Hand scraping

[KjBarnwood]

This may be an obvious question, but how do they hand scrape wood floors?  A draw knife?  Are the floors premilled and then scraped, kiln dried first?

[MSU_Keith]

Traditionally they were scraped after install with a something similar to Stanley #11 1/2 or #12 1/2 model scraper.  These were used on your knees with alot of elbow grease.  If you're really in need of some punishment you could use something like the Stanley #282.

[KjBarnwood]

Is there ant technique to it, or just have at it?

[MSU_Keith]

Toughest part with a scraper is setting up the blade with a good burnished edge.  I inherited a Lie Nelson #112 that is set up as flat as possible for scrapping figured woods - works great but it has the blade angle adjustment that makes setup easier.  For that 'scraped' look on a floor I think you want a slight arc on your blade - never tried this.  Might be a little harder to set up the blade.

With well tuned scraper your should be able to go with, across or even against the grain without tear out as long as you take light passes.

[Max sawdust]

Check out Lee Valley website.  The Veritas scraping plane looks nice.  Has a knob to "bow" the blade, like on the real old Bailey's.
max

[woodworker9]

I have the veritas scraper from Lee Valley, and it would be the perfect tool for scraping a floor.  I use it all the time in my furniture making business.  Be aware that you are in for a workout.  The angle of attack of a scraper blade is close to perpendicular to the surface, and pushing or pulling the scraper is quite a chore.  I wouldn't want to do an entire floor on my hands and knees.

I also have the LN 112, and it would not be the tool of choice for this procedure.  The blade is a full 1/4" thick, and you would not want to go through the process of regrinding that blade to get the proper radius curve, or camber.  The 112 is designed for scraping difficult grain in highly figured woods without tearout, but not to leave a cambered surface.

WW9

[Fla._Deadheader]

What exactly is the purpose of this scraping ???  Especially on furniture ???

[Dave Shepard]

Using a scraper is about the last step in finishing furniture by hand. Today we have a ton of sandpapers and sander options. A cabinet scraper has a thin blade that you bow with your fingers, or with a screw, it it's mounted in a holder. The edge is burnished, almost like using the wire edge on the back of a chisel that has been ground. It will leave a very smooth even finish.


Dave

[Fla._Deadheader]

So then, it's not really for re-finishing furniture  ??? ???

  I'v done lots of scraping for old finish removal.

[Dave Shepard]

No, not really. The wire edge would be too delicate to strip finishes. To sharpen you put an edge on the iron much like you would for a plane, then you rub the burnisher over the edge folding it over. Here is a picture of how you would use a hand scraper, in this case it's in a Giant Sasquatch paw. : The iron is out of my Stanley No.80 cabinet scraper. Typical hand scraper are about 2"x4" and more flexible. The finish on this piece of red oak is like glass. Notice the shavings are almost like dust.




Dave

[Fla._Deadheader]

  OK. I've done that with broken glass, to get a perfect surface for gun stocks.  Thanks for 'splainin that.  ;D

[woodworker9]

A properly sharpened and burnished scraper will tame the toughest, gnarliest grain in any wood.  I have several smoothing planes which I use for smoothing table tops and other furniture I build.  They vary in effective blade angle from 45° up to 55°.  Sometimes, on very gnarly figure, like crotch wood or burls, even my 55° smoothing plane will leave a little tearout.  A scraper is held roughly 75° to 85° to the surface, and will smooth the wood fibers without tearing out.  A properly sharpened scraper will take shavings just like a hand plane, not dust.

WW9

[Dave Shepard]

Well, the scraper blade in that picture was far from sharp, properly or otherwise. ;) It was taking shavings off, but they were so fine they looked like dust. Ever use a toothed plane iron for figured wood?


Dave

[fencerowphil (Phil L.)]

By FAR, the best finishing scrapers are made by Sandvik.

After using scrapers for many years in piano restoration,
believe me I can't even imagine wanting to scrape a floor!
As mentioned by someone else,  scrapers once were used to take the
place of modern day sand paper.

There is one area, however in which finishing scrapers still excel:
When you want to cut a heavy layer of lacquer finish flat
for polishing to high gloss, they can't be beat.  Also, you can't
beat a perfectly burnished scraper to clean out inside corners.

Learning to sharpen and burnish scrapers is an art in itself.
Both the coarseness of the edge and the size of the burr can
be determined for various purposes, including taking off old
finishes.  I owned one for over two years before I really "got it."
(My first problem was that I had bought a hard-as-a-rock Stanley
rectangular piece of metal that they called a "scraper."  You could
NOT properly burnish its edge, no matter what.)  I finally bought a
Kunz and then a Sandvik... ooo la-la, what a difference!

P.S.  Don't be confused here and think that we are talking about the
crude paint scrapers, etc.  They are fine for scraping off glue after
glue-ups, but not for much else.

Phil L.

[Lil Badger Creek]

KJ
Most of the "hand scraped floors"I have seen, are more of a rustic finish than a fine finish. If I were to do that type of finsh (which is way cool) I would use a curved plane and not worry about tear out, it is part of the rustic beauty.

[beenthere]

I get the strong feeling that hand scraping of floors really came about before sanding of floors was a possibility. and when hand labor was more "in".

The high spots (edges) from misalignment and from cupping and warp of floor boards could be removed by scraping, as possibly the only tool available. And the scraper was more forgiving on grain rising to the surface, where a hand plane would tear up the grain and leave splinters.

Also, scraping will just remove the high spots. Sanding will remove the softer wood between the hard bands of latewood, sometimes leaving a washboard surface. 

But I could picture a rolling wheeled device that holds a scraper blade, that could be pushed along the floor while standing up, rather than being on hands and knees scraping "by hand". 

[Dave Shepard]

Stanley made a plane that had a long handle like a broom for finishing floors. It may be one of the ones mentioned earlier in this thread. I don't know if it was a traditional plane, or a scraper plane, I would have to look it up. The "Patricks Blood and Gore" website has a very complete listing of Stanley planes.


Dave

[Handy Andy]

  I thought putting down a wood floor, sanding and finishing it was hard enough without hand scraping it.  Give me a belt sander anytime.  Jim

[fencerowphil (Phil L.)]

Dave,
I would like to see that Stanley with the long handle....
;)
Yep, just SEEING it would do me just fine!
:D
PHil L.

[Max sawdust]

Don't want to get on a horse here,BUT.. a hand scrapped floor is beautiful.  The DanG Home improvement narrow strip stuff  is what it is. :  If you are willing to put the labor in for yourself or you have a high end customer willing to pay labor that allows CREATIVITY and CRAFTMANSHIP Why not???;D
Take what I say with a grain of salt :  Just my OPINION..     

Dave,
The "patricks blood and gore is THE ATHORITY on Stanley Bailey vintage planes.. ;D  I too highly recommend anyone interested in the subject read that web site.

Sorry for the rant :
max

[Dave Shepard]

I have the #80. The #74 is the wierd floor plane. Patrick's Blood and Gore


Dave

[thedeeredude]

If the floor is relatively not free Id sooner use a smooth plane like a 4-1/2.  They take a mighty fine cut when sharpened properly.  Watch out for plane tracks though, sharpen with a tiny bit of camber on the iron.