Draw knife? (EDIT- and sharpening question)

[ear3]

Just a basic question about what the best draw knives are.  Given the relatively simple design, it's hard to figure out how much better say the Lie Nielsen blade is at $170 than something I could get from Veritas in the 50-70 dollar range.

Also, any recommendations on sharpening fixtures for the draw knife?

 

[stvrowe]

I like the Barr Drawknife.  This is the one I have:  Barr Drawknife

No sharpening jigs are necessary, I just use a small handheld diamond stone to touch up the edge.
Steve

 

[derekcohen]

The LN is a beautiful drawknife. It is expensive, but worth the money if you want to spend the money.

On the other hand, drawknives are so plentiful that you can pick up ones in excellent condition for next to nothing. I have a couple of 7" and 8" Witherby drawknives, which are the one the LN is copied from. Pexto is another brand I have (about $30), and these are excellent ...

For sharpening, the only jig I know of is the DrawSharp, of which I have heard good reports. I purchased one from LN (but have not yet used it). I generally hollow grind the blades and then freehand them with stones (your choice).

Here is a sharpening pictorial: http://www.inthewoodshop.com/WoodworkTechniques/SharpeningADrawknife.html

Regards from Perth

Derek

 

[ear3]

Thanks. Gonna look at the Lie Nielsen.

 

[charley1968]

Here's a stupid question: what does one do with a drawknife?

 

[copcarcollector]

I am pretty sure this, or a similar tool, is used to peel logs ie: log cabins...  (Or smaller pieces of wood!)

 

[charley1968]

Thankee, [member=18038]copcarcollector[/member] !

 

[rvieceli]

[member=23615]charley1968[/member]

in the hands of some one who knows what they are doing the draw knife can do a lot, mostly carving and shaping.

Here's an example:


It is also used in chair making along with a shave horse to shape legs, rungs and spokes.



Ron

 

[Michael Kellough]

Greenlee is also a good name if looking for used tools.

It seldom happens in this order but I think starting with a drawknife is the best way to begin woodworking.

 

[leakyroof]

I think I bought mine from Tools for Working Wood.  They were offering one for a while that was ,for me anyway, a superb value and holds an edge well too.  I want to say it's made in England[ not a Crown tool]  Same as you bought, Ray Iles. I think it's the Gent model as I'm a bit of a sucker for Boxwood handles.... [big grin]https://www.toolsforworkingwood.com/store/item/MS-IDRAWK.XX

 

[ear3]

Was down near tools for working wood earlier today, so after talking with them I decided to go with the brand they stock, and from which I have a couple of chisels already, Ray Iles [Yes, English -- from the tool mecca Sheffield, at least originally]. Gonna try sharpening it up later -- don't have much experience free hand sharpening, but I figure a draw knife edge is pretty difficult to mess up.

EDIT: Coincidentally cross posted this with [member=10952]leakyroof[/member]

 

[leakyroof]

Was down near tools for working wood earlier today, so after talking with them I decided to go with the brand they stock, and from which I have a couple of chisels already, Ray Iles. Gonna try sharpening it up later -- don't have much experience free hand sharpening, but I figure a draw knife edge is pretty difficult to mess up.

EDIT: Coincidentally cross posted this with [member=10952]leakyroof[/member]

  Too Funny- we were circling each other...

 

[mouppe]

I love my Auriou drawknife. Depending on the angle of the handles relative to the blade, a drawknife can be bevel-up or bevel-down. The Auriou is somewhere in the middle which allows it to be used both ways.

I use my drawknife a lot. For heavy work and fine work. I used to sharpen it freehand, but now I use the Galbert drawsharp. It's well worth the price.

 

[ear3]

So I spent some time yesterday trying to tune up the knife -- was cut short though when the lower back issues I have began to flare up, and I was forced to take to my bed to give it a rest. Gonna continue today back permitting, but I had some questions about sharpening. So I am still at the back lapping stage. The back wasn't very flat and after 15 to 20 minutes this what I had:

View attachment 1

Another 20 minutes took care of most of, except a portion towards the left side of the edge, and a small sliver near the middle of the edge:

View attachment 2

So my question is about the proper way to work out these remain spots. Since only part of the blade is in contact with the stone at any given time, I'm worried that if I just work one part of the edge that it will create a separate plane and/or curve the blade slightly since the overworked part will have less of an edge. So should I just continue lapping the whole blade, moving it across the stone back and forth as I go? The only downside to this is simply the extra amount of time it will take -- so I guess I'm asking if it is safe to go with the shortcut and just work the area with the remaining depressions, or whether there is no shortcut in the end.  Thanks.

 

[nclemmons]

Hope the back flare up improves.  Nothing worse than back pain when trying to get some woodworking done...

On the sharpening, did you see this video?

 

[ear3]

Thanks [member=167]neilc[/member] What I gather from this video is that you can free form on the back as well to achieve the sort of crown he recommends.  I'm going to try to get the back completely flat first, and then maybe after using it a bit try to see if the way I use the tool could benefit from this method of profiling the back.

I can see how useful a shave horse might be in the sharpening process.  Too bad I don't really have room in my shop.

 

[Michael Kellough]

A draw knife is not a plane. The back doesn't need to be perfectly flat or straight. You'll never have more than a couple of inches of the edge embedded in wood unless you have the back of an Olympic rower.

A well used draw knife will be concave in the middle because that is where it's used and sharpened most. As you resharpen the worn middle you'll naturally get closer to sharpening that bad patch near the edge. Don't waste away the middle to sharpen a section you'll hardly ever need.

 

[leakyroof]

A draw knife is not a plane. The back doesn't need to be perfectly flat or straight. You'll never have more than a couple of inches of the edge embedded in wood unless you have the back of an Olympic rower.

A well used draw knife will be concave in the middle because that is where it's used and sharpened most. As you resharpen the worn middle you'll naturally get closer to sharpening that bad patch near the edge. Don't waste away the middle to sharpen a section you'll hardly ever need.

  Well said MK.  ...  [not worthy]

 

[ear3]

That sounds logical.  Thanks.

A draw knife is not a plane. The back doesn't need to be perfectly flat or straight. You'll never have more than a couple of inches of the edge embedded in wood unless you have the back of an Olympic rower.

A well used draw knife will be concave in the middle because that is where it's used and sharpened most. As you resharpen the worn middle you'll naturally get closer to sharpening that bad patch near the edge. Don't waste away the middle to sharpen a section you'll hardly ever need.