I discovered a neat, inexpensive tool for making making straight cuts.

[Jerry944t]

This may be old hat to some folks but it was an "ah ha" moment for me. While perusing my local hardware store for a snow shovel I noticed a rack of wood chisels.
I looked at and bought a Stanley 1 1/2" chisel. Sometimes I like the barrels of my pen turnings to be straight and this turns out to be just the ticket. Goodbye to those slight peaks and valleys. Goodbye to my sanding block and all the excessive sanding dust.
Makes a beautiful turning tool and for my final finishing I turn it over and wrap some sandpaper around it and it becomes a very true sanding block.
I used to use a skew but once in a while I'd dig in and make more work for myself.
In my hands this solves a number of inconveniences.

 

[Kragax]

As a newbie to this craft I'll remember this. Thanks

 

[triw51]

Jerry I have a large chisel I use as a scraper mostly on small bowls for the same reason. When I sharpen mine I do not remove the burr on the flat side. I use the burr to cut with.

 

[low_48]

So you are using it like a wide scraper? You will get by with some materials, but not all of them. Thin burl will be particularly tough with that. Also likely to get chatter in some materials. When learning to turn, it was explained to me that it was like sharpening the end of a pencil with a knife. Would you sharpen the pencil with the knife held vertically like that scraper chisel you are using? But sounds like you are happy so far.

 

[magpens]

Hmmmmm .... I am also concerned/worried about using a conventional chisel in this way as a scraper side-on to a rapidly turning cylinder of wood.

I don't have enough experience to make informed comments but would be interested to hear if other people have tried this.

 

[Jerry944t]

I've used on on a variety of woods, stabilized woods any polymers with no problem. It's not for taking off gross amounts of material but it does cut smoothly in my hands.
I haven't had any chatter issues or any other issues. I do keep the tool rest close to the work.
I don't hold it in one place but move it smoothly back and forth on the rest.
On some woods you almost don't have to sand, it's that smooth.
Sharpness is essential as it would be on any cutting tool.
If memory serves it was only $12 so it's worth a try if anyone sees some merit.

 

[monophoto]

This is a very practical idea.

I bought an inexpensive set of bench chisels at Harbor Freight that I reground as specialty scrapers. The thing to remember is that scrapers rely on a burr to cut, and that burr has to be refreshed frequently. You can refresh it on a grinder, or by honing.

While it isn't absolutely necessary to make a longer, turning-style handle, that's probably a good idea and not at all difficult to do.

 

[sschering]

I can't be the only one that uses a skew as a scraper sometimes..
The one I rounded the edge on a bit works great for a light scraping pass to remove ridges as long as it's very sharp.

 

[Tim'sTurnings]

I have never had good luck using a scraper on a pen. I almost always get a catch that can and does ruin the pens. Hope you have better luck than me.
Tim.