skew

Re: skew

Ben Aragon

>I was thinking about getting a P&N 30mm (1 1/8") skew, how thick is the blade.

thanks,

Ben

I love skews

Ron in Drums PA

>I love skews, I have 7 of them

The two that I use the most is my 1/4" round and my 1/2" flat with the edges rounded over. I have a 3/4" oval which is nice for planing. I like my 3/4" flat for pealing. I have a 1" flat for scraping. I made a 3/8 round which doesn't really work well for me, I've been thinking of grinding a curve and see if it's any better. I have a mutant skew which I rarely use.

I sharpen all my skews by hand. I tried jigs and sanding discs, but I find I get the best edge if I hold them to a grinding wheel. I'm getting better, I get a good edge now about 95% of the time.

I find for pealing and planing If I use a bevel about twice as long and it is thick works well for me. For scraping I find a bevel about a long as it is thick as is the best.

Hated Skews

Glenn Hodges

>Because I got catches so bad until I bought the P & N 1 1/8 in. skew, ground it to a slight radius. Then I stopped getting catches, bought another one and did not grind the ends. I can use it with no problems, go figure. I think it is because I have lost my fear of them, and because I use it so much. I never grind my skews, I sharpen them with a coarse diamond credit card sharpener.

Nashville, Ga

Re: skew

Wayne Leach

>Ben,

I got the 1-1/8 skew a year ago and am impressed with the quality! It is 5/16" thick and very tough!

Regards, Wayne

Re: skew

John Lucas

>Brad

I find either skew easy for truing up cylinders. I keep the tool handle on my hip and just control the tool from there. doesn't seem to matter which skew i use big or small, curved or straight. In my demo's I do this with a hand chisel, pocket knife and broad hatchet just to show that a cutting edge is a cutting edge, doesn't matter what it's on.

Re: skew sharpening

John Lucas

>Brad

That's how I sharpened mine for years when I had the shopsmith because I didn't have any other way to sharpen tools. In fact the disc is great because you can sharpen toward the middle for High Carbon tools to keep from burning them and then use the outer edges for HSS. Gives a flat bevel instead of concave.

Re: skew

Keith Tompkins

>HI John, another great topic....but hey, I thought we were all bowl turners! LOL.

A couple of things....if the skew won't cut while turning the lathe by hand, the tool isn't sharp enough.

I think a slow rpm is good for beginners....less likely to get a monster catch.

For a great peeling cut: grind a skew straight across, like a wood chisel. with the bevel rubbing, just raise the handle. It will turn beads but this is an aggressive tool, not for the faint of heart.

ALL of my skews are yard sale items.

Re: skew

Ken Grunke from SW WI

>My 1" skew gets used the most, I've been turning a lot of eggs lately just to practice sake. After I put a curve at the short point end, I was amazed how I could go all the way around to center on a rolling cut without catching, repeatedly. You know how easy it is to do that with a gouge, well, the skew became much like a gouge in my mind--simply swing and twirl the blade around to keep the bevel rubbing near the short point, keep the edge above that away from the wood just like a gouge. At first I needed to keep my eye on the skew to maintain control, rather than looking at the horizon of the cut like you're supposed to do.

I also have 3/8" and 1/2" round skews--don't use the 1/2 much, the bevel is too fat. Love the 3/8" round skew, for tight spots and finish cuts.

I hone often with a diamond lap and then use an MDO polishing disc in a cheap tabletop drill press--loaded with white polishing compound, on the face of the disc mostly, also the edge sometimes. This gives the edge a gleaming mirror finish sharper than an X-acto blade, I swear.

A couple weeks ago, I made 4 short video clips of different skew cuts, see them at:

http://www.token.crwoodturner.com/skew/

I'm turning poplar, which makes it easier looking than maple of course!

Re: skew

tek-Brunswick, Ohio

>Yes, Wayne is right it is 5/16" thick. The best recomendation I can give it is: If I broke or lost mine I'd buy another. I bought mine unhandeled and made a hickory handle for it. It's a big blade it kind of feels like turning with a sword!

Re: skew

Fog Tanner

>Ric,

That's doable. All we need is a minilathe. I turned some at last years wood show. I made boxes this year. It doesn't take long to make the light pull though, so we would probably spend more time talking about the skew. But, I'm sure we could make a program out of it.

Fog