10 Comments
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Michael O’Brien's avatar

Thanks Chris. I have read and heard from many professional woodworkers to not plane after using sandpaper as that will quickly dull your plane’s blade. It would seem that the same advice would apply to card scrapers. This advice was generally referring to last grit 220 and to not plane after its use. How does this advice apply to the much coarser 80 grit?

Cheers,

Michael

Christopher Schwarz's avatar

I don't care if it prematurely dulls the scraper or the plane blade or the.... I can sharpen it. (I also don't find the adage "don't scrape after sanding" to be true in any way. I call bunk.)

Side note: Even though I have done this process (for many years), I tend to get to or three chairs from one sharpening on my scraper. I wonder (aloud today) what the Sam Hill people are doing who don't get much edge life from their scrapers. I hear people say you only get a few minutes from an edge.

I suspect their hook sucks. The faces and edges aren't polished. It's really the only reasonable explanation I can come up with.

Modern steels are *amazing* in their consistency. My scraper edges last for days and days through grit and heat and difficult cuts (and I'm not singling out our scrapers for praise. Any modern scraper.)

Please try it if you are brave enough.

Christopher Schwarz's avatar

Michael,

Sorry if I sounded strident or assholey there – wasn't my intention. This is one of those topics that feels like I'm calling in the wilderness. Apologies for the tone problem.

Michael O’Brien's avatar

No problem, as I wanted your opinion on the topic and if it was fact or fiction. I always brush off my wood after sanding anyway. Your response makes sense and sharpening is easy to do.

Thanks.

John C's avatar

One of these days I'm going to get a really nice digital microscope that I can use to look at the surface of wood. I've always suspected the thing about leaving grit from sandpaper embedded in the wood is a giant load of nonsense. Our craft is full of myths. But, I can't prove it, yet.

Anyone know of a decent magnifier?

Michael O’Brien's avatar

Seems like if one just brushes away the grit after sanding , or uses compressed air that should eliminate any significant residual grit from the sanding. Should be a good research project for Wood By Wright.

Ian's avatar

Do you find this applies generally for all finishes or just Soft Wax or the like?

Christopher Schwarz's avatar

I use this technique with all finishes. Shellac, varnish, oil, softwax.

James Owen's avatar

Good, useful information!

And nice vest! I recognize it from earlier LAP apparel offerings.

Christopher Schwarz's avatar

The vest is coming back....