Primitive Archer
Main Discussion Area => English Warbow => Topic started by: Ruddy Darter on May 17, 2017, 08:16:56 am
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I'm thinking of getting one of these (for the finer stages of tillering and final clean up of bow) a handled cabinet scraper, has anyone got any experience of them and think it's worth getting, or can suggest something similar and better?
Thanks for any advice,
R.D.
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I actually use draw knife for the same purpose during tillering. I put the blade perpendicular to surface of the limb and scrape toward myself. Also creates small shavings.
Then after tillering I discover its much duller and then simply I take carbide stone and sharpen it again.
But I wouldn't have anything against owning scrapers, they are not available in my city to buy, that's all.
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Thanks Stalker,
That's a good idea, I recently got a nice 8" Mike Abbott pattern drawknife and used it bevel down to chase a back ring on an ash stave and worked a treat, accurately too...so I'll follow that suggestion and use as suggested and save a few quid.
Thanks,
R.D.
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Hi Ruddy I've tried a spokeshave for tillering but it tends to dig if not careful. I have a 12" scraper with a 2" blade that is perpendicular to the work surface that works really well.
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Thanks Bob W., I got one flat bed spokeshave that works quite well, and I think this new drawknife will work nice bevel down and I'll try it as a scraper too although not that keen on dulling the blade, my ash staves still has too much moisture so I have to wait a while before I do anymore. Any chance of more detail on your scraper Bob W. ? (brand name/make),
Is it something similar to this one which has 2" carbide blades? ( I was looking at this type the other day and can pick one up at the store just down the road,
Many thanks,
R.D.
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I made a similar tool with a piece of oak to hold a small cabinet scraper. it's ok for some work, but there are times when I want to be able to bow the scraper blade. I have a 3" x 6" for that
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If you can afford it buy them all ;D. I've found that just Yew has many different textures. I've had some that a spoke shave works beautifully and is a pleasure to do. Other pieces rip and tear if I try and use a spoke shave but a scraper works great. Add into the mix all the others species of wood and eventually you will find a use for all of them. That said there are basically cutting and scraping tools. Find one of each that you can work comfortably and well and you're set.
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OK thanks DC,
Limited tool funds at present, I'll grab one of those carbide scrapers for now as it's more affordable and easy to pick one up local, and see how I get on with that.
I'm very happy with my new drawknife which was a good investment, it was a breeze to reduce down my ash staves nice, neat and controlled, keeps a good edge too, it's going to be the most used tool for sure.
R.D.
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The only woods I've had good luck with a spoke shave is yew and ERC(juniper). On harder woods it just jumps around too much. I'm sure it is my inexperience with the tool though because others use them successfully during bow building.
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I struggled with a spokeshave until I learned how to make them razorsharp, and adjusted the cut very fine. Now, it is one of my main tools for shaping the sides of a bow and smoothing out a belly prior to tillering. It helps to hold the shave at an angle to the wood and slide it across, not just pull straight.
Kyle
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Ruddy I use the card scrapers and a bowyers edge which is basically a scraper with a 45° edge and bur that sits perpendicular to the work surface (90° centered on a 12"wood Handle) that looks similar to a spokeshave. My spokeshave is a Stanley 151, I don't use it because I have better control with the Bowyer's edge. If I have squiggly grain I use a toothing plane for tillering over the those areas.
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X2 what Bob w said,,I have a scraper holder by lee valley hand tools saves the cramps in you're thumbs jeffw
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That's basically the tool I'm after, a bowyers edge tool or some kind of scraper holder. The closest to it I can get hold off is a Veritas which is a bit pricey for me at present(pic), looks a nice tool (I may treat myself though :D).
I got a few cheap replacement scraper blades and I'm going to have a go at making something similar but simple with scrap wood, there's a couple of diy videos on YouTube showing how to make a quality one.
Thanks very much to all for the info,
R.D.
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...just to add, I just been reading up on the importance of burnishing an edge on card scrapers, something I wasn't aware of and neglected to do therefore not getting the full worth of them...so I just ordered a burnisher, I reckon that might make a world of difference.
R.D.
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Anybody tried screwdriver as a burnisher, or some steel tube?
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A round shank screwdriver works well for a burnisher.
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Preparing a scraper by turning a burr on the edge is a new concept for me, I had no idea about that ::)... I found this YouTube video explained the method well so I thought I'd post it. h ttps://youtu.be/6KqPFQHqWJg
I also read up on burnisher alternatives, drill bit shanks is another.
R.D.
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That's basically the tool I'm after, a bowyers edge tool or some kind of scraper holder. The closest to it I can get hold off is a Veritas which is a bit pricey for me at present(pic), looks a nice tool (I may treat myself though :D).
I got a few cheap replacement scraper blades and I'm going to have a go at making something similar but simple with scrap wood, there's a couple of diy videos on YouTube showing how to make a quality one.
Thanks very much to all for the info,
R.D.
I made one for nothing if that's a good price. Doesn't look as fancy as the Veritas but it works.
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That's always the best price DC 8), I'll probably have a go at making something, I can't justify getting something I won't use a lot.
My burnisher arrived today. It's a Clifton 11mm diameter hardened carbon steel to 62 rockwell, large solid brass ferrule and a lovely rosewood handle. Not bad for a little over £20. I'll see how it transforms my card scrapers tomorrow.
R.D.
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That's always the best price DC 8), I'll probably have a go at making something, I can't justify getting something I won't use a lot.
My burnisher arrived today. It's a Clifton 11mm diameter hardened carbon steel to 62 rockwell, large solid brass ferrule and a lovely rosewood handle. Not bad for a little over £20. I'll see how it transforms my card scrapers tomorrow.
R.D.
I use it a lot. It's my primary tillering tool.
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I use steel pallet packing strap. I put it low in the jaws of a vice, dress one edge square using a file, and burnish with a screwdriver shank. It costs me nothing.
Re spokeshaves: there's spokeshaves, and there's spokeshaves. Cheap ones are more trouble than they're worth, with poor geometry etc, and no amount of tuning will fix them. Good ones, well made, well tuned, are brilliant. I have vintage Stanleys and an HNT Gordon; also some old wooden ones, and new one one I made under Claire Minihan's tutelage. They can all be tuned to do different things.
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I know what you mean regarding spokeshave, I managed to tune up a cheap one that works nicely that takes off nice shavings, another one I have I just can get to work well.
I managed to pick up one of these locally, I suppose I could of made one but it was reasonably cheap and is nicely made, the tension screw puts a nice curve on the scraper. I reckon that's my scraping needs taken care of, and now that I know about rolling a burr too I should be sorted.
R.D.
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I made one for nothing if that's a good price. Doesn't look as fancy as the Veritas but it works.........I use it a lot. It's my primary tillering tool.
DC, I made one that works ok just a wooden holder for the scraper card. Do you file the edge square on yours? or does is have an angle? I think Bob W mentioned that the one Dean sold has a 45 angle.
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Mine is a 45. At the moment I'm using a blade made from an old file. I didn't temper it so it's file hard. I can sharpen it but I don't think I can roll the edge. Stays sharp a long time though. Before this I used a 45 with a tempered blade so I could roll the edge. If I got it right it would peel off wood like a spoke shave. It was a touch soft so it didn't keep an edge long.
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thanks DC
do you hold it vertical? which way do you roll the bevel? or make the cut, relative to the 45?
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Vertical, bevel toward me, rolled away from the bevel. The light wood is an OS sole plate that runs on the wood. By adjusting the blade it and out you change the blade angle slightly. Makes a big difference in how it cuts.
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thanks DC
I am guessing that you cut by pushing it away from you?
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Yes but either way works somewhat.
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I found this video, thought I'd post it. Nice and simple, I'm going to make a couple of these. Thought it might be of interest.
h ttps://youtu.be/DPxCKbz_AJ0
R.D.