"Concerned", as in "As Far As I'm Concerned".
They are very handy to have around the shop.
I'd recommend you get a Hock burnisher. He supplies the rod and you make the handle for it. I've had one since I first started using scrapers and it's oneof my "old reliable" tools.
The LV thing is OK, but I prefer to do it the old-fashioned way. I put different-sized hooks on different edges of my scrapers, and it's easier to control with a standard burnisher.
Absolutely. Your hook is only as good as the prepared edge. Take a little extra time to do that right and you'll have better results. Don't do it and you'll be frustrated with scrapers.
And yes, you should draw the hook first.
Chuck Vance