Official Luthiers Forum!

There's some good info at the WEST epoxy site on scrapers, including improvised and homemade alternatives:

http://www.epoxyworks.com/19/Scrapers.html

John

great stuff! Thanks John   

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

HALLELUYAH!!!!!!

FINALLY, a decent, readable article on how to sharpen scrapers!!

I love them. I was given a set by a dear friend and expert woodworker at Christmas, and have yet to book time to see him for a sharpening tutorial, after a rather enthusiastic scraping session that blunted 'em...

Thankyou!!

(I have heard that screwdriver shafts are good burnishers, is this true?)Sam Price39103.6912962963

[QUOTE=Sam Price]
(I have heard that screwdriver shafts are good burnishers, is this true?)[/QUOTE]
Sam:
Thanks for the kind words.
I've used a screwdriver shaft when 'stuck' but something harder does a better job. 'Over here' we get 'drill rod' fairly cheaply at the metal suppliers- it's a tool-type steel which is fairly hard, and I think it can be hardened further by heating and quenching. Another possibility would be to use the shank of a twist drill (epoxy into a wood 'handle' ?)- anything in the 1/4-3/8 inch range would do..
I'm still using my original burnisher which I bought from Bill Lewis (before he sold his biz to LMI) when I got my first scrapers. It's the 'rod in a handle' style and works well.
I'm WAY too cheap to buy some of the scraper sharpening/burnishing tools out there now!
John

Thanks, John. I'll try the drill shank.....until I can sneak into the hardware store and smuggle YET another purchase home.....

Yup, drill shanks are good. The thicker the better as they're easier to hold and you're more likely to get an even burr without ripples or dips.

I use a 12mm

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I use a spent exhaust valve stem from a good size engine, free from any engine re-builders skip bin, works great, hard as and shiny to.

Cheers

Kim

[QUOTE=martinedwards] Yup, drill shanks are good. The thicker the better as they're easier to hold and you're more likely to get an even burr without ripples or dips.

I use a 12mm [/QUOTE]

great stuff...I've got plenty of thick shanks in the house.....Sam Price39104.5457175926

[QUOTE=Sam Price] I've got plenty of thick shanks in the house.....[/QUOTE]
no way to talk about your children.........

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[QUOTE=martinedwards]
no way to talk about your children......... [/QUOTE]

*re-reads post*

MARTIN!!!!


I meant all the thick drill bits from when I was doing up the house all those years ago!! SHEEESH! Always misunderstood, I am.....
Sam Price39104.5918518519

I have an old knife sharpening steel I found at a second-hand store. It cost me a dollar. A lot of sharpening steels have lengthwise ridges; my understanding is that you should look for the smoothest one you can find.

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John Cavanaugh
Saint Paul, MN
"What could possibly go wrong?"