Drawknives?

Re: Drawknives?

Kevin French

I buy only the old ones at yard sales

Drawknives?

Tom Colligan

You bet, Joe. Barr Specialty Tools. His YouTube videos are a great resource especially how he sharpens one.

https://barrtools.com/

Re: Drawknives?

Kevin Adams

Of the new ones, I think Jason Lonon is making some very nice tools, including drawknives. Mostly bevel up, very sharp and holds good edge.

Thanks.

Kevin

Re: Drawknives?

Jack Guzman from Maine

I use a drawknife every day building windsor chairs. Barr tools would be my first choice. Lie-Nielsen also makes them as do other tool makers. The best drawknives I have though I bought used. Witherby makes a very nice one but there are many makers that produced quality tools. I look for blades that weren't worn away with excessive sharpening,keeping most of their original shape.

Re: Drawknives?

TomD

I bought a Barr back when he was only making them for log work, but he made a size he called carving.

When my sister was young she refused to play with her doll called Chatty Baby, because she correctly surmised that the speech giving pull cord would some day break. My mother got her to cut the cord, so that it would be broken from that point on and she could enjoy it. I had the same thing with the best drawknife I own, it is cracked in the metal off the handle. It shows signs of having been beaten into service as a froe. Rather than use it till it did break, or do a risky repair, I bought the Barr, which is the nearest thing to it that I have found.

The main issue is what kind of drawknife do you want. I like the ones that have a crossection like the wing of a plane (a bit like the head of and axe viewed from above). But also popular are one that have a simple chisel grind, like a power jointer knife.

I once saw a display of all the broad axes that Gransford makes, there were 7 of them (at least those were the ones they had on display at the Cottage Show). There seems to be something like that with handles on drawknives, because one can get the blade one likes but the handles are set to use the bevel up or down, etc...

But the Barr works for me. Like the others who have responded, the best ones come from antiques, if you can find one, and they are, or were, a lot cheaper. I bought my Barr around 2002 and the steel was relatively soft. That is not a big deal with most wood I would drawknife. He was also experimenting with things like cryo, so he has probably optimized his tempering at this point.

Re: Drawknives?

Joe shelton

Jack, I decided to take your advice, as I interpreted it. In other words, one of each.

I'm particularly pleased with a couple of rather old ones - a Witherby and a Kimball. They're in such good shape that sharpening will not be drudgery.

So far only practicing whittling spindles. One day, 'fore long, I'm going to build Curtis Buchanan's democratic chair. When I christen it, I'll name it republican, and everyone will like it.

Democratic Chair

Jack Guzman from Maine

That democratic chair is a good start. It is mostly drawknife work.

Practice on green wood. It is a lot easier.

Re: Drawknives?

Derek Cohen (in Perth, Australia)

Lie Nielsen have been selling drawknives based on a 7" Witherby.

I have two favourite drawknives, one is the vintage 7" Witherby, and a very similar one by Pexto. I was using the latter this past weekend ...

Regards from Perth

Derek

Re: Drawknives?

Joe shelton

I'd like to see pictures of that chair, Derek. LN isn't supplying drawknives at the moment, and have even removed mention of them from their site.

But they'll be back; I'm waiting..

Re: Drawknives?

Derek Cohen (in Perth, Australia)

I'd like to see pictures of that chair, Derek. LN isn't supplying drawknives at the moment, and have even removed mention of them from their site.

But they'll be back; I'm waiting..

Joe, they appear to be available on the Australian LN website: https://www.lie-nielsen.com.au/index.php?route=product/search&search=drawknife

The "chair" is actually three Wharton Esherick-style stools in Hard Maple (not the same as the shop stool).

Nine stretchers to do ...

Regards from Perth

Derek

Re: Drawknives?

roger lance

Derek.....If you click on the individual drawknife in your link, you'll find they are unavailable there as well.....with no certain timeline for future manufacture.

We can still buy the leather case in the States though.

Re: Drawknives?

roger lance

Lee Valley has some drawknives for sale......including a 4" Carvers Drawknife.

Any comments on these tools? Is that 4" tool suitable for most general shaping tasks on a chair/stool seat for example?

Re: Drawknives?

David Weaver

Just my opinion, but if you start using a drawknife like that on long pieces, you're going to want to skew it and the 4" cutting length is going to start to seem way too short.

Re: Drawknives?

Jack Guzman from Maine

For shaping seats you want a larger knife. I use my 4" carvers knife for delicate details. It will work but its kind of like digging ar hole with a spoon.

Re: Drawknives?

Don Stephan

If those afe for patients, they may not come back for a second consult.

Sorry, couldn't control myself. Must be covid fatigue.

Re: Drawknives?

Derek Cohen (in Perth, Australia)

Don, I’ve found that parents love it when I recommend an electric cattle prod or Taser as a strategy for dealing with their unruly children. They all know that I am joking, but it releases a lot of frustrations.

Regards from Perth

Derek