James Thompson wrote:
> I may be the only person on the planet who doesn't understand this. I put a
lot of effort into sharpening my scrapers, and I use my scrapers a lot. I have
always been impressed when I see someone pulling up lovely curls. I have never
been able to do that, no matter how much effort I put into edge preparation. I
get powder, not curls, well maybe a little curl. I have never been able to use
my scrapers in the almost-straight-up position. I have to lean my scrapers
forward 15 or 20 degrees. The results from this seem satisfactory. It has not
mattered how little or how much pressure I put on my burnisher, or what angle I
use. I suppose there is an optimum pressure, and angle, but I haven't found it.
I have a chunk of 1 1/2" thick steel with a square side that I use to hold the
burnisher square to the scarysharp paper while sharpening. The problem has to be
with burnishing.
>
> I have made burnishers in diameters from 1/8" to 1/2", and I have an oval
burnisher I got from Lee Valley. I have never tried a flat burnisher. I'll try
that soon.
>
> But this Hirsch tool does not have a shiny flat surface that I think is
required for a burnisher. I have been working on polishing the flats, but the
original grind was pretty coarse, and it is quite a chore removing all the
scratches. That said, polishing the flats leaves very sharp edges, which do not
seem to part of the equation for a scraper burnisher. Obviously when I use the
tool as a burnisher the edges will degrade, but I don't see them as useful
anyway. They might even dig in.
>
> So, Galoots.... How do I get the scraper nirvana I see everybody else getting?
I must not be holding my mouth right.

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