Brief description

A scraper is a unifacial stone tool (worked primarily on one side) designed with a steep, durable edge. It was essential for processing materials like animal hides and wood.

Use / Function

Hide Processing: Removing flesh and fat from animal skins (fleshing) and softening them for Leather production (part of Tanning).
Woodworking: Shaping wooden shafts for spears or arrows, and smoothing surfaces.
Fiber Processing: Stripping bark or processing plant fibers for cordage.

Operating principle

Abrasion/Shearing: The steep edge acts as a plane. When dragged across a surface under pressure, it removes thin layers of material (shavings) without cutting deep or getting stuck, unlike a knife.

How to create it

Flake Production: Strike a suitable core stone to produce a large, thick flake.
Edge Selection: Choose a naturally sharp edge on the flake.
Retouching: Use a soft hammer (bone or antler) or a pressure flaker to chip away small flakes along the edge from one side only. This creates a steep, reinforced edge that resists chipping during heavy use.
Hafting (Optional): Attach the scraper to a wooden or bone handle using resin and lashings for better leverage.

Materials needed

Stone Flake: Flint, chert, or obsidian.
Retouching Tool: Antler tine, bone, or small stone.
(Optional) Handle: Wood or bone.
(Optional) Adhesive: Resin or pitch.

Variants and improvements

End Scraper: The working edge is on the narrow end of the flake (common for hide working).
Side Scraper: The working edge is on the long side (common for woodworking).
Thumb Scraper: A small, thumbnail-sized scraper.
Modern Scraper: Metal blades used in carpentry and painting.
Metal Scraper: A manual precision tool used to flatten the ways of Lathes and Milling Machines, removing minuscule high spots to achieve perfect flatness and oil retention.

Limits and risks

Dulling: The edge dulls relatively quickly and requires frequent resharpening (retouching).
Fatigue: Using a hand-held scraper for long periods is tiring for the fingers and wrist.
Specific Utility: Not suitable for cutting or chopping; it is a specialized finishing tool.