Simple Scraping Tools

A single edged razor blade is a cheap simple tool that can do many jobs and save you a lot of money. Most people know you can scrape excess paint from glass with a razor blade. Glass is hard so there is not much danger of damaging it...but you can also scrape other things if you have a little knowledge about a single edged razor blades characteristics.

Removing caulk or silicone on something like a fiberglass tub or shower is a little easier and can be done without damaging the fiberglass if you know how to wield a razor blade at a very low angle...5 or 10 degrees from horizontal or almost flat. the blade may have a tendency to dig in and cut into the material you are trying to clean. If it digs in...simply flip the blade over and the small curl on the blades edge will not dig in and glide smoothly over the fiberglass or other material.

When a razor blade's edge is ground, there is a little curl or burr left on one side of the blade...if you were to look at it
under a microscope it would look something like the drawing (A). This small curl makes the razor blade act differently depending upon which way it is turned...in other words, one side cuts or scrapes differently than the other.

You can also use a razor blade to remove defects like runs in finishes such as lacquer, shellac, polyurethane and other hard  finishes. To use in as a scraper to remove finish defects hold the blade almost vertical and drag in across the defect and the small burr will shave just like a regular cabinet scraper, this will remove the defect slowly but surely. The finish must be dry and hard for the razor blade/scraper to work properly. I usually use the razor blade with out a holder, but this can be dangerous if you are not very, very careful...so, use a blade holder for safety...the smaller the better.

Broken Glass as a Scraper

Sometimes you need an odd shaped scraper for moldings and the like. This is an old trick my grandfather showed me years ago. If you need a small odd shaped scraper..use the broken parts of a glass jar or bottle. Just search through the pieces until you find one that fits the shape you need. Of course broken glass can cut you, so you have to use all common sense to avoid injury. This is an old outdated tip and shouldn't be attempted.