Synopsis: A bit less refined than a card scraper, a cabinet scraper is used to remove tearout and machining marks created by the jointer and planer and tracks left behind by handplanes. It’s a bit tricky to use, but it does a wonderful job if used properly, and you really do need one. Here, furniture master Phil Lowe teaches you how to sharpen and hook the blade for best performance, and how to set up the tool for use on quirky woods, where it really shines.

Unlike the more familiar card scraper, the cabinet scraper is not made to leave a finished surface. Instead, it’s a rougher tool, used to remove tearout and machining marks created by the jointer and planer and tracks left by handplanes before you begin final surface preparations with sandpaper and a card scraper.

It’s a bit of a quirky tool. although the blade…