Scrapers from Woodworking.com

After reading about scrapers, this poster was convinced of the advantage offered compared to hours of sanding. He needed help, though, in deciding between a good set of card scrapers, (e.g., Veritas) and the Stanley #80. To him, the wide card scraper seemed more useful on wide surfaces such as tabletops.

Stanley #80 Cabinet Scraper

A woodworker explained that the #80 was a cabinet scraper and excellent for general use on larger surfaces; card scrapers are ideal for touching up, and there's also the Stanley #112, what he called "the king" of scraper planes and ideal for large surfaces. His recommendation? Both a set of card scrapers and the #80. Relating his satisfaction with the Veritas set, another forum member suggested it as a good first purchase and opined that the original poster would find many uses for it.

Agreeing with the above advice, another participant advocated thumbs-on store shopping over an Internet purchase to see how it flexes before buying. You'll find, he elaborated, that thicker scrapers don't get hot as quickly, but you develop very strong thumbs. Thinner ones, however, heat up and, though not quite as muscle building, you will develop thick-skinned thumbs! And though he owns Sandviks and Eberle scrapers, he prefers the flex of a homemade version … created by snapping a 1"-wide industrial hacksaw blade (under a hefty blanket) or grinding it down to a piece about 6" long, preparing the smooth edge like a normal scraper, and practicing! (A follow poster reported great success with the hacksaw scraper!)

Then, though admitting he'd never mastered it himself, the participant also advised extra care in rolling the hook on the Stanley #80. As another word of caution, he quoted his woodworking mentor, who said that a scraper in untutored hands was "The quickest way to ruin a perfectly good panel." He further suggested doing a search on the forum for more threads on scrapers. Another woodworker suggested rounding out the corners of card scrapers to avoid gouging.

After reviewing all the input, the original poster replied that he'd decided on the Veritas set of card scrapers … partly because the set includes a burnishing tool and scraper holder as part of the set. In lieu of the high price on the Stanley #112, he was also considering an eventual purchase of the Veritas Scraping Plane Insert.

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Most Valued New Too

Is a Planer Good Enough for Joining Wood?

Larger Crosscut Capacity

Scrapers

Matching Color in a Project