cabinet scraper discovered but...

Hi All,

I am making an old wardrobe door (oak I think) into a hanging mirror. I have discovered the cabinet scraper. This is great and I am making progress. I think I have the instrument taking shavings the way people describe.

I have some questions.
The "rings" alternate between very fine pale grain and very open dark grain.
I have drawn an arrow on the image to indicate the direction that one would use a plane from the appearance of the side of the board. This is the direction I have been using the scraper. I am finding that the surface is improving but a rough feel to the grainy region is persisting. Am I going in the wrong direction? Given that the scraper is sharp, which direction should I go in?
If I keep scraping can I get to a fine surface in the grainy rings?

Also, what would be a good choice of finish for to preserve natural reflectiveness I am now seeing in the piece.

Thanks

Steve

I look at the side grain for clues on grain direction. uno, stick your head over and have a look at the grain at the edge. Should tell you heaps.

But with scraping, because you can't really get into much trouble too quick, the direction to go becomes obvious . Just scrap one direction. Check out the results. Then scrape the opposite direction and compare. The direction to go is the direction that gives the cleanest results.

Are you burnishing the scraper ?

the scraper will get you so far
then its time to burnish with fine paper
then maybe some danish oil and wax
seeing as its for a mirror once you gone to 1000 or 1500 grit just use some gillies carnauba or ubeat trad wax and buff it - it will have natural shine

OK. Thanks for the tips. I am still learning to sharpen the scraper. I am using the two step method from shopnotes #2. I am burnishing the scraper with a nail set punch. This seems a good choice because it is absolutely unmarked by the process.

After I burnish the piece, should the wax go straight onto the wood?

Steve

if it were me, and really, i am only very new at this type of finish, i would go with danish oil first - 2 coats and follow up with wax after the smell of the danish has dissapated - a few days in a warm dry area - gillies canauba i have used and found it quick and easy and brings up a nice sheen.

most of it is in surface prep so dont skimp and keep going up in grits till the wood is shiny - it usually starts around 800 or 1000 depending on the wood
go a couple of grits above that

Yup.

If it really is Oak, it'll be open grained and may need a few coats of Danish Oil.

Plain wax is an option with Oak but you don't want to fill the pores with it.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by SteveMcM

I am burnishing the scraper with a nail set punch. This seems a good choice because it is absolutely unmarked by the process.

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sounds fine.

I believe the burnisher should glide...no scratching sounds or resistance. Bit of oil on the burnisher.... The burnisher should be polished. Mirror like.

If you do it right, you should only need one pass of the burnisher (IMO) each edge.

The other important thing is you sharpen it right . so when you lap the edge make sure its running square to the stone. I run the scraper with a block of wood. Ultimately want a crisp polished 90 degree edge before you burnish with a good polished burnisher with oil.

When you sharpen them just right, there a real pleasure to use. (IMO)

I have now included a stone in the sharpening process (thanks Jake). The shopnotes article skips that bit (deliberately). I think that it made an aggressive cut which was fine at the beginning but is not so good now I am getting down to a finer looking finish.

I also think that the scraper doesn't cut as well on the finer surface. I will post some pics of the process soon.

Thanks

Steve

Pleasure Steve......I skipped a couple of bits too.

Its a really handy tool, as long as its sharpened right. Else I wouldn't bother, and just go sandpaper.

Before work I sharpen one up for the day and stick it in my workbelt, so its always ready to go.

Their pretty straight forward. Just got to keep the edge 90 to the sides. So no rolling of the card on the stone. Polished etc. Feel for the hook with your fingerprints after you burnish. Keep your thumbs low, near the timber, at the point its cutting for best control. Your thumbs will get sore, but they'll get used to it with practise.

If you find yourself making powder and not shavings, re-sharpen. If you find the stones arn't helping much, sharpen with a file first along its edge (with the timber to keep at 90. Actually what I do mostly is use 2 bits of timber. With the card in a vice, I sandwitch the card between the wood, and the file or stone sitting on top, binding it all together as I lap)Lap the sides too (stones should be fine grade of whatever sort. Diamond stones I've found best for card scrapers)

I'd say, if you've sharpened it well, you won't be considering grain direction so much.

I can't think of anything else right now. night.

The arrow on the photo does look like you are scraping against the grain, and yes, scrapers are great. So is oak.