A carbon scraper, a method of manufacturing a system with a carbon scraper, and method of scraping carbon from a piston of an internal combustion engine are provided. The carbon escaper includes an outer annular metallic shell portion having an annular recess therein. The annular scraper also includes an inlaid thermal barrier coating portion positioned within the annular recess of the outer annular metallic shell portion such that the inlaid thermal barrier coating portion is concentric with an outer annular metallic shell portion.