Carbide burnishing tool

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Jonathan
Posts: 12
Joined: Wed Oct 27, 2010 2:56 pm

Carbide burnishing tool

Post by Jonathan »

I made myself a carbide burnishing tool for my card scrapers. It cost a grand total of two dollars. I found a 13/32" by 5 1/2" peice of carbide at a local flea market for...yup two bucks. My percussionist, friend, and master wood worker, Rick made me a pretty cool litlle handle out of some Japanese Maple he had lying around from a tree job he did a while ago. It looks pretty nice after a couple coats of long oil and the handle Rick made feels nice in the hand.
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pete nardo
Posts: 44
Joined: Wed Nov 24, 2010 6:30 pm
Location: N. Salem, NY

Re: Carbide burnishing tool

Post by pete nardo »

I used to have something like that to use with flint as a fire-starter. Wonder if it would work as a burnisher?
Jonathan
Posts: 12
Joined: Wed Oct 27, 2010 2:56 pm

Re: Carbide burnishing tool

Post by Jonathan »

pete nardo wrote:I used to have something like that to use with flint as a fire-starter. Wonder if it would work as a burnisher?
Only if it is really really good tool steel. The burnisher must be harder than the card scraper or you will get a lousy burr and a scratched up burnisher!
kencierp

Re: Carbide burnishing tool

Post by kencierp »

For burnishing my scraper blades I have used nothing more then a large chrome plated Phillips screw driver since the 1960's. Chrome is plenty hard and smooth. $.02
tippie53
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Location: Hegins, Pa
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Re: Carbide burnishing tool

Post by tippie53 »

I do like Ken . I have plenty of screw drivers and they work just fine.Carbide will shatter if you drop it.
John Hall
Blues Creek Guitars Inc
Authorized CF Martin Repair Center
president of Association of Stringed Instrument Artisans
http://www.bluescreekguitars.com
Jonathan
Posts: 12
Joined: Wed Oct 27, 2010 2:56 pm

Re: Carbide burnishing tool

Post by Jonathan »

Ken and John must just be way better than I am at pulling and turning a burr, or their scrapers are older softer steel. I can use a nail punch or screw driver shaft to pull a burr on the scraper my friend Rick gave me. It is just made out of an old saw blade he sheared into peices and then ground to shape. However, EVERYONE of my new card scrapers are too hard for that type of technique. I even used an old chevy 327 valve and the scrapers chewed that up too. I'm just a rookie and I suppose as I get more experience, I'll get better........ but for now, this 2 dollar burnishing tool does the trick!!
David L
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Joined: Thu Jan 06, 2011 8:04 pm
Location: Slidell, La

Re: Carbide burnishing tool

Post by David L »

If that $2 burnishing tool works for you, then rock on! I'm still trying to figure out how to angle the bur without rolling it and ending up with a dull scraper, I know, I know, It's not brain salad surgery. I really like that Japanese maple handle, I used to have some Japanese Maple trees back when I was fooling with bonsai but the cops confiscated them because they look like pot plants.

David L
Jonathan
Posts: 12
Joined: Wed Oct 27, 2010 2:56 pm

Re: Carbide burnishing tool

Post by Jonathan »

David L wrote:If that $2 burnishing tool works for you, then rock on! I'm still trying to figure out how to angle the bur without rolling it and ending up with a dull scraper, I know, I know, It's not brain salad surgery. I really like that Japanese maple handle, I used to have some Japanese Maple trees back when I was fooling with bonsai but the cops confiscated them because they look like pot plants.

David L
David, I have found that turning the burr requires a lot less pressure than drawing the burr. Plus, I found that I was using far to steep an angle when turning the burr. I used to get the same result you are talking about when I pressed too hard and used too steep and angle when turning the burr. All I ended up with was dust instead of shavings when I tried to use the scraper! I really am trying to become proficient with the scrapers because I HATE HATE HATE to hand sand.
David L
Posts: 1319
Joined: Thu Jan 06, 2011 8:04 pm
Location: Slidell, La

Re: Carbide burnishing tool

Post by David L »

I have farted around with trying to get a sharp scraper with mixed results. some parts of the scraper will produce shavings and some parts produce dust, can't seem to get any consistancy. I will try a shallower angle and less pressure, thanks!

David L
Darryl Young
Posts: 1668
Joined: Fri Jul 30, 2010 6:44 pm
Location: Arkansas

Re: Carbide burnishing tool

Post by Darryl Young »

Jonathan wrote:David, I have found that turning the burr requires a lot less pressure than drawing the burr. Plus, I found that I was using far to steep an angle when turning the burr. I used to get the same result you are talking about when I pressed too hard and used too steep and angle when turning the burr. All I ended up with was dust instead of shavings when I tried to use the scraper! I really am trying to become proficient with the scrapers because I HATE HATE HATE to hand sand.
That is good information Johnathan....I'll give that a try as I have mixed results putting a good burr on a scraper. Also, I agree with you on the hardness of scrapers. I have some I bought a Lowes years ago back when they carried decent woodworking tools. It might be made by Sandvik, not sure, but it is definitely on the hard side. My screwdriver shafts don't seem to have an affect. Of course there is always the possibility I don't know what I'm doing.

If someone knows of a good scraper that doesn't that has soft steel I might give it a try. Beautiful tool!
Slacker......
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