Scraper - New twist on an old idea...

[MikeH]

So I'm in the middle of carving the mandolin back and know I'm going to need a good scraper and possibly some specialty planes and I was on the Stewart Mcdonald website (www.stewmac.com) and found what looks like a great new idea on an old tool

http://www.stewmac.com/shop/Tools/Sc...t=3&xsr=341220

I think it looks like a great idea. What are your thoughts?

[Mike Davis]

Somebody posted that here before, it seems to me the grinding would take a couple passes to get used to but looks like an awesome tool to use.

[MikeH]

Somebody posted that here before, it seems to me the grinding would take a couple passes to get used to but looks like an awesome tool to use.

I want to try and make my own.

[Mike Davis]

You will have to grind it very close to finished shape then take it to a good machine shop and let them send it off with their work to get hardened. Then you can grind the finish edge. Do you have tool steel or will you be looking for a source?

Small quantities are available at the knife makers suppliers.

Texas knifemakers supply is one place I use.

[MikeH]

You will have to grind it very close to finished shape then take it to a good machine shop and let them send it off with their work to get hardened. Then you can grind the finish edge. Do you have tool steel or will you be looking for a source?

Small quantities are available at the knife makers suppliers.

Texas knifemakers supply is one place I use.

I can actually harden it myself. I have the forge I built a couple years ago. I'll need to find a nice piece of stock and I'm considering old leaf springs as my stock of choice right now.

[Mark Gottesman]

I've watched the video and it sure looks like it would work nicely.

Leaf spring would be fine. A lawn mower blade might also be thick enough. I get them for free at the repair shop. the bench knife I just finished was made from an edger blade and water quenched.

Start a thread if you make one.

Harbor Fright has a set of three mini planes http://www.harborfreight.com/3-piece...set-97545.html
The blades are variable, but that is easy enough to fix. They are great for altering and making specialty thumb planes.

[joec]

I do not have the grinder. What grit wheel would I need to buy to sharpen this? Would a std grinder bought at Lowes etc be what I needed or some different speed?

[MikeH]

I do not have the grinder. What grit wheel would I need to buy to sharpen this? Would a std grinder bought at Lowes etc be what I needed or some different speed?

If you could vary the speed on the grinder you could use it, but I wouldn't use teh gray grinder wheel that typically comes with the grinder. I would suggest picking up an aluminum oxide (white) grinding wheel. A standard grinder turns too fast and would most likely get the metal too hot.