Turning Archive

Subject:
I have and use several different skews.

Don Orr
I use oval section skews a lot for fine details. The included angle is as they came from the manufacturer, probably about 25 deg. I only hone them with the Lacer diamond slip stone and strop on leather charged with white diamond buffing compound. (An old carvers technique). These rarely go to the grinder unless I get a nick in the edge. I like the straight edge and flat bevel on these as well as the really sharp long point.

I use a 1/4" round skew like the Rosand style (got the steel from him and the directions on how to make it) for really little things. Also a straight edge and flat bevel that is honed and stropped.

I have the large Lacer skew for big planing cuts and roughing.

My actual favorite is-wait for it-a Harbor Freight skew from the cheap "HSS" set. I modified it into a Lacer-like profile. Rounded edge on the short side and slightly eased edge on the long side with a curved cutting edge and an included angle of about 30-35 deg. and a slightly convex bevel. This is also only honed and stropped as above. I put a nice long fat handle on it and this thing cuts like butta. Edge retention is not fantastic but a quick hone and strop and back to work. (See a pattern here?)

I saw Keith demo his V-Skew and it works as advertised. Didn't get to try it yet.

Then there are the parting tools and bedans used as mini skews as well as the British-termed beading & parting tool also used in skew fashion as mentioned in an above post.

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