# Razor blade scraper plane?



## lateralus819 (Mar 24, 2013)

Was curious to see if anybodys made a scraper plane that uses razor blades? They work incredibly well, and they're cheap and you don't have to sharpen them. I was toying with the idea of making on and making a holder to accept the blades.


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## donwilwol (May 16, 2011)

I never tried. Stanley did it for a short time. It failed so if you find one, they are worth money.


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## jte9999 (Aug 23, 2012)

Here's one which I believe belonged to my grandfather so it would be 50+ years old. There are two blade positions. These pics may give you some ideas.


























Hope this helps.
-jay KCMO


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## Sanding2day (May 6, 2013)

Just made one last night… Got a bit of work done for the hand plane swap while waiting glue to dry and the cut out for the front of the plane looked like it needed to have a purpose…

I used an 1/8" blade on the bandsaw to make about a 1/2" deep cut about a 1/2" back from the now front of this block so that an Irwin razor blade could be inserted down to the blue line exposing just the 1/8" or so of the blade. Drilled a hole into the front down to the blade's cut and screwed in a flat tip screw to hold the blade in place.

I used it quite a bit last night and absolutely love it! Smooths a board much faster than sanding and as you state no need for any sharpening or exacting setup. Insert blade, tighten screw, and go to work  Need to make another for myself as my intent is to send it along with the hand plane as a matching bonus swap.


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## Benvolio (Feb 10, 2013)

Wouldn't you be as well to use Stanley knife blades?? They're just as sharp and thicker steel so less likely to bend as its pushed through the wood.

Would need to factor in the existing bevel if the blade though. Not sure what that is.

B


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## Sanding2day (May 6, 2013)

Good argument B. I used what I had on hand but can say that since the blade is 95% surrounded by the wood I didn't have any issues with the blade bending. I did find that in order to prevent some bouncing on a terribly unflat board *had router worm marks* I had to use the scraper just pulling until it got closer to flat and then could work the blade in both directions.


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## 33706 (Mar 5, 2008)

There was a small plane from back in the 50's-60's called a "Wil-Kro" which used a standard double-edge razor blade. Though it was more of a novelty, and more of a plane than a scraper. They come up on eBay all the time for $10 or $15. like this:


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## Sanding2day (May 6, 2013)

Benvolio, Ran across the Stanley 50 pack of blades yesterday at Walmart for right around $5 and figured I would give them a try, really liked the case and razors are always nice to have on hand.

Tried one out and having a fresh blade after a couple hours of use certainly demonstrated a marked difference but did not see any difference in the thickness… Wondering if you were referring to something other than utility blades?

Have noticed a design flaw which I will have to correct before sending this out as my tightening screw has lost its grip in the mahogany and will no longer tighten down fully. Not sure what they are called but thinking I will be able to get a threaded sleeve to hold this tighter…


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## bandit571 (Jan 20, 2011)

Pick up a threaded insert at the local borg store(around here it is a Lowes) they are in those drawers for speciality hardware. Redrill the hole, then thread the insert into the hole, and your bolt into the insert. MIGHT cost you ….. maybe $0.50 counting tax…


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## Loren (May 30, 2008)

Razor blades dull so fast in scraping they don't get too hot so
needing a holder is not something I've found I needed. I 
suppose they can get hot but I would just pick up another
one.

You can scrape with broken glass too. A device to hold the
glass would be cool.


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## Sanding2day (May 6, 2013)

Thanks Bandit… Thats what I had in mind…

Loren, as stated this scraper is simply an additional tool made from the excess cut from a hand plane and heat is not a concern but having the holder is much more conveinent for comfort and control. Have not done a great deal of scraping with a razor but a couple of hours on Maple with an already used razor and it was still getting decent shavings so I'm good with that…


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## Planeman40 (Nov 3, 2010)

I'm with Loren. I use single-edge razor blades all the time for scraping. don't need a holder. I grew up building model airplanes way back in the late 1940s and 1950s and the single-edge razor blade was THE all-round tool. I know my Dad must have had days when he wanted to throttle me because I had emptied his razor blade stash in the medicine cabinet. Now I buy 'em 100 to a box at harbor Freight or a hardware store.

Planeman


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