Card scrapers are inexpensive and versatile tools that provide a quick way to flush up edge banding, inlays and generally prepare a surface for finishing. Using a sharp card scraper is almost intuitive, but the stumbling block for many woodworkers is consistently getting a sharp edge. When referring to card scrapers even the term “sharpening” can be a source of confusion. When we sharpen a chisel, we hone to eliminate the burr. On the other hand, when we sharpen a scraper, we purposely create a burr.
Our December meeting will be a workshop on preparing and using a card scraper. Ken Bayer will show one method of preparing a scraper and we will have six workbenches set up with a teacher at each bench for hands-on instruction. The objective is to ensure that all participating club members have a thorough understanding of the method and leave the meeting with a properly prepared scraper and the experience to consistently duplicate the results in their own shop.
At a minimum, you will need to bring a card scraper. If you have one already, please bring a burnisher, a metal file, a sharpening stone, and a rubber-faced push pad as shown below—either a commercially available one or a home-made one with a rubberized pad on a wooden block slightly longer than your scraper with a handle attached.