Regarding scrapers, over 40+ years ago, I started out in woodworking trades, served an apprenticeship (4 years), left the trade around 1990, and started my manufacturing plant (powder metal, metaltech-pm.com) where I remain today.
Anyhow, through the years, I've used a variety of scrapers, both carbon steel and glass. For an uninitiated novice, I would try my hand at a steel card scraper, (curved). Look for one as thin and flexible as possible. Glass definietly will work, but one must be careful to not have any uneven or otherwise jagged edge, lest you created a gouge in the stock. Plus, there is a high likelihood of unintentonally dyeing part of the stock a bright red.
For a novice, I would try working my way up through grits of sandpaper, making sure to absolutely stay with the grain and not missing a grit. When you think you're done, have another go at it with the finest paper you got, then wet the stock with mineral spirits to see if you have any scratches going cross-grain.
But for me, if the face of the stock is flat, I would carefully experimeny with a scraper, first making sure the stock is firmly held, with you standing at the butt end, pulling the scraper towards you (lighly, till you get the hang of it). You get it to cut by tilting the top towards you, while pulling towards you. Get a scraper with a prepared edge, otherwise you will need to do that chore. Someone mentioned Woodcraft, and you should be able to find one there for about $10.00. Any further wuestions, PM me and I'll try to help.