[How do I?] Would A2 tool steel made a decent scraper blade?

MyLilMule

MyLilMule

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I have a hand scraper that was given to me where the blade is removable. It's all made from a hardened steel, I think a file blank.

IMG_0521.jpeg IMG_0522.jpeg

I want to make a new, tighter radius blade for it, and am wondering if A2 tool steel would make a good blade. I have some stock already and all it would take is drilling a couple of holes for the mount and to grind a radius before hardening.

Yes, I know carbide is all the rage , but this is what I have and what I want to use, if I can.

I could get some other kind of steel from McMaster, but I have the A2, it air hardens, and I don't need an oil quench. I don't want to waste this material on a blade if it's not going to be a decent choice. I have enough to make 2 new blades, but that's it. If I have to look for something else, I will.

At some point I will make a holder for a Sandvik blade, just not right now.

Thoughts?
 
I like my Sandvicks!
Looks like the handle bolts into cutter.
Any thought of making a holder to clamp the A2 to the handle instead of drilling taping it?
Might be able to use the same clamp for the eventual Sandvicks.
If you decide to go with it, then please let us know how it works for you.

Daryl
MN
 
My .02 is A2 will work well as a scraper bit on some materials, like turcite. Mogulese and some cast iron.
I have never tried using it. My only thought comes to sharpening and resharpening....I know when I am scraping with carbide I may sharpen my bit often depending on how I am cutting,
so would it need sharpening more frequently? I think somebody needs to try it.....hint hint.
What are the dimensions of the existing bit?
 
You certainly can make a blade from A2.
It will not perform as well as carbide and will need to be sharpened more often.
as long as you can accept the difference , it will work
 
Over the many years, I have made several scrapers out of old files, grinding off the teeth, forging out the taper on the working end, rehardening in water and finishing. They work well on cast iron, but naturally, they need frequent resharpening on an oil stone. As soon as I was able to "liberate" a Sandvik hand scraper from my then employer, I graduated to that, it was a definite improvement in terms of keeping a sharp edge much longer than the homemade (I should say shop made, since I made them on company time) scrapers. Years after that, I was given a Biax power scraper, a whole new world in so many ways.
 
I think A2 is about 60 Rockwell, HSS about 65, and tungsten carbide about 85.
 
A2 will definitely take an edge, but one thing to know is that the entire piece will harden when you heat treat it. Other steels you can do a differential heat treat so that the area where the holes are will be softer and the edge will be hardened.

The good thing is that you can pretty much grind/drill/shape and then heat treat it and do a finish grind on the edge and be done.

Do you have a forge or will you be using a torch to heat the metal? Anything anvil-like in the shop as well?

I've got A2, 01 and some 52100 on hand for making blades. I actually think 52100 (ball bearing steel) might make for a good scraper blade. You helped me out with the K&T pump so I'd be happy to send you some steel chunks.
 
MyLilMule said:
I have a hand scraper that was given to me where the blade is removable. It's all made from a hardened steel, I think a file blank.

View attachment 453498 View attachment 453499

I want to make a new, tighter radius blade for it, and am wondering if A2 tool steel would make a good blade. I have some stock already and all it would take is drilling a couple of holes for the mount and to grind a radius before hardening.

Yes, I know carbide is all the rage , but this is what I have and what I want to use, if I can.

I could get some other kind of steel from McMaster, but I have the A2, it air hardens, and I don't need an oil quench. I don't want to waste this material on a blade if it's not going to be a decent choice. I have enough to make 2 new blades, but that's it. If I have to look for something else, I will.

At some point I will make a holder for a Sandvik blade, just not right now.

Thoughts?
Click to expand...
I certainly would give it a try, it's not hard to make one if you already have the material, and it may work well. I would think it would work well on cast iron.. you have to realize many scrapers were steel of some type before carbide back in the day.
 
Thanks for all the tips. I'm probably going to give it a try.

I don't have a forge, so I'm just going to use Oxy/Acetylene to get it red before letting it cool. That is, after I drill and tap it and do an initial grind for a radius.
 
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