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   Edited 2/2/2009 4:15 pm ET by Napie

1. 
   Wanda200 | Feb 03, 2009 01:13am | #3

   Hi Napie,

    

   Yes, I am drawing out the burr prior to burnishing it by laying it flat on my workbench and drawing the burnisher over the edge. (approx. 3 strokes on each edge) I'm using medium pressure.

   wanda

1. 
   TaunTonMacoute | Feb 03, 2009 01:41am | #4

   Quit doing that - you're rolling the burr upward (think of a dress shirt collar pointing up) and then when you roll it back down it's flopping over and turning in on itself if not in fact breaking off.

    

2. 
   | Feb 03, 2009 01:47am | #5

   Hello Wanda,

   Your last description of "laying it flat on my workbench and drawing the burnisher over the edge." sounds like you are pulling the bur in the wrong direction. Try clamping the card scraper in a vice, edge up. Place the burnisher on the edge and lightly draw the burnisher toward you while tipping it from horizontal by only a few degrees. Do the same to both sides of the edge. After turning your bur, hold the scraper to your practice piece of wood, lightly pushing or pulling it , what ever your prefer, and adjust its angle in relation to the surface of the wood until you feel the bur grab. Maintain this grab angle, bare down just a bit more and see if you can produce some shavings.

   Bob, Tupper lake, NY

1. 
   Wanda200 | Feb 03, 2009 03:32am | #7

   Sorry about the confusion..   I use the  burnisher to press out the edge. I hold it horizontal (The burnisher rests on the face side of the scraper and is drawn over the length of the scraper in a back and forth movement. It is not angled downwards over the edge. Then I place the scraper in my vice and turn the burr. I will try your suggestion and go very lightly at a 5 degree angle. I was using a 30 angle if not more.

   How much pressure should I be using when jointing? Is there such a thing as over jointing? (taking too many strokes) I usually use medium pressure while holding the scraper perpendicular to the mill file.  I use my vice to hold the mill file flat. Then I go in one direction only and take approx. 4 strokes . I mark the edge of the scraper with a red sharpie. When the red disappears I"m done jointing, (that was one of C. Schwartz's tips).  Then I move on to stoning the edges and then the faces of the scraper.  After that's done I "draw" out the stoned edges. Using my burnisher I attempt to "turn a burr on the edges> Tomorrow I will try your suggestion and go easy on the burnishing so as not to ruin the burr.  I'll see how that goes.

   Wanda

    

1. 
   flairwoodworks | Feb 03, 2009 07:54am | #8

   Wanda,Here is my method for sharpening card scrapers:1) Remove the old burr if necessary by rubbing the face of the scraper on a stone. I use my diamond stone as not to scar my water stones.
   2) Clamp the scraper in a vise with the edge you are working on exposed by about 3/4-1" (enough room for your knuckles, but not so much that the scraper flexes too much) and mill the edge square by holding a mill file parallel to the edge and taking passes until the edge is flat. If you get the right angle, you can tell that the edge is straight by how it reflects light. Be careful not to create a rounded edge.
   3) Refine the edge with a water stone. I usually go up to 1200x, but you can go as fine as you like. At this point, I will have a burr on the edge of the blade which will actually turn up shavings. However, the burr is not nearly as durable as a hook, so I proceed.
   4) Start to roll the hook by taking 2-3 passes with the burnisher square to the edge. Use steady, controlled pressure. If you have any fear of slipping and hurting yourself, you are using too much force! At this point, the scraper is ready for very fine scraping. For a more aggressive cut...
   5) Roll over the hook by taking another 2-3 passes with the burnisher tilted slightly, using the same force as before. Five degrees is great for fine work, fifteen degrees is very aggressive and takes work to push! I usually aim for about five degrees.Chris @ http://www.flairwoodwork.spaces.live.com(soon to be http://www.flairwoodworks.com)

    - Success is not the key to happines.  Happiness is the key to success.  If you love what you are doing, you will be successful. - Albert Schweitzer

2. 
   mike4244 | Feb 03, 2009 09:36am | #9

   Wanda ,you are going about it correctly. Make sure when you drawfile each edge you hold the file square,same when stoning.If it is easier for you you can lay the file on the bench flat,move the scraper instead of the file.A block of wood squared up and a notch at the bottom will help keep the file square.The notch is so the block will miss the file and the scraper runs about down the middle of the file.Usually 4to 6 times is enough.same thing with the stone.

   Put a drop of oil on the burnisher, lay the scraper flat with the edge hanging over the bench 1/8" or so.Four strokes on the flat will suffice. Then hold the burnisher vertically to the scraper, tilt the top in towards the bench about 5 or 10°.Four times will be enough.The pressure required is about the same as spreading cold butter on a roll.You are slightly mushrooming the edge, this gives you the burr. You will be able to barely feel the burr when done. Try different angles,push,pull whatever works.

   If you slightly bend the scraper as you push the cut will be heavier.You'll be fine, just need practice. When the scrapers edges do not cut well anymore than just repeat the burnishing,skip the draw file and stoning. You'll get to know when you have to repeat the entire process again, filing,stoning etc.

   The only part of this post to remember is the " cold butter on a roll " description.This is the only thing you didn't do.

   mike

3. 
   Wanda200 | Feb 05, 2009 01:46am | #10

   HI guys,

   Haven't been able to make shavings yet but I'm sure with a little more practice I'll get it right.

   I watched the video by Brian Boggs and Marc S. (Wood Whisperer) again. They hone the face of the scraper first and then the edge. I did it in reverse.. maybe that's my problem! I noticed Boggs like to use medium pressure when he's sharpening the eges. Must have taken him 2-3 min. Didnt seem to take the Wood Whisperer that long.

   After laying the burnisher flat and forcing the steel over the edge I went onto the last stage of burnishing. Do you have to pull the burnisher towards you? Does that matter? With the scraper held in the vice I pushed the burnisher away from me at approx. a  5 degree angle and gave it 3 gentle strokes across the edge.

    

   Tomorrow I will try and remember to stone the face first and then the edge before moving on to the 2 part burnishing step.  Hopefully that works. That's the only thing I can think of that I am not doing correctly. For all I know maybe my stone isn't up to scratch. I'm using a 7.00 stone I picked up at Home depot. I use it to sharpen my kitchen knives. (oil stone) I wouldn't think of using my good Norton waterstones. too bad I don't own a diamond stone.

   Wanda 

3. 
   Napie | Feb 03, 2009 02:22am | #6

   Not medium! light, very light.

2. 
   TaunTonMacoute | Feb 03, 2009 01:00am | #2

   At fifteen degrees and with more than a light touch you are rolling the burr back over on itself.  You have an ingrown burr.

   Light touch, hold the burnisher barely off the vertical - five degrees is plenty.