Scorp??

[BlackDog]

I've carved several spoons in the past, and think that when I finish the angel I'm working on that I will carve another. In the past, when carving the bowl of the spoons, I've just used whatever gouge seemed to fit the job. But, I'm wondering if a scorp would be a useful addition to my tool kit. Do any of you use scorps and find them to be worthwhile?

I own a scorp,but I never have used it for carving spoons.I have used it for bowl carving. You may be on to something. After getting it out a looking at it, you could probably hollow a spoon out nicely with one.
groozier, the member who can't stay logged in

[BlackDog]

Lance, if you don't mind my asking, what scorp do you use? I'm leaning towards the Pfeil scorp, but I see Flexcut also has scorping (is that a word?) knives, basically bent blade knives for scooping out hollows.

[Captain_Bandaid]

For small areas like spoons, I found the 'crooked knife blades' sold by Warren Tools works pretty good and it's a lot cheaper and easier to sharpen than a scorp.

[icarve2003]

Oh, that's what a scorp is : LOL

Chris

I have a small scorp and I use it for figure carving (caricatures, animals, etc.) in those hard to reach knook and kranny places. For spoons, I use short/long bend gouges.
DOnna T

[pyrogite]

I have a really silly question :
I have been looking for a good scorp or two for quite awhile and I see them on ebay once in awhile but they go pretty high (they almost seem to be collectable) and I haven't been willing to bid against 5 or 6 people and make the price go even higher.
Is there a simple easy way to make a usable scorp? Like banding steel (spring steel?) on a handle? If it worked half way well, you could replace the blade fairly frequently if the banding steel wears out...??? Just something that I have been thinking about, and I know there are plenty of knifemakers here. How would that work?

Donna

Donna, this isn't technically a scorp, but a bent or hook knife. I picked up a left and right hand farrier's hook, but they had a hook that was almost a 'U turn', so I heated the blades red with a propane torch, then tapped them to the circumference I wanted over a piece of 1/2' pipe, clamped in a vice. *They didn't seem to need any further heat treatment *(I know I may get some flak from the 'purist' knife forgers, but hey, it worked for me) *They maintain a good edge, are not brittle and work real well on working concave surfaces. *

Farrier's hooks can be picked up at tack shops, farm supplies and some hardware stores in farm country for around 10 to 20 bucks a piece, depending on the source. *Either way, they are far more reasonable than the fancy scorps. *


I'll see if I can post a picture in Picturetrail *'Knives' *gimme a while, though

OK, they are posted.

Al

[Randy48]

I don't know how banding steel would work, probably pretty good. I made several different carving knives out of hacksaw blades. They're extremely hard and hold a decent edge. Just starting out, I didn't want to invest in some good knives and then find out I didn't care much for carving. Going on my second week, I've found that I really enjoy carving and decided that my homemade knives were just fine. My Dad gave me an old set of carving chisels and gouges, and I just ordered some more.

Last night I made anther knife from an old bowsaw blade, I'll sharpen it tonight and see how it works

Blackdog, Mine was handmade by a blacksmith.He and I were at an arts and crafts festival and I asked him to make me one. I had to put a handle in it myself. It was years ago, but I still remember it well. His wife came over to the booth and liked some spoons that I had ,so I traded him some spoons for a nice leather apron. Sorry to keep going, but this whole subject brought back memories of the good times before I broke my back and neck.I'm not paralized, but in pain almost constantly now.
groozier,the member who can't stay logged in