card scrapers

[bill kaminski]

What is the reason for bending a card, when using it? And, is there a preferred angle of attack?
I need a holder too, as the old fingers do not like bending it.

 

[Ryan Mooney]

You concentrate the force more in one spot (so you can work problem spots easier and also vary the part of the scraper used) and it also keeps the corners from digging in.

The angle depends a bit on how you set the hook when sharpening them a bit, and you can be more or less aggressive with it to some degree by changing the holding angle.

You might consider a holder like this:

Or a variant on the Lee Valley one which would be pretty easy to replicated in large part from a piece of wood and a few smooth ended bolts:

Veritas Scraper Holder - Lee Valley Tools

Discover the Veritas Scraper Holder. Buy this product now on our Lee Valley online store.

www.leevalley.com

As either allows you to keep a lot of the flexibility of attack, etc..

You might also look for an old Stanley 80 cabinet scraper or one of the better modern replacements (I also have a veritas and actually slightly prefer the antique stanley but it's mostly a feel not function thing - the stanley just fits my hand better). It's not "quite" the same as a card scraper but for bulk work on panels and rails boy howdy is it a lot faster and easier.

 

[glenn bradley]

The arc presents a narrower focus of the cutting edge. I find the holders a little awkward but they were certainly helpful.

 

[Ryan Mooney]

I find the holders a little awkward but they were certainly helpful

Also for longer sessions the blade can get remarkably hot - especially if I'm lazy about sharpening I haven't actually burned my thumbs but it got uncomfortable a few times.