I struggled for years to get a scraper to cut. It was hit and miss and I could
never figure out what I was doing wrong. Then I discovered the method shown in
this video and have been getting great edges ever since. The key is very light
pressure with the burnisher and not too much hook.

http://www.finewoodworking.com/tool-guide/video/how-to-sharpen-a-card-
scraper.aspx">http://www.finewoodworking.com/tool-guide/video/how-to-sharpen-a
-card-scraper.aspx

Bill

Sent from my iPad

> On Nov 15, 2014, at 7:26 PM, Don Schwartz  wrote:
> 
> 
>> On 10/20/2014 7:51 AM, paul womack wrote:
>> 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.
>> 
>> http://swingleydev.com/archive/get.php?message_id=153998&submit_thre
ad=1">http://swingleydev.com/archive/get.php?message_id=153998&submit_thread=1
>> 
>> BugBear
> I should apologize for coming back to this long after everyone else lost
interest. But I was still interested - and busy...
> 
> So I cleaned up 2 adjacent sides of one of my triangular 'file blanks' using
coarse Alox paper on glass to remove the factory grind marks and a diamond stone
325x. Then I put randomly small bevels on the edge where they met using the
1200X side - just enough to eliminate what was left of reflective surface on the
edge. I used one the flats to remove what remained of the old hooks on a Sandvik
card scraper, lifting the burnisher slightly to avoid having the leading edge
contacting the scraper ( ie dragging the trailing microbevelled corner). Did
that on both sides and then the scraper edge itself. Finished off by slightly
raising the handle of the burnisher while I dragged it along each edge to form
new hooks Done very lightly, almost no downward pressure applied.  Tested the
new edges on a cheese board I'm restoring with Watco. Again, very lightly, no
significant downward pressure on the scraper. It took dried nibs of finish off
the surface, leaving a light dusting of finish on the scraper. There is little
or no evidence of scraping on the cheeseboard, and I am ready to apply more
coats. For my money, this is easier and better than sanding between coats. The
scraper has a better edge than I'm able to produce with a rounded or oval
burnisher for this application - ie cleaning up a finish.. So my final word on
this topic is, Yes, a sharp-edged triangular tool can burnish a hook on a card
scraper. I can't say if it would produce large hooks to take heavy cuts, but it
sure works for the small hoooks needed to take fine cuts. Try it!
>