Square nose scraper modification

[Michael Perez]

Hello, I hope you’re doing well. I have a question: if I buy a Carter & Son 1” square nose scraper but later decide I prefer a different shape, like a negative rake scraper or a skew, would it make sense to modify it? In my imagination, I see that this shape could work as a blank for other profiles if I’m not mistaken. Would it perform as well as a brand-new tool in that shape, or do factory shapes offer specific benefits that might be lost in the modification process?
Thanks so much—your advice and recommendations are always so helpful to me.

 

[Isaac Fisher]

Go ahead and regrind to whatever shape you like. Regrinding won’t hurt the tool. Just resist the urge to cool it in water if it starts getting hot. That will cause problems with most modern tool steels.

 

[Doug Freeman]

I don’t buy any tool for a specific grind. I buy the cheapest version of the tool, ie bar or flat stock size, and then put the grind I want on it. If one uses some of the more shapely scrapers, like a side scraper, that’s worth purchasing the tool, but any flat top or nrs end grind must be done by you in your shop, so just diy. If you want M2 for scrapers blanks can be purchased online (amz, ebay) to save more $. 4” hand grinder can form the handle tang quick enough.

I keep a 46 gr Alox wheel on a grinder just for tool shaping.

 

[Michael Perez]

Go ahead and regrind to whatever shape you like. Regrinding won’t hurt the tool. Just resist the urge to cool it in water if it starts getting hot. That will cause problems with most modern tool steels.

Thanks so much! I plan to reshape it using my Rikon slow-speed grinder (1/2 HP) with a 60-grit wheel. When I worked on a Robert Sorby square scraper, I did it in a few passes, stopping in between to prevent overheating. The process was very quick and effective, but I’ve never tried this with any HSS M42 steel before.

 

[Michael Perez]

I don’t buy any tool for a specific grind. I buy the cheapest version of the tool, ie bar or flat stock size, and then put the grind I want on it. If one uses some of the more shapely scrapers, like a side scraper, that’s worth purchasing the tool, but any flat top or nrs end grind must be done by you in your shop, so just diy. If you want M2 for scrapers blanks can be purchased online (amz, ebay) to save more $. 4” hand grinder can form the handle tang quick enough.

I keep a 46 gr Alox wheel on a grinder just for tool shaping.

Hello, thank you so much! I feel more confident now. I’ve never tried reshaping HSS M42 steel before, but this gives me the chance to experiment with a spear scraper or square shape. If I don’t feel comfortable with it, I can always change it later.