Need help sanding Vanguard laser cut oars

[brunnels]

I'm needing some help sanding some laser cut oars I purchased from Vanguard models.  I have been trying to sand off the char and shape the oar handles to be more round but pretty much no matter what I try I end up snapping a part of the oar as they are so small and fragile.  How do you all normally shape the handles or even just remove the char without breaking these little guys?  I have tried using 240 and 400 grit sandpaper, but no luck so I figured I would seek help from the veterans of the hobby before I break anymore. 

 

 

[Keith Black]

 Before you remove them you might try gently rounding the handle edges with the tip of your X-Acto knife which may also remove some of the char. I don't see how you can round the handles once they're removed. As far as removing all the char, the only solution I see is painting them a color that resembles wood.

 

 Did you ask Chris? 

Edited April 24 by Keith Black

[Scottish Guy]

I use a nail fail (the flexible ones) for things like that. I cut them out, lay them flat onto a surface and gentle use the nail fail to file things like the oars (or in my case the small ribs). You need to fix the oar very firm with your hand at the spot where you intent to file. Otherwise use sanding sticks (they come most likely in a sortiment of different grits) because they are very flexible themselves so you can´t put too much force in smaller things or they just break. But that´s how I do smaller things, gentle, with patience and always a firm grip on the spot you want to file down.

Keith idea also sounsd very good, to try to shape them already while they are still in sheet.

 

Micha

[allanyed]

Have you or any other member tried scraping rather than sanding these oars?  Similar to scraping a planked hull or deck, a stiff back razor blade or scalpel blade can be controlled more easily at times and might give you better results.

Allan

[Scottish Guy]

38 minutes ago, allanyed said:

Have you or any other member tried scraping rather than sanding these oars?  Similar to scraping a planked hull or deck, a stiff back razor blade or scalpel blade can be controlled more easily at times and might give you better results.

 

Sounds like a really good way to do it as well Allan. Thank you for that idea. I mean, I did it a few times with other wood working stuff but never thought about the tiny stuff to do it with a scalpel for example.

 

Micha

[oakheart]

I too have used a sanding stick, just a home made one, scrap of planking with sandpaper double sided to it.

Place them flat on the cutting board and roll them round lengthways making sure they are always supported as you rub the sanding stick along the length.

Practice on a bit of scrap that you cut from the sheet first.

 

Tim

[brunnels]

Thanks for all the suggestions, a sanding stick didn't even cross my mind and I think I have a few.  I'm not sure if scraping would work unless I use really light pressure, I have pulled one of the oars handles apart just from pulling a piece of sandpaper down the oar so I'm not sure they are strong enough for a razor, but I will give it a shot.