Bowl Scraper Recommendations

[Lou Jacobs]

Thank you both for these helpful suggestions. I’ll try them out tomorrow. Hope everyone has a great, healthy holiday!

 

[Don Wattenhofer]

I was going to start a new thread but found this so I’ll add to it.
I have a question about using a burnisher on a NRS. I have had Glen Lucas’ NRS for a couple of months, and love it. Never have a catch, and usually get a pretty good finish, but I find I’m often pushing pretty hard with it, even fresh off the grinder. I made a burnisher with a carbide steel rod I got from EBay and mounted in a handle. I’m not sure I’m being very successful with it, as it seems to take LOTS of pressure to raise anything that feels like a micro-curl on the edge. Is the Veritas burnisher the best way to go with this? Is my carbide the wrong solution? Or is the burnished edge really unnecessary?
In reviewing this thread, I only see one or two mention of a burnished edge. Do most folks just work with the edge off the grinder? Thanks!

The honed and burnished burr is far superior and longer lasting then the flimsy burr left from grinding. The veritas burnisher is very difficult to get the right amount of pressure with the leverage you have using that pivot pin. The finish on the carbide pin of the of the Veritas and the purchased carbides is quite coarse I think so what I have done is make my own using scarped CNC router bits, which have a highly polished shank.
The selection of burnishers mostly 1/2" shank are set into the handles using epoxy on the old cutting flutes and the shank end exposed. The hand held burnisher like this is opened to adjusting for every configuration of scraper including the real shear scrapping tools. The perfect burr is dependent on the amount of pressure applied, the angle of the cutting edge and the particular piece of steel used. When rolling a burr to much pressure can result in the burr rolled over too far, which will be like using a blunt edge. Note: any kind of scraper can have a burred edge and then will need to be presented at a negative rake angle but that does not include a flat top scraper flat on the tool rest and held so the cut is below center - that would be pure stupidity. The only burred scrapers used flat on the rest are the currently popular so called NRS but even those can be used tipped at an angle for added versatility.

 

[Randy Heinemann]

I have Crown gouges. The steel is M42 and allegedly cryogenically treated. I have found that these tools keep their edge much longer than others I have. I do have Sorby scrapers and they are great tools also. If I bought another scraper I'd try the Crown scrapers based on my experience with their gouges. A Crown M42 Razor Sharp finishing bowl scraper is available from Craft Supplies USA for $69.95, but they are out of stock now also. Must be a steel shortage or just not a lot of tools being shipped to or within the US.