Discovered the magic of the card scraper

Darren Wright

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While finishing my pinball cabinet today. I realize I had slopped quite a bit of glue in various spots and was trying to get some of them off the maple veneer without blowing through it with sandpaper. I decided to give an old card scraper I've had for years a try. Not only did I use it to clean up all the glue, I ended up cleaning up all the edges of my trim to get rid of the saw riff marks.
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When I was done, there was very little that actually needed sanding. So I guess I'll be using it more and probably ordering a few more to have on hand. Any suggestions for brands to consider?
 
I have a set from Lie Nielson as well as a few from Crown. The LN are a little larger in size, so I prefer them, but they both are good. I'm not a real fan of most Crown stuff, but the card scrapers seem to be well made.
 
Used to have four but right now I only have two, a 475 Sandvik and a Clifton and I like them both. The Lie-Neilsen set gets good reviews and will probably be the next purchase. Plus one on using old saw blades and just about any other kind of steel that has the right flex. Utility knife blades, single edge razor blades and freshly broken glass also work amazingly well for small jobs. The steel in drywall taping knives has about the right flex too.

Recently had a similar epiphany when trying to get planer marks off some long grain cutting boards. The cards had been the drawer collecting dust because it was always a struggle to get them sharp. Found this video, one of many, and was off to the races. When my grand kids came for Christmas we made some cigar box guitars and during the fun I showed my son in law how to use a cabinet scraper to remove glue and smooth out guitar necks. He is involved in finishing the interior of a Frank Loyd Wright style house that is using tons of quarter sawn white oak and recognized that card scrapers would come in handy. He is now a convert and went home with my other two scrapers.



 
I use my card scrapers constantly. I am not surprised that most woodworkers don't use them. People tend to look for a complicated solution to a simple problem.

The video that Ted shows is excellent and I utilize the wood block that he shows in the video. I have several scrapers and set aside one for removing glue so that the others are available for finishing wood. Glue really does a number on the edge.

I have both a set of LN and a cheaper set. I tend to use the LN set more but not for any specific reason except maybe they cost more and I feel the need to get my moneys worth out of them. I am too busy working to determine if their edge holds up better. I will leave that for someone with more time on their hands.
 
I have too learnt of their value.

With the exchange rate give some thought to LV. They have quiet a variety. I have a set of one of them the square ones but plan on buying the curved set too.

http://www.leevalley.com/en/wood/page.aspx?p=32639&cat=1,310,41069
http://www.leevalley.com/en/wood/page.aspx?p=32672&cat=1,310,41069
http://www.leevalley.com/en/wood/page.aspx?p=32671&cat=1,310,41069
http://www.leevalley.com/en/wood/page.aspx?p=32670&cat=1,310,41069
http://www.leevalley.com/en/wood/page.aspx?p=32644&cat=1,310,41070

You should be getting a US price that is at least 30% of the Canadian one.
 
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