My scrapers are some M2 HSS ones from Craft Supplies, a couple of Doug Thompson ones, and some of the Big Ugly ones. I can't really notice much difference other than some durability, which seems to be more of a metal thing rather than a sharpening thing. I use both 80 and 180 grit CBN wheels, and can't seem to feel much difference that way. I have tried upside down sharpening like Jimmy Clewes does, and while it MAY be a tiny bit sharper, for sure it isn't nearly as durable as the right side up sharpening. I don't have the Veritas burnishing tool, so can't really compare it. From seeing it used, I can see that it would be easy to over burnish and get too much curl in the burr. The main memory of seeing it in use was a turner who stated flat out, that it was impossible to hand burnish a burr on HSS, which I took as a personal challenge, and found out it takes very little pressure. I have tried burnishing, and raising a burr with hones, and haven't found them to have any significant advantages, and this is thanks to the CBN wheels. I was at a friends yesterday, and he has one of the Sorby belt sander stations, and the burr from it is not nearly as good as the ones from the CBN wheels. Controlling the burr is mostly pressure against the edge. Most of the time it is a simple kiss against the wheel edge. This does require being able to exactly set your angles on your platform so you don't have to guess. Push hard into the wheel, and you get a fairly heavy burr. Push more gently into the wheel, and you get a strong burr, just not as big, and I have found little difference in durability. I use the same burr for shear scraping. When honing a burr on, I hone parallel to the bevel. If I push up and down, that would be identical to the wheel other than what grit of hone I use. I was talking with Kel McNaughton about sharpening his coring tips and he said to use a 220 grit hone rather than the finer ones, because you get a more sturdy burr. That does seem to have some truth to it. Maybe I need to get a 400 grit CBN wheel to test that out.
The Big Ugly:It is big, and it is ugly. I have been posting about this for some years now. It has been used by the Oregon Coast Myrtle wood turners for so long that no one knows who came up with it first. Traditional is a 30 inch long bar of 3/4 inch steel with tantung (cast metal, almost as hard as carbide, but easily sharpened on standard wheels) silver soldered onto both ends. Heavy glove worn on handle hand. Sharpen after breakfast, turn till lunch, sharpen again after lunch, and then turn till dinner. Myrtle tends to be abrasive, and has interlocked grain. I haven't checked prices lately, but a 6 by 1 by 1/8 inch piece is about $60. Stellite is another metal I am looking into. It is used on the Woodcut coring system, and it sources out of Canada. I have figured out the silver soldering process thanks to a friend, but doubt I will make them to sell as this tool has always been a DIY type thing, and making them to sell would put the price very high. You have to buy silver solder tape or ribbon as they call it, flux between bar stock and ribbon, then flux between tantung and ribbon, heat to cherry red, then let cool. Standard flux and solder methods don't work. I have plans for a video and maybe magazine article, some time within the next year.
I also chatted with Doc Green about scrapers, and need to get back to him again. He has one of the 120 grit Wood River (Woodcraft) diamond wheels that they have since stopped selling in favor of the Optigrind 'Woodriver' CBN wheel they are now carrying.
robo hippy
