Burnisher vs screwdriver???

[eoinsgaff]

Hey all,

I understand that the hardened steel of a screwdriver is hard enough to do the job of a burnisher when adding an edge to cabinet/card scrapers.

Is this a fair statement or has experience proved other wise?

Eoin

 

[Racers]

Hi,

It depends on the hardness of your screwdriver, I have one that is hard enough to work and a proper burnisher. It might be a case of suck-it-and-see.

Pete

 

[bugbear]

Hey all,

I understand that the hardened steel of a screwdriver is hard enough to do the job of a burnisher when adding an edge to cabinet/card scrapers.

Is this a fair statement or has experience proved other wise?

Eoin

According to all the old books, screwdrivers are tempered quite soft, and burnishers are almost glass hard.

In addition, to get a good edge on your scraper, you want a mirror finish on your burnishing implement. Since actual, dedicated burnishers are rather cheap, I would buy one.

If you want the ultimate, people have discussed using synthetic corundum jewelry blanks (i.e. solid Sapphire!)

BugBear

 

[Pekka Huhta]

A regular screwdriver won't do, but some of the chrome-plated ones can be used. You'll know wether the screwdriver is OK if it glides smoothly on the edge when burnishing. If it sticks it means that the stel of the screwdriver is too soft. Also, add a drop of oil to the burnisher and you can use a bit softer or not than polished steel.

I use the back of a chisel for burnishing. Basically any good chisel would do (a short gouge would be pretty good), I have used an old Stanley Everlast for years. Just make sure you won't cut yourself with the chisel.

Peka

 

[Racers]

Hi,

The screwdriver I have is a RS (with the red CAB handles) one they are very hard, impossible to file, the tip cracked off when I was using it! My stanleys are fileable with some difficulty.


Pete

 

[xy mosian]

The old guy who showed me used a retired three-square saw file. Ground and polished of course.

xy

 

[Paul Chapman]

I'd get a burnisher. They are the proper tool for the job and not very expensive.

Cheers :wink:

Paul

 

[head clansman]

hi

modern screw drivers forget far to soft , i 've used an old screwdriver now for yrs for this purpose no problem at all . hc

 

[bugbear]

The old guy who showed me used a retired three-square saw file. Ground and polished of course.

xy

IIRC that's what Kingshott did.

BugBear

 

[eoinsgaff]

I intend buying one but my local shop didn't have any this week and I need to have my card scraper up and running over the week end.

I'll try a screw driver for now.

 

[Racers]

Hi,

I just remembered Valve stems are also good, they also make nice centre punches, but they tend to roll of the bench.


Pete

 

[jimi43]

I bought myself a Clifton one from Workshop Heaven at Christmas and I have not regretted it one little bit.

Cheap as chips...great grip and wonderful burrs...

What more can you say!

Jim

 

[Derek Cohen (Perth Oz)]

It also depends on the scraper steel. If this is softer than the screwdriver/chisel shaft, then it will create a hook. This does not take into account the quality of said hook :lol:

Regards from Perth

Derek

 

[David C]

A screwdriver seems a very risky choice.

A good burnisher will produce excellent results (if you get the sharpening of the edges right).

Clifton and Ron Hock both do excellent burnishers. Also solid carbide router cutter shanks work, but are a bit short.

David Charlesworth

 

[woodbloke]

At a pinch, you can also use the 12mm or so left after the teeth on a small half round file. I used this for years before I got hold of a Roberts & Lee burnisher. In any event, they're cheap enough to buy and won't entail smashing the piggy bank open.
Even better, you only need one, so you don't need to start a collection...should suite Mike G :lol: - Rob

 

[Alf]

Also solid carbide router cutter shanks work, but are a bit short.

Yep, s'what I use - well I wasn't using the cutter in the router, so... :lol: Funnily enough the shortness is actually ideal in this style of burnisher (picked up from Bob Smalser's scraper tutorial)

Cheers, Alf

 

[Jake]

FWIW I use a 12mm or so dowel pin, like this, which I tacked onto a fastenings order from somewhere. It wasn't an original idea, someone (probably here) must have mentioned it at some point. Works very well, nice polished and hardened steel. I might build it in to a copy of Bob Smalser's holder idea Alf just posted.

 

[lurker]

Go to a scrap yard & get a tail gate gas strut the centre rod is perfect for making burnishers

 

[David C]

Nice design Alf and also those dowel pins look interesting.

David

 

[bugbear]

I might build it in to a copy of Bob Smalser's holder idea Alf just posted.

The idea isn't Bob's - quoting his site:

"The burnisher? The one I’m using is a luthier design by Timberline Tools of Mendanales, New Mexico"

(Googly)

Here's Timberline:

http://scraperburnisher.com/

Stewmac sell it:

http://www.stewmac.com/shop/Tools/Scrap ... isher.html

So do LMI:

http://www.lmii.com/carttwo/thirdproduc ... +Burnisher

BugBear