Which engineer’s scraper should
you choose?

Shop for Engineer’s Scrapers

Blade type

Whilst a triangular scraper can be used for most scraping, flat and curved blade scrapers can often be quicker and easier for certain scraping tasks.

Scraper size

Scraper length and width

An engineer’s scraper’s size usually refers to its length, which is measured from the tip of the blade to the base of the handle.

Engineer’s scrapers can range in length from 100mm (4″) to 430mm (17″), longer ones being used mainly for frosting whilst smaller ones are often used to scrape awkward and less accessible areas of a workpiece.

The width of the scraper blade can vary between 20mm (3/4″) and 30mm (1-1/4″) approx. Wider scraper blades are used for rough initial scraping, whilst narrower blades are used for more accurate work.

Physique and personal preference

As a general rule, someone who is taller will have longer arms, and require a longer scraper, just as a taller cricketer will tend to use a larger bat.

The type of scraper you are using

If you are scraping in tight areas, such as inside a bearing with a curved blade scraper, then you may want to use a shorter scraper than if you were scraping a flat plate with a flat blade scraper.

If you are using a triangular scraper for scraping up to the edge or into a corner of a flat surface, then it should be of a similar length to the flat blade scraper. Likewise, it should be shorter and about the same size as a curved blade scraper if it is being used on a curved surface.

Frosting, flaking or scraping

Frosting or flaking a surface normally requires the use of a longer scraper than when scraping a surface, because of the technique needed for frosting.

Personal preference

Selecting the size of scraper you want to use is a balancing act between these factors and, most importantly, personal preference, as there is no point in using a scraper you do not feel comfortable with.