Official Luthiers Forum!

One of my stocking fillers this Christmas was one of the Veritas variable scraper burnishers (in the centre here):



Now I'm a great fan of scrapers, my favourite being a freshly broken piece of glass (or preferably obsidian), however that is not always very practical! One of the things I have trouble doing is getting just the right burr that I want for each job. This afternoon I thought I'd see how the Veritas burnisher works, boy does it work!

Square the edge of the scraper, in your usual way, put the scaper in a vice, set the dial on the Veritas to zero and run it over the scraper firmly a couple of times. Adjust the dial to the hook angle you want say 5 degrees, and run the Veritas over the scraper. Result, a perfect 5 degree burr on the edge. I was taking transparent curls off of end grain cherry. You can make different hook angle consistently to suit different wood types or you can make different burrs on each edge, say one for stock removal the other finer one for finishing. I just love it! I now have a dozen or so perfectly burnished scrapers sitting in their rack.

Like their honing guide, Veritas seem to have got the scraper burnisher just right.

ColinColin S39077.7394560185

_________________
I don't believe in anything, I simply make use of a set of reasonable working hypotheses.

Colin,
Nice review. I may have to get one. I have found the Veritas Scraper Jointer to be indispensable as well.

_________________
Stay with the happy people.
--Reynolds Large

Thanks for the tip... I've actually had that tool for a long time but never really figured out how to use it correctly.

_________________
______________________________
Jonathan Kendall, Siloam Springs AR

What Colin says is absolutely true. I've had that tool for a year and it is the best method for establishing a consistent burr and is simpler that anything I tried in the past.

_________________
JJ
Napa, CA
http://www.DonohueGuitars.com

I have one too, and it is sweet. Being a bit of a hack I never really got a scraper to work properly until I got this.

_________________
David White, Toronto

"All my favourite singers can't sing."

I'm ordering one too! Thanks!

_________________
Peter M.
Cornerstone Guitars
http://www.cornerstoneukes.com

Yep, I bought their entire scraping set--the quality is better than anyting I'v found.

[QUOTE=Hesh1956] I just ordered one - Thanks Colin!!

I have had trouble squaring up my scrapers with the file on it's side method. Forgive the high-jack please but how do you square up your scrapers?[/QUOTE]

Veritas make a guide you clamp onto the file and it keeps it square to the edge of the scraper. I use the file guide but I do my burnishing with the Veritas hand burnisher rather than their dial up burnisher. I tried the dial up guide but found I was getting better results with the hand burnisher....not really sure why.

Hesh - either the Veritas file holder, or what I use - a 90 degree ski sharpener - comes with a nice single cut file, I can sharpen up a scraper in a couple minutes. The file works great for removing the old burr as well - do that first (file the sides), then square the top edge.

_________________
Tony Karol
www.karol-guitars.com
"let my passion .. fulfill yours"

Thanks Colin for your report on the burnisher. I ordered one today. Always seemed to have trouble getting scrapers to work as they should. This looks like it will be a big help.

Lots of neat ideas here about file-holding jigs- thanks!( A Don Teeter-style wood holder works well also)
One point that is being overlooked is that there is no necessity for the edge to be square to the face. For some applications the edge may be filed at a considerable angle. As long as it is reasonably straight and at a consistent angle you should be able to turn a good burr (with a hand burnisher) and get good results.
I agree 100% with Tony's point about flattening the faces before working on the edge- you definitely want a clean corner (not rounded) before you try to form and turn the burr- whether that corner is 85 or 95 degrees makes little difference to me.
I learned how to sharpen a scraper from Bill Lewis' catalog years ago- it's a pity that the info in that old ('75?) catalog isn't reprinted online in one place. It was a goldmine for a beginning builder like me.
John

Awesome, I love scrapers. I have a couple, although I was using a scrap piece of metal that was burnished, my poor aching hands...

I'm a bit of a sharp freak, and they need to be a little sharper to create that almost mirror-like finish...Sam Price39078.5883796296

Will this burnisher work with curved scrapers?

CrowDuck

_________________
Chris Nielsen
Soquel, CA.

[QUOTE=crowduck] Will this burnisher work with curved scrapers?

CrowDuck[/QUOTE]

Worked fine with mine, just keep the pressure on it as you run the burnisher over the edge. There will be a limit to the radius of the curve it will work on.

ColinColin S39078.7504282407

_________________
I don't believe in anything, I simply make use of a set of reasonable working hypotheses.

[QUOTE=Sam Price] Awesome, I love scrapers. I have a couple, although I was using a scrap piece of metal that was burnished, my poor aching hands...

I'm a bit of a sharp freak, and they need to be a little sharper to create that almost mirror-like finish...[/QUOTE]

If youre getting burnished or burnt hands then do what I do and don a pair of those white cotton gloves...they protect your hands and if you match them up with a tuxedo the look is very professional.

LOL... Me? In a tuxedo???

Thanks, I needed that!!

What, would you prefer a morning suit?   

_________________
Aoibeann