Drawknife in lieu of skew?

Re: Drawknife in lieu of skew?

Andrew Hilton

>I use a drawknife and spokeshave in demonstrations. The spokeshave is fairly useless. It'll cut a little but not much. Not like a handplane (which I use and teach extensively for use in production, large-scale spindle work) that works well in a limited capacity.

For the drawknife, it does cut pretty good once you get the handle (in fact, two handles!) on it. But it's very limited in its use as well. It's good for smoothing long straight areas or tapers. Very shallow and long coves can be done alright too. Other than that, it just can't be used. It's certainly no replacement for the highly versatile skew! Learn to use a skew. You'll be greatly rewarded. Find somebody that knows how to use it to help you if need be. It'll take an hour of hands-on instruction and you'll be doing things with the skew that you thought impossible.

Oh, yes, the drawknife certainly CAN catch. Oh, yes! The mechanism is the same as with a skew. You just happen to have a very very long skew edge with the drawknife. You can still catch and get into trouble here if not careful. I'd recommend against the drawknife. But try it yourself (carefully) and see if it works for you anyway.

Cocobolo is pretty hard and dense, yes. It'll dull your tools moderately quickly in the grand scheme of things. I wouldn't say that your Crown tools are crappy. Normally, they're good. Make sure you sharpen well and often. Many times all it takes is a honing every once in awhile instead of a full sharpening.

Re: Drawknife in lieu of skew?

Bob Hackett

>I don`t know as I`d try a drawknife as a turning tool.First,you`re going to dull/wear a small area of the carbon steel blade.Second,how will you register it on the toolrest for control?Third,it seems dangerous just thinking about it.If the cut spirals away or pulls the blade in your hand and body will be drawn toward the turning spindle and trapped by the toolrest,not a good thing.

I would suggest that if you must try it,have a friend turn the spindle by hand first so you can see what the cut is going to do if it goes wrong(a technique I use whenever I`m in doubt of a new cut or tool).

I use the skew very infrequently.I find I can do most everything I need to do with either a gouge or bedan,tools I`m more comfortable with.

I suppose the day will come when I will have to master the skew.I`ve been able to avoid it for better than 10 years so far,maybe that`s why I have so many different gouges.

Mainely,Bob

PS

Bob Hackett

>Be sure to use a good respirator if you`re turning cocobolo.

I forget who said it but"There are two types of turners,those who are allergic to cocobolo and those who will be."The dust is NASTY stuff if you don`t already know.

Mainely,Bob

Re: PS

Keith Tompkins

>After you master the drawknife, try a hatchet! LOL

Re: PS

Keith Tompkins

>I was just recently having a bit of fun with a turning buddy of mine....I bet him I could turn anything he could, just using a hatchet! I never thought of a drawknife.( Now you know why I thought this post was funny) In the old days, a plane was used with two tool rests to smooth cylinders.

Re: Drawknife in lieu of skew?

John Lucas

>I use a draw knife, carpenters chisel and side hatchet when demonstrating the skew. The techniques are the same. Anchor, bevel, cut. Actually with the drawknife you don't have to anchor it to the tool rest. The leverage from the length and holding it with 2 hands is enough. It's fun and easy to control because you have really long bevel.

All 3 of these tools will catch if you come off the bevel just like the skew. I agree they won't replace the skew but it is interesting turning with them.

Re: PS

Bob Hackett

>Funny you should mention the hachet trick,I`ve done it and other turning parlor tricks myself,although John Jordan`s hollowing a bowl using the "belly button" technique is the best I`ve seen yet.The truth is I`m better with a hachet than I am with a small skew.;^)

I`ve also seen pics of barrel lathes where a concave soled plane was hung by a rod from the overhead and used to true up the almost finished barrel.How`d you like to have that job?

I wonder if the folks over at OSHA have some of these old pics up on the walls in thier offices.

Mainely,Bob

Shhhh !

Fred in NC

>Please don't mention that name, I don't think we want them around !!!

I think most of us are very safety counscious, but that agency goes to some extremes.

Re: Hatchet you say?

Andrew Hilton

>Something along these lines? A poor frame grab from a project of mine as of late.

BTW, if anybody is interested in part of the video file that these came from (about 1.5 minutes), email me. I'll send it to you. Very poor quality Windows Media Player file: around .5 MB

Size increases dramatically depending on quality and type of file you need. I can make any kind. The DV file of the whole presentation on the hatchet is over 800 MB.

Re: Hatchet you say # 2

Andrew Hilton

>And starting the halves of 2 beads with the hatchet....