There are so many paint scrapers on the market it may be hard to decide which one is right for you. As a restoration contractor who has spent countless hours scraping paint and has employed over a hundred of craftsmen who do the same, there are very few scrapers that make the cut for me.
Life is too short and the payback too little to use a sub-standard paint scraper. So here is my list of the best paint scrapers for 2024 to help you pick the best one for the job and save you the pain of using a bad scraper.
ProScraper
For over 10 years this has been my absolute favorite paint scraper. Its rock solid hardened plastic body can handle any amount of torque and many of mine have lasted through years of abuse. I’ve even driven over a couple with my truck (long story) and they survived.
It comes with a 2” reversible carbide blade which means you get extra mileage compared to the quick to dull steel blades. When the blade finally wears out you can buy inexpensive replacements and easily swap them out.
The best part about the ProScraper is its hollow body vacuum design that attaches to your shop vac (you may need an adapter) which allows you to keep the work area clean and practice lead safe work keeping you safer and your job site cleaner. You can buy it here.
Bahco 625
The Bahco pocket scraper has been around for a long time and for good reason. This paint scraper is probably one of the most ergonomic and comfortable scrapers I have ever used. It fits so nicely in my hand and is very solid construction.
I particularly like the extremely sharp blades and the option to change out blades for different profiles. It excels at getting the most flexibility of profiles you can scrape with the fewest blade changes. The nifty belt holster it comes with really is super useful as well. This one rocks for detail work! You can buy it here.
Hyde Dust-Free Scraper
This is the new kid on the block made by the perennial paint scraping pros at Hyde to rival the ProScraper. I have to say I was pleasantly surprised by this tool. It is priced similarly to both the ProScraper and Viper, but it also comes with a 6’ hose that will shockingly allow it to attach to my Festool dust collector.
It has a 2 1/2” carbide blade and bigger vacuum mouth than the ProScraper. Overall, it is a significantly bigger scraper which is great for coverage, but if you have smaller hands then it might not be a great option for you. For large flat surfaces like doors this would be a great option. You can buy it here.
Hyde Contour Scraper
This small and versatile scraper comes with 6 different interchangeable hardened steel blades that will allow me to scrape almost any molding imaginable. From window sash to baseboards to dentil moldings one of these blades will work for whatever it is you need to scrape.
It’s relatively inexpensive for the versatility it offers and is great for the small detail work that the larger paint scrapers simply can’t do.
The only issues I have are that replacement blades are not available so you have to buy the whole scraper again when your blade dulls and the plastic body is not quite as tough as I would like for the repeated abuse it gets in my shop. You can buy it here.
Viper Vacuum Scraper
The Viper is just a larger version of the ProScraper with a 2 1/2” blade instead of a 2”. That means more surface area per scrape which is good when I’m scraping large flat areas like doors or wood siding, but it’s tougher for any small details.
It’s a tough scraper to break and has a solid design that is at the top of its game. Largely, when it comes down to comparing the Viper, ProScraper, and Hyde Dust Free it really comes down to personal preference as either will accomplish the same jobs in a relatively similar fashion. The big question is do you like blue or yellow better? You can buy it here.
Flexi-Scraper
Made by Speedheater this solidly built handy little scraper is like a tougher and higher quality version of the Hyde Contour Scraper. Unlike the Hyde it come with 3 profile blades rather than 6, but the design of the blades is extremely versatile and provides nearly the same range of applications.
The blades are hardened steel and not carbide unfortunately, but unlike the Hyde you can buy replacement blades and not the whole tool again.
This tool has another unique feature in that the head can pivot, allowing you to get into otherwise very hard to reach areas. It’s a feature completely unique to this tool I haven’t seen elsewhere. You can buy it here.
Oldfields Carbide Scraper
This scraper has been around a longer than me and as one of the least costly options on this page it win the prize of “best buy” for me. This scraper is 100% metal construction, so it is super stiff and effective at transferring power to the surface, also since it’s metal it will literally never die. Ever.
The scraper also comes with a reversible 2” carbide blade so you get extremely long life to the blades. It does not have any kind of dust collection which means lots of messy paint chips to clean up. Not a great thing if you’re working with lead paint.
An extra bonus is that it has a threaded insert on the bottom of the handle so you can attach it to a pole and scrape hard to reach areas. Not that I get much leverage on the end of an 8’ pole, but it can be useful in a pinch. You can buy it here.
That’s my list for 2024! Tell me what I missed and what you think is the best paint scraper you have used.
Founder & Editor-in-Chief
I love old houses, working with my hands, and teaching others the excitment of doing it yourself! Everything is teachable if you only give it the chance.