Sharpening Your Scrapers
Card scrapers are a great tool for shaping and finishing workpieces. But, when the burr starts to wear, they can be tricky to get sharp again. What you see here is my method for refreshing the burr.
FLATTEN.
First, you need to take off the old burr. This is where the block you see above comes in. The kerf (cut at the band saw) accepts the scraper, holding it in place while a diamond plate flattens the cutting edge. Then, a few passes across both faces ensure the scraper’s edge is square.
BURNISHING.
The last steps are burnishing. Begin by using the burnisher to create the burr. However, it won’t be at a comfortable angle to use (try it — you’ll see what I mean), which is why I take a second pass. This pass rolls the burr for more comfortable use. -Dave Fowler Bedford, Nova Scotia
The first few passes with the burnisher shape the fresh edge into a sharp, new burr, which acts as the cutting edge on your scraper.
To allow for a more comfortable grip while using the scraper, make a pass with the burnisher at an angle to turn the burr.
