Cabinet Scrapers Rock!

[Matt Heppe]

My first few bows I didn't use any scraper at all. Just a rasp, file, and sandpaper. I started using a utility knife blade and then a machete as a scraper. The machete worked well, but was unwieldy.

I just bought my first cabinet scrapers. (Two scrapers for $10 on Amazon, plus a burnisher for $20). WOW! The cabinet scrapers work great. Seriously, I wish I had purchased them long ago. They do a great job taking off fine layers or wood and are very easy to work with.

Love 'em.

Back to the shop.

[bow101]

I agree but if I'm roughing out a self bow I just invert my handmade drawknife 90 degrees, works like a charm...

[Dances with squirrels]

I agree. I've been using them since my first bow. I wouldn't make wooden bows without my scrapers. I absolutely LOVE em!

TOOLS RULE!!!!!

[Badger]

  Cabinet scraper is one of my main tools. I use a draw knife to rough out and bring to floor tiller. A rasp to round off the edges and a little shaping and from there nothng but the scraper.

[Badger]

   I don't use the burnishing tool much anymore to roll a burr on the scraper but sharpen pretty regularly with my file. I did a persimmon bow last week that I had to sharpen my scraper after every few passes. The draw knife and spoke shave just bounced off and it burned up my saw blade just roughing it out. The scraper did the job though.

[crooketarrow]

   I have 5 cabinet scrabers and they do work OK.
  I've got home made ones I tent to favor.
  FOR THOSE LITTLE DIPS IN THE WOOD I USE A GLASS OUT OF EYE GLASS'S.

[Jim Davis]

I like a Hyde paint scraper sharpened to a keen edge. The long handle lets me put lots of force into the cut. I can pull a shaving that rivals the work of a block plane but doesn't dig in. It's also easy to pull at an angle to work  through contrary grain. I sharpen it with a file.

Jim Davis

[Pat B]

Since I began using mostly a scraper from floor tiller on(many years ago, now) my bent sticks became bows.  It slowed me down enough that it gave me a chance to become familiar with the piece of wood I am working on and made each scrape a consious and positive one.
Simply speaking...it slowed me down!
I have bought and home made scrapers but mostly use the home made ones most especially the ones Greg B gave me. A store bought goose neck scraper does come in handy working around dips and around knots.

[Badger]

  Pat, I have a gooseneck also but what I started doing was rounding off the corners on my cabinet scrapers to a different radius on each corner to deal with whatever comes up. That way I don't have to switch tools. I agree 100% about the quality of bows going up since I started using the scraper at an earlier stage.