3 rivers cabinet scrapers

[Bear Heart]

I was looking at the latest 3 rivers catalog and notice the scrapers they had with the bow making stuff.  Has anyone used these?  A good buy?

[BMN]

I received a set for Christmas but haven't had a chance to use them yet.

[R.W.]

I haven't got the 3 Rivers scapers, but i do use a set I bought from Lee Valley tools all the time.

You can be quite aggressive at wood removal, or take nearly tranparent shavings off, depending on how you hold your scaper.

And you need only burnish after a light scraping. The surface is that smooth.

Try them, I think you will like them.

[dino]

I've got one of the curved scrapers from 3r.  I've had it for several years and used it ALOT.  Very good steel, keeps a good burr, no complains.  Also have several square scrapers from Veritas and they are the same as far as the quality of the steel. dino

[Whip]

I also bought mine from Lee Valley Tools, and use them all the time, not only for making bows, but all kinds of other projects.  Works better than sandpaper in a bunch of different applications.

[Pat B]

Grizzly Products has a set of 7(maybe more) for less than $15, I believe.    Pat

[Bear Heart]

Thanks for the recomendations.

[dino]

One thing to beware of is cheap scrapers.  The only way they cheapen them is to use cheap and thinner steel.  Don't hold good edges. dino

[oops sorry]

There is nothing special about the scraper other than its steel and thickness. What matters is the burr that you put on it and the technique that you use in using it. Very fine scrapers can be made from saw blades...the older variety where the whole blade was good steel, hardened and tempered...not the new stuff with low grade steel and teeth welded to it. All that being said, if time matters to you, I am sure that the three rivers or Garrett Wade scrapers are just fine....depends on the bur you put on and how you tension the blade in use.