Ol Bastard Jig Sharp Scraper (STD1)

If you're familiar with the humble paint scraper, you know just how useful it is for quickly removing dried paint, varnish, caulking and glue, re-shaping details in existing wood trim, or even to level a bit of wood when there isn't any sandpaper, hand plane or chisel at hand. 

One of the hassles with scrapers is that they can quickly dull, particularly when you're working multiple layers of cured paint. The Ol Bastard Jig Sharp Scraper (STD1) offers you a two-fold solution - a great scraper coupled with a unique, portable sharpener. Made of a high impact ABS plastic, this cleverly designed scraper set should give years of reliable service.

Contoured handle for ease of use

Replaceable blade attaches to a replaceable bushing

The Ol Bastard scraper has a 1-1/2" replaceable steel blade. The blade sits on a replaceable self-lubricating bushing. The blades are pretty inexpensive (3 for $5), so it's a good idea to order a set when you purchase your Ol Bastard. Unless you scrape for hours every day the blades will last for eons. Replacing blades is simply a matter of removing a screw. Couldn't be easier. The handle on the scraper is nicely designed, and I can imagine that it would be comfortable to use for long periods of time.

I used the scraper for periods of about fifteen minutes each, and really liked how it felt in my hands. The handle is lightly contoured with a nice concave depression on the neck, which means you can bear down on the tool when your scraping calls for a bit of extra persuasion. A hole on the end of the handle enables you to hand the scraper on a shop wall.

There are instructions on the Ol Bastard web site that show you how to quickly ease the leading edges of the blade to avoid digging into stock. Or you can leave one corner square to make it a bit more effective for digging into corners or cleaning up sharp edges on trim work.

Ease the edges for gouge free scraping

Devilishly simple sharpener design that works like a charm

The sharpener is essentially a holder with a bastard grade mill file (28 cuts per inch) and a steel rod along which the bushing in the scraper rides. Unless you've seriously nicked the blade, sharpening takes well under a minute. Five or six swipes of the scraper across the file and your done. The benefit of this holder is that it both holds and guides the scraper across the file at the correct sharpening angle. Perfect results every time you sharpen. Eventually the teeth on the file will wear down; at that point just turn the file over, and your good to go again. A replacement file costs $8.50. By the way, you have to assemble the holder, but it's very easy, taking under five minutes.

Bastard grade mill file gives a crisp clean edge on your blade

Half a dozen passes across the blade and your back to work

The Ol Bastard is a slick, well designed tool that does what it claims to do, and does it exceedingly well. Small and light enough to fit easily into your tool bag or box.

Reviewed September 2010