skew chisel issue

Re: skew chisel issue

Brad Vietje

Trying to visualize this... Say I'm creating a tenon (spigot) on the tailstock end of a spindle piece, so I have a 3/8" vertical wall of wood to my left, and I've created a tenon 3/8" tall to the right, under the skew chisel edge... Are you suggesting I can then just slide my skew to the left, and remove wood to create a taller foot or spigot? I've never done this, and don't see how this would work, so I must not be following your description.

Can you clarify?

Safe spinning,

Brad Vietje

Newbury, VT

Re: skew chisel issue

eliot feldman

I was just about to post again after I realized that what I did would certainly not work much of the time. Clearly, you can't move sideways the way I described into a STEEP shoulder; I'm talking about a tiny shoulder perhaps a 32end of an inch. Sorry about that.

I'm also trying to vizualize

Geoff Whaling

I'm also trying to vizualize - trying to think more about why you would want to do that (on a spindle blank)?

With a very small step rather than a tennon shoulder, it can be done with both long (toe) & short (heel) points, although the finish may be ordinary. Leading with the short point would produce a better finish.

It can also be done with the long point to a degree with a larger shoulder on a tenon to say take a small relieving Vee in the corner of the shoulder to take out fur that might bind in the dovetail jaws. I use the skew as a negative rake scraper to tidy / true up the tenon on dry face grain bowl blanks.

I think most things can be done with a tool edge if you have a good understanding of the mechanics / physics of the cut. If you understand the hazards of each tool & application it becomes a risk management exercise.

A matter of selecting which technique is the most successful in terms of producing a satisfactory product / result with minimal risk on injury.

Guilio Marcolongo does some very rapid end grain hollowing in hard Australian timbers with a skew to make his signature boxes, and he does exactly what you mention to produce a flat bottom inside the box - a skewed negative rake scraper.

Re: I'm also trying to vizualize

eliot feldman

I wasn't talking about using the skew as a negative rake scraper, but now that you mention it, what I'm talking about LOOKS la little like that -- except that it's not scraping; it's cutting. The bevel is rubbing. Has anyone here used the skew that way?

Re: I'm also trying to vizualize

Geoff Whaling

I hear you, mostly we use it as a NRS. Yes I have used it as a peeling cut using the short point in a similar manner to what you say - more like a slow spiralling peeling cut with the short point leading on some troublesome timbers that don't seem to want to produce a reasonable finish with a slicing skew cut. Long point leading isn't so successful for me.

The comment about Guilio is more about using an "unsuitable" tool / technique for the job, it still works and sometimes it is more efficient.

Re: skew chisel issue

Braden

Is it a flat or oval skew? If it's like many of mine (flat), pushing the skew into the new shoulder will use the corner where the "spine" of the skew meets the hollow grind at about 90 degrees. This is effectively a 90 degree scraper on my larger skews and will cut just fine.

If you have an oval skew the new downward force will rotate the tool much like a traditional catch, but I think this isn't the case.

Are you familiar with angled peeling cuts? Have you tried starting a peeling cut and then rotating the tool to sweep the angle of the cut away from parallel to the spindle?

Re: I'm also trying to vizualize

John K Jordan

>>...a slow spiralling peeling cut with the short point leading on some

>>troublesome timbers that don't seem to want to produce a reasonable

>> finish with a slicing skew cut

This is one of my favorite "go to" repair cuts on long, thin spindles that acquire uneven surface, usually due to hard/soft figure which will bounce the skew bevel and make things progressively worse with the normal planing cut. A pass with the short point can remove the unevenness, rolling up a rough curl but leaving a smooth circumference for the finish pass.

Cutting with the sides of the skew can be cleaner if you dress the side with a flat hone. I think it was Darlow's book where I first read that in addition to the primary edge, a skew has four additional cutting edges we may want to keep sharp.

BTW, I keep a special "skew" chisel especially for some pealing cuts - it has no skew but is ground straight across. I like it better than the similar but narrower bedan and it cuts quicker and cleaner, probably since the edge angle is much smaller/sharper.

JKJ

Re: I'm also trying to vizualize

John C Lucas

Part of my skew chisel test was one ground straight across. I liked it for paring cuts and found it good for turning beads.

Then its not a skew ;-)

Geoff Whaling

... just a wide flat peeling tool. Or you could try a bedan, like Mr Escoulen uses. Very interesting watching his profiency with the bedan and all turning tools.

Re: Then its not a skew ;-)

John K Jordan

Yes, that's why I wrote "skew". But maybe it is in fact a skew, if I didn't hold it exactly perpendicular when sharpening. A skew with a 0.5 degree angle...

As I mentioned, I did compare it to a bedan and I found the straight "skew" cuts better. I do like the bedan for certain things, for example large beads. An expert with the bedan makes it look easy.

BTW, most people I've seen using a bedan in the US hold it upside down, at least compared to Escoulen.

JKJ

My brain is askew

John C Lucas

Obviously if you skew it to about a 45 degree angle for a planing cut it becomes a skew. A true bedan is really just a mortising chisel with the sides ground to a slight relief. Of all the skew like chisels i played with the bedan was my least favorite. Probably just didnt play with it enough. I got one not too long after watching Escoulen use it to turn a trembler. My favorite skew is my mini skew i made from a 3/8" paddle drill bit.