I made my first two reeds today and while I know
they are both full of mistakes, I had the biggest problem
forming the V of the reeds. When scraping with a utility knife
upwards toward the binding I kept snapping off large strips of
cane. Is there a special way to scrape upward, or should I be scraping towards the lips of the reed? 
i was at a tionol recentley & alan burton was there doing a reed making session & i am positive he was using a very very sharp blade & scraping toward the the lips.
albert
Toward the lips. Start a third of the way up from the lips for the length of V you’re going to make. Scrape down toward the lips. Then go to two thirds the way up from the lips. Scrape towards the lips again. Finally scrape from the top of the length of the V you want and scrape towards the lips.
Get some of the many handy reedmaking manuals that are available free on the net or for purchase from places like NPU. There’s tons of info out there. None of it, of course, is as good as going to a tionól and getting help first hand.
Here is a list of some of the reedmaking help that is available:
http://uilleannforum.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=94&sid=87f902120ab0f5496238c0f1025d8cfa
djm
Newby alert
Use a very sharp blade, (hard backed razorblade is good) scrape down towards the lips. Hold the blade vertical or very near,
don’t cut but scrape.
dont put much vertical pressure or you will leave cuts in the surface. Gently ‘drag’ the blade and remove small quantities of cane.
Work until you achieve the correct shape with the correct lip thickness.
Good luck.
Les.
Page 32 (bottom) of this manual (http://swaup.mogsoft.com/reedscreen.pdf) has a method for shaping the scrape that works great for me.
DJones
It might be easier to form the V by sanding and then make fine adjustments to it by scraping.
There might be something helpful here:
http://uilleannforum.com/forums/viewforum.php?f=4
http://swaup.mogsoft.com/reedscreen.jpg
You might also want to ask our worthy moderator and Lord of Arundo
thank you all,
It helps a lot. I made another reed today(scraping the right direction this time) and it wasn’t as horrible as the first two but the ‘C#’ and ‘D’ in the first octave were extremely weak and didn’t sound at all with pressure. I cut the lips back a little but that only made it worse. Any suggestions?
-Aidan
P.S.
There might be something helpful here:
I was looking for this forum but could not find it (I looked on Chiff and Fipple) Thanks 
Try this link:
‘C#’ and ‘D’ in the first octave were extremely weak and didn’t sound at all with pressure.
Make sure the sides of the reed head are airtight and also check the bridle.
Recently I noticed my back D going weak and I couldn’t find the problem untill I discovered the bridle was a pinch loose. I gave her a squeeze and she’s singing since.
It could be a natural weak spot in the cane’s fibres at the tip of the reed. I’d go ahead and make another reed head. It’s good practise anyway.
Also make a load of gouged or sanded reed heads. Just so you don’t have to go all the way back to the start when you do have to make a new head.
Patience is the name of this game…
Tommy