Shear Scrapper by Tom Cadwalader

I was looking through the newest issue of the Woodturners catalog the other day.  In the tool selection guide I saw a Shear Scrapper.  The description read:

"A shear scrapper is simular to a standard scrapper with the burr on top side of the tool used to cut the wood.  Shear scrappers have a semi-rounded underside that allows you to roll the scrapper on it's side, which changes the angle of the cut from scrapping to a shearing cut resulting in a smoother surface in some cases"

This tweaked my interest, as I had just had a very difficult time with some end grain tear out issues in the las few pieces I had turned.  I looked through the various tools offered,  including those that were endorsed or somehow designed by well known turners.  To my surprise there were hardly any shear scrappers offered.  Why weren't all of them offering shear scrappers ?  Maybe they aren't the answer to my tear out problem after all.

Shear scraping has to be better than scrapping.  How are other turners getting the shearing cut from their scrappers.  I have seen our demonstrators making shearing cuts with gouges, but scrappers don't normally have rounded bottoms.  Are others modifying their scrappers to allow them to be rolled into a shearing position ?

I welcome others to comment,  all of this sanding of end grain tear-out is not fun.

Tom Cadwalader

Some new turnings by Tom Cadwalader

An Ash bowl ( or open vessel ?)  12" x 4 1/2"  The textured banding is  also has ruby Rub'N Buff for contrast.

Cherry Burl natural edge bowl.  5 1/2" x 4 "

Open Vessels from spalted pecan.

The larger one is 9 " x 5" and the smaller one is 4 1/2" x 2 3/4"