14 – How To Sharpen A Card Scraper

Video - April 19, 2007

In this episode, I review my 3-step method for sharpening card scrapers. The card scraper is a great time-saving and money-saving tool. But one thing that baffles many woodworkers is how to sharpen them. Fortunately, its really not as hard as it seems. Check out the video and you’ll see what I mean. Now if you need more information on how to use a card scraper, check out this helpful video on FineWoodworking.com by Brian Boggs.

Products Used

Crown Card Scraper Pack
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Discussion

Scott April 20, 2007 6:48 am

It’s amazing how well some of your podcast releases are timed just when I need them! I needed to get some more clamps when you released “the big squeeze” and now I’m ready to sharpen up my card scraper to do the final leveling of the workbench top I’m building. Are you spying on me?

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Ron April 20, 2007 7:11 am

Great stuff!! Funny I never used a scraper until about a year ago now I wonder how I ever got along without it!!

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Austin Dienner April 20, 2007 8:01 am

Ok…this is weird, how did you know that i just started using scrapers and that i am ready to sharpen them

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thewoodwhisperer April 20, 2007 8:15 am

Ahh…just many of the mysteries behind The Wood Whisperer……. :)

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John Rezzonico April 20, 2007 8:30 am

Great video. Once you figure out the scraper it is about the most economical tool in the shop….
The only thing I would add is that if you are new to scrapers do not give up. It will take you several times to get the sharpening down but once you get it right you will see how easy it is….

John

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Greg April 20, 2007 8:32 am

Could you disclose an easy way to burnish curved scrappers. I watched a preview on a DVD by Jet, but I havn’t had real great luck.

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Greg April 20, 2007 8:51 am

I almost forgot…. it is great to have you back with your podcast. Can’t wait to see your new shop layout.

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Erik April 20, 2007 11:14 am

Great video, it stirred my curiosity about card scrapers. Over at the Lie-Nielsen website on their scrapers page, they have card scrapers and scraper planes…what are the differences between the two?

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thewoodwhisperer April 20, 2007 11:22 am

Well the card scraper is exactly what you see in the video. A thin piece of steel with a hook on it. The way you sharpen it and the way you use it give you an exceptional amount of control over the aggressiveness and quality of cut.

Now a scraping plane works on the same principal by putting a hook on the edge of a blade. But the scraper planes have a much thicker blade. They are more like plane blades than anything. And there is usually a bevel on the blade as well, which is not the case on a standard card scraper. With a bevel, you can create a much more aggressive hook. The body of the scraper plane itself gives you a great deal of control over the angle of attack and depth of cut.
I used to own the small one, but I wound up never using it. A much cheaper option would be a Stanley #80 cabinet scraper. It works as I described above but I find the actual tool easier to use. I do all of my aggressive scraping using this tool.

Hope the brief explanation helps.

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Branden April 20, 2007 2:34 pm

You continue to do a great job Marc! It is about time you consider a show on the DIY Network. Feel free to use me as a reference! :-)

Branden

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thewoodwhisperer April 20, 2007 2:39 pm

You know, I have received so many comments about “being on tv” that I decided to look into it. Apparently there are some big time requirements to even be considered. You have to have your show filmed by a nationally-recognized production company and you have to have a show that has not aired in any way yet. That knocks me out on both counts. :)
I think we are all happier in our little internet community anyway. I dont want to go all Hollywood on you guys. lol

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Muddler April 20, 2007 6:31 pm

great show as usual, Marc. I’m new to card scrapers and I have a few quick questions if you don’t mind. First, when honing the sides, you only hone one side, correct? and when burnishing do you first burnish the honed side or the non honed side flat? Also, when creating the hook, do you burnish with the angle down towards the honed side or non honed side?
Just a newbie trying to get a grasp on the subject…

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Scott April 20, 2007 8:08 pm

I agree with you, Marc, on the TV thing. Especially DIY Network. Ask DJM if he would do that again. I think we both already know the answer to that one. Besides, you’re well on your way to being as well known as David already!

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Jeff Jackson April 22, 2007 5:42 am

I would definately stay away from DIY. From what a little birdie on my shoulder told me, David has got nothing but the shaft from DIY. I find it very insulting that you can buy episodes of WoodWorks on Amazon and David does not receive a dime of that money. Nice morals DIY. Needless to say, I have cancelled my DIY and follow Marcs work instead.

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MikeB April 22, 2007 6:43 am

good podcast, and ditto on the curved scraper appeal.

wrt the tv talk, is DJM David Marks? Yeah, I think I know where Scott is going with his thought. I attended one of David’s seminars at one of the Woodwrking Shows a couple of years ago and I got the sense that the tv folks expected quite a bit to be crammed into the 1/2 hour show (and on their terms). I also wonder whether your creativity and spontaneous nature would be stifled.

We love what you’re doing, plz keep it up.

MikeB

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Vic April 22, 2007 2:21 pm

Since this thread has taken a turn toward your
illustrious career, I really think it’d be great if you discussed your approach(in more depth than you have) of the business side of woodworking. You’ve obtained some good sponsors. I, myself, want to keep my love of woodwork a hobby that sometimes pays for itself. I think for a 30 year old kid your doin’ great!

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randy powell April 22, 2007 6:33 pm

Marc,nice job on your sight. Their is one thing that should be address to us woodworking want to bees.You must notice that as a professional to woodworking, we as a group are making mistakes that you pick up instantly.That might be a topic one time,it would be interesting to hear your thoughts. Thanks Randy

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thewoodwhisperer April 23, 2007 8:16 pm

Hey Mike. Sorry my reply is late.
When honing the sides, I actually hone both sides. In fact, I do all 4 edges at the same time. I only did one side in the video for simplicity. So you will then burnish each honed side. If you only honed one edge (like I did in the video), you would burnish the honed face. And same thing goes for creating the hook. You will put your burnisher on an angle toward the honed side. But when you do all 4 edges, you of course burnish all four sides. So now you will have 4 fresh edges to work with. And technically speaking, you can do the short sides of the scraper as well, giving you a total of 8 fresh edges.

Hope that clears things up.

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Larry April 23, 2007 8:19 pm

Great timing! I recently purchased my first card scraper and burnisher. Thanks for the help!

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thewoodwhisperer April 23, 2007 11:39 pm

Hey Greg. The curved goose-neck scrapers are burnished exactly the same way. It just takes a little bit longer because you need to keeping moving the blade around so that every area gets a good hook on it.

Good luck.

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Gordon April 30, 2007 9:40 pm

Phenomenal Mark – Putting a good hook on a scraper has until now been a bit of a hit or miss affair but your video showed me something I wasn’t doing (using the burnishing rod on the scraper edge whilst it lays flat on the bench before trying to roll over the edge itself with the scraper held vertically in a vice). I tried it and it worked great.

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John Hoffman May 8, 2007 6:18 pm

I like your podcasts and the music. Great idea. Chris’s last name is Schwarz not Schwartz.
Great to the point instructions.
Thanks and best regards
JH

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TommyBoy July 20, 2007 10:07 am

I love using scrapers when theyre new and have that ‘factory hook’. But I could never get down the sharpening technique until I viewed this video. It’s like a light went off inside my head. So I sharpened every scraper I could find and now I’m in Scraper Paradise.
TYVM

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Marie March 25, 2011 10:51 am

No filler need when scrap-a-way works best ;-)

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corey April 18, 2012 8:21 pm

An oldie but a goodie! I finally made shavings thanks to this video. Thanks Marc!

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Bob Crosley December 13, 2012 12:38 pm

Thanks for this Marc. I’ve never really tried card scrapers because of exactly the problem you outline. There’s so much info about how to sharpen / care for them, that sandpaper always seemed the easier route. I’m going to give this a try.

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Tucci Guitars May 31, 2014 5:39 pm

Great video! I also wanted to mention a small tip about scrapers; if you leave a rough edge on your scraper it works great for old finish removal. Just take care not to go too deep into the wood. Thanks Marc!

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John September 19, 2016 9:16 am

I always have to go back to a video before putting a hook on my scrapers because I haven’t done it enough to get down a single sure-fire method. The drawn diagram is not as simple as I first thought. After drawing out the steel by burnishing the face of the scraper, the scraper is turned 90 degrees and somehow by holding the burnisher at 10-15 degrees, the hook becomes 100-105 degrees from its original position. When I tried this it did not work. It seems to me that by holding the burnisher at 10-15 degrees, I am effectively smashing the hook right back into the edge! What am I doing wrong?

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14 – How To Sharpen A Card Scraper

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