Buying a draw shave

[Dolly Varden]

i am pondering some timber type furniture building- but i dont have a draw knife. shuld i get a new one or get an older type via e bay? i notice that the newer ones seem to be cast with the blade interal to the handles, whereas the older seem to have the blade set onto the handle portion. What is best? Curved or flat? blade length?

[Dolly Varden]

i am pondering some timber type furniture building- but i dont have a draw knife. shuld i get a new one or get an older type via e bay? i notice that the newer ones seem to be cast with the blade interal to the handles, whereas the older seem to have the blade set onto the handle portion. What is best? Curved or flat? blade length?

[Dolly Varden]

i am pondering some timber type furniture building- but i dont have a draw knife. shuld i get a new one or get an older type via e bay? i notice that the newer ones seem to be cast with the blade interal to the handles, whereas the older seem to have the blade set onto the handle portion. What is best? Curved or flat? blade length?

[George Ray]

I do not do much work with a draw knives but have several and the larger ones (aprox 10")both have a bit of curve to the edge. Seems to me that it helps one control the cut but I would be hard put to defend that opinion right now. A small one (4") has a straight blade and that seems to me to be a good thing for rounding small spindles etc, and then there is a 'debarking drw knife' with a 12" straight edge in top view but the bladle is curved in the front view so as to 'wrap around the log a bit'.
Woodcraft and Lee Valley are who I have delt with in the past and I have been pleased with both. Lee Valley seems a bit more old world craft and little less mass commercial.
Perhaps some googleing to find the home sites of some of the draw knife makers such a Pfeil, Sorby, Frost, Flexcut, Dixie, Iltis Oxhead, Two Cherries, would yield more detailed desription and appropriate applications.

Most of these names are new to me but came from the Website of =>www.traditionalwoodworker.com<= They seem to have some fair detailed info on what they sell. Give them a look.

[George Ray]

I do not do much work with a draw knives but have several and the larger ones (aprox 10")both have a bit of curve to the edge. Seems to me that it helps one control the cut but I would be hard put to defend that opinion right now. A small one (4") has a straight blade and that seems to me to be a good thing for rounding small spindles etc, and then there is a 'debarking drw knife' with a 12" straight edge in top view but the bladle is curved in the front view so as to 'wrap around the log a bit'.
Woodcraft and Lee Valley are who I have delt with in the past and I have been pleased with both. Lee Valley seems a bit more old world craft and little less mass commercial.
Perhaps some googleing to find the home sites of some of the draw knife makers such a Pfeil, Sorby, Frost, Flexcut, Dixie, Iltis Oxhead, Two Cherries, would yield more detailed desription and appropriate applications.

Most of these names are new to me but came from the Website of =>www.traditionalwoodworker.com<= They seem to have some fair detailed info on what they sell. Give them a look.

[George Ray]

I do not do much work with a draw knives but have several and the larger ones (aprox 10")both have a bit of curve to the edge. Seems to me that it helps one control the cut but I would be hard put to defend that opinion right now. A small one (4") has a straight blade and that seems to me to be a good thing for rounding small spindles etc, and then there is a 'debarking drw knife' with a 12" straight edge in top view but the bladle is curved in the front view so as to 'wrap around the log a bit'.
Woodcraft and Lee Valley are who I have delt with in the past and I have been pleased with both. Lee Valley seems a bit more old world craft and little less mass commercial.
Perhaps some googleing to find the home sites of some of the draw knife makers such a Pfeil, Sorby, Frost, Flexcut, Dixie, Iltis Oxhead, Two Cherries, would yield more detailed desription and appropriate applications.

Most of these names are new to me but came from the Website of =>www.traditionalwoodworker.com<= They seem to have some fair detailed info on what they sell. Give them a look.

[Canoeyawl]

The older USA folding handle type are very nice it protects you and the edge! They don't bring much on ebay. AJ Wilkenson, Boston (Wilkenson Sword) is one of the best but all of that type I have seen are excellent tools
look for one with little or no rust
Here's one now...
eba y (http://cgi.ebay.com/Adjustable-Handle-10-Inch-Draw-Knife_W0QQitemZ6263908550QQcategoryZ4123QQrdZ1QQcm dZViewItem)
http://i21.ebayimg.com/01/i/06/8e/d2/2e_1.JPG

[Canoeyawl]

The older USA folding handle type are very nice it protects you and the edge! They don't bring much on ebay. AJ Wilkenson, Boston (Wilkenson Sword) is one of the best but all of that type I have seen are excellent tools
look for one with little or no rust
Here's one now...
eba y (http://cgi.ebay.com/Adjustable-Handle-10-Inch-Draw-Knife_W0QQitemZ6263908550QQcategoryZ4123QQrdZ1QQcm dZViewItem)
http://i21.ebayimg.com/01/i/06/8e/d2/2e_1.JPG

[Canoeyawl]

The older USA folding handle type are very nice it protects you and the edge! They don't bring much on ebay. AJ Wilkenson, Boston (Wilkenson Sword) is one of the best but all of that type I have seen are excellent tools
look for one with little or no rust
Here's one now...
eba y (http://cgi.ebay.com/Adjustable-Handle-10-Inch-Draw-Knife_W0QQitemZ6263908550QQcategoryZ4123QQrdZ1QQcm dZViewItem)
http://i21.ebayimg.com/01/i/06/8e/d2/2e_1.JPG

[Bob Smalser]

I use them often, because once you master them, they are lightning fast compared to a plane. You'll get a much better blade for a small fraction of the cost of new buying prewar off of Ebay.

Besides folding handles designed for tool boxes, the two major designs are the German design with offset handles and breasted edge, and the straight drawknife you usually see making shingles:

http://pic3.picturetrail.com/VOL12/1104763/7081299/91882340.jpg

Both work well; the offset handles provide a little more flexibility on hold, is all, and the breasted edge is spose to cut more aggressively, but I can't tell the difference:

http://pic3.picturetrail.com/VOL12/1104763/7081299/91841729.jpg

They are so cheap on Ebay, you can buy a couple of different styles and sizes to see what suits you best. If you have room to work, bigger is better...the short drawknives were made for sculptors working tight spots. PEXTO-PS&W, Worth, Gillespi and Witherby (Karpenter) are four of the best. Ohio Tool, older Greenlee, older Buck, Sargent, Keenkutter, OVB and Fulton are fine. Avoid Dunlap and Eclipse.

Using The Drawknife (http://woodenboat-ubb.com/cgi-bin/UBB/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic&f=1&t=009003&p=)

[ 03-21-2006, 01:12 PM: Message edited by: Bob Smalser ]

[Bob Smalser]

I use them often, because once you master them, they are lightning fast compared to a plane. You'll get a much better blade for a small fraction of the cost of new buying prewar off of Ebay.

Besides folding handles designed for tool boxes, the two major designs are the German design with offset handles and breasted edge, and the straight drawknife you usually see making shingles:

http://pic3.picturetrail.com/VOL12/1104763/7081299/91882340.jpg

Both work well; the offset handles provide a little more flexibility on hold, is all, and the breasted edge is spose to cut more aggressively, but I can't tell the difference:

http://pic3.picturetrail.com/VOL12/1104763/7081299/91841729.jpg

They are so cheap on Ebay, you can buy a couple of different styles and sizes to see what suits you best. If you have room to work, bigger is better...the short drawknives were made for sculptors working tight spots. PEXTO-PS&W, Worth, Gillespi and Witherby (Karpenter) are four of the best. Ohio Tool, older Greenlee, older Buck, Sargent, Keenkutter, OVB and Fulton are fine. Avoid Dunlap and Eclipse.

Using The Drawknife (http://woodenboat-ubb.com/cgi-bin/UBB/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic&f=1&t=009003&p=)

[ 03-21-2006, 01:12 PM: Message edited by: Bob Smalser ]

[Bob Smalser]

I use them often, because once you master them, they are lightning fast compared to a plane. You'll get a much better blade for a small fraction of the cost of new buying prewar off of Ebay.

Besides folding handles designed for tool boxes, the two major designs are the German design with offset handles and breasted edge, and the straight drawknife you usually see making shingles:

http://pic3.picturetrail.com/VOL12/1104763/7081299/91882340.jpg

Both work well; the offset handles provide a little more flexibility on hold, is all, and the breasted edge is spose to cut more aggressively, but I can't tell the difference:

http://pic3.picturetrail.com/VOL12/1104763/7081299/91841729.jpg

They are so cheap on Ebay, you can buy a couple of different styles and sizes to see what suits you best. If you have room to work, bigger is better...the short drawknives were made for sculptors working tight spots. PEXTO-PS&W, Worth, Gillespi and Witherby (Karpenter) are four of the best. Ohio Tool, older Greenlee, older Buck, Sargent, Keenkutter, OVB and Fulton are fine. Avoid Dunlap and Eclipse.

Using The Drawknife (http://woodenboat-ubb.com/cgi-bin/UBB/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic&f=1&t=009003&p=)

[ 03-21-2006, 01:12 PM: Message edited by: Bob Smalser ]

[Tom Lathrop]

Bob,

Last week I was in the shop of a woodworker who makes windsor chairs for a living. All his spindles are shaped with a draw knife on an English blodger's type horse. I sat down at the horse and held the draw knife as you show with the bevel up. He quickly jumped in and said No, No, hold the knife with the bevel down which allows complete control of the direction of the cut. While I have done only a little work with a draw knife, this makes sense to me.

What say you?

[Tom Lathrop]

Bob,

Last week I was in the shop of a woodworker who makes windsor chairs for a living. All his spindles are shaped with a draw knife on an English blodger's type horse. I sat down at the horse and held the draw knife as you show with the bevel up. He quickly jumped in and said No, No, hold the knife with the bevel down which allows complete control of the direction of the cut. While I have done only a little work with a draw knife, this makes sense to me.

What say you?

[Tom Lathrop]

Bob,

Last week I was in the shop of a woodworker who makes windsor chairs for a living. All his spindles are shaped with a draw knife on an English blodger's type horse. I sat down at the horse and held the draw knife as you show with the bevel up. He quickly jumped in and said No, No, hold the knife with the bevel down which allows complete control of the direction of the cut. While I have done only a little work with a draw knife, this makes sense to me.

What say you?

[Bob Smalser]

Originally posted by Tom Lathrop:

What say you?It's at the link:


Handles up or handles down? Push or pull?

All of the above. The angle of the blade’s attack doesn’t change when the tool is upside down, but cutting with the bevel down gives better control in taking thin shavings….and cutting with the bevel up is several fold as fast as using a plane to hog wood rapidly. It’s a mistake to think these tools are only suitable for tapering riven softwood shingles….a little practice pushing as well as pulling and you can rapidly trim with precision a piece too big to move into the shop….

…once you master reading the grain of the wood.
You can't see the bevels very well, but this is the only example pic using the knife bevel up:

http://pic3.picturetrail.com/VOL12/1104763/3854395/47481179.jpg

[ 03-21-2006, 01:24 PM: Message edited by: Bob Smalser ]

[Bob Smalser]

Originally posted by Tom Lathrop:

What say you?It's at the link:


Handles up or handles down? Push or pull?

All of the above. The angle of the blade’s attack doesn’t change when the tool is upside down, but cutting with the bevel down gives better control in taking thin shavings….and cutting with the bevel up is several fold as fast as using a plane to hog wood rapidly. It’s a mistake to think these tools are only suitable for tapering riven softwood shingles….a little practice pushing as well as pulling and you can rapidly trim with precision a piece too big to move into the shop….

…once you master reading the grain of the wood.
You can't see the bevels very well, but this is the only example pic using the knife bevel up:

http://pic3.picturetrail.com/VOL12/1104763/3854395/47481179.jpg

[ 03-21-2006, 01:24 PM: Message edited by: Bob Smalser ]

[Bob Smalser]

Originally posted by Tom Lathrop:

What say you?It's at the link:


Handles up or handles down? Push or pull?

All of the above. The angle of the blade’s attack doesn’t change when the tool is upside down, but cutting with the bevel down gives better control in taking thin shavings….and cutting with the bevel up is several fold as fast as using a plane to hog wood rapidly. It’s a mistake to think these tools are only suitable for tapering riven softwood shingles….a little practice pushing as well as pulling and you can rapidly trim with precision a piece too big to move into the shop….

…once you master reading the grain of the wood.
You can't see the bevels very well, but this is the only example pic using the knife bevel up:

http://pic3.picturetrail.com/VOL12/1104763/3854395/47481179.jpg

[ 03-21-2006, 01:24 PM: Message edited by: Bob Smalser ]

[troutman]

I have an old Pexto I love. Just gave a guy $35.00 for a box of old tools and got a nice Stanley #3 and a Ward #4 but what caught my eye in the Craigslist picture was a drawknife. Turned out to be an 8" Winchester. The rounded metal caps holding on the handles were as weathered and rusted as the rest of the knife but the grips look almost new. Curious. Wonder who made those for Winchester. Cleaned up nice and is presently working on oars. I want one with folding handles for no ligitimate reason at all.

[troutman]

I have an old Pexto I love. Just gave a guy $35.00 for a box of old tools and got a nice Stanley #3 and a Ward #4 but what caught my eye in the Craigslist picture was a drawknife. Turned out to be an 8" Winchester. The rounded metal caps holding on the handles were as weathered and rusted as the rest of the knife but the grips look almost new. Curious. Wonder who made those for Winchester. Cleaned up nice and is presently working on oars. I want one with folding handles for no ligitimate reason at all.

[troutman]

I have an old Pexto I love. Just gave a guy $35.00 for a box of old tools and got a nice Stanley #3 and a Ward #4 but what caught my eye in the Craigslist picture was a drawknife. Turned out to be an 8" Winchester. The rounded metal caps holding on the handles were as weathered and rusted as the rest of the knife but the grips look almost new. Curious. Wonder who made those for Winchester. Cleaned up nice and is presently working on oars. I want one with folding handles for no ligitimate reason at all.

[Bob Smalser]

Winchester made them, I believe...they are listed as a manufacturer...along with other now-rare hand tools...and they are major collector's items either way.

http://www.davistownmuseum.org/TDMtoolInfo.html

[ 03-21-2006, 03:03 PM: Message edited by: Bob Smalser ]

[Bob Smalser]

Winchester made them, I believe...they are listed as a manufacturer...along with other now-rare hand tools...and they are major collector's items either way.

http://www.davistownmuseum.org/TDMtoolInfo.html

[ 03-21-2006, 03:03 PM: Message edited by: Bob Smalser ]

[Bob Smalser]

Winchester made them, I believe...they are listed as a manufacturer...along with other now-rare hand tools...and they are major collector's items either way.

http://www.davistownmuseum.org/TDMtoolInfo.html

[ 03-21-2006, 03:03 PM: Message edited by: Bob Smalser ]

[troutman]

Next someone will tell me not to hit it with a wire brush under any circumstances. Would have never seen "Winchester" through the rust. So I'm using a collectors item to get out a pair of your 7' oars. Who knew??

[ 03-21-2006, 03:57 PM: Message edited by: troutman ]

[troutman]

Next someone will tell me not to hit it with a wire brush under any circumstances. Would have never seen "Winchester" through the rust. So I'm using a collectors item to get out a pair of your 7' oars. Who knew??

[ 03-21-2006, 03:57 PM: Message edited by: troutman ]

[troutman]

Next someone will tell me not to hit it with a wire brush under any circumstances. Would have never seen "Winchester" through the rust. So I'm using a collectors item to get out a pair of your 7' oars. Who knew??

[ 03-21-2006, 03:57 PM: Message edited by: troutman ]

[Dolly Varden]

the majority of my work with one is going to be skinning logs- rough and tumble in the field quite often - what would you suggest?

[Dolly Varden]

the majority of my work with one is going to be skinning logs- rough and tumble in the field quite often - what would you suggest?

[Dolly Varden]

the majority of my work with one is going to be skinning logs- rough and tumble in the field quite often - what would you suggest?

[Bob Smalser]

A thick, straight shave like the Worth shown in my pics.

As long as you can find...10 or 12".

[Bob Smalser]

A thick, straight shave like the Worth shown in my pics.

As long as you can find...10 or 12".

[Bob Smalser]

A thick, straight shave like the Worth shown in my pics.

As long as you can find...10 or 12".

[Dolly Varden]

why straight bob? with no experience of my own i would assume that a curved model would work better on a large diameter like a log

[Dolly Varden]

why straight bob? with no experience of my own i would assume that a curved model would work better on a large diameter like a log

[Dolly Varden]

why straight bob? with no experience of my own i would assume that a curved model would work better on a large diameter like a log

[sangraal]

Dolly Varden,
If you don't want to dig through all the E-bay listings check the tools at Lehman's Hardware in Kidron Ohio. They carry many Timber framing tools and log working tools. Snow and Neally heavy gauge drawknives at great prices. I got a 19"/12"blade several years ago-very solid/basic. Not a fancy bench tool, but a roughing-out drawknife with lots of mass. I don't know how to post a link, but google it up. I just checked and they still carry them in three sizes, all around fifty bucks.
Goodday, John

[sangraal]

Dolly Varden,
If you don't want to dig through all the E-bay listings check the tools at Lehman's Hardware in Kidron Ohio. They carry many Timber framing tools and log working tools. Snow and Neally heavy gauge drawknives at great prices. I got a 19"/12"blade several years ago-very solid/basic. Not a fancy bench tool, but a roughing-out drawknife with lots of mass. I don't know how to post a link, but google it up. I just checked and they still carry them in three sizes, all around fifty bucks.
Goodday, John

[sangraal]

Dolly Varden,
If you don't want to dig through all the E-bay listings check the tools at Lehman's Hardware in Kidron Ohio. They carry many Timber framing tools and log working tools. Snow and Neally heavy gauge drawknives at great prices. I got a 19"/12"blade several years ago-very solid/basic. Not a fancy bench tool, but a roughing-out drawknife with lots of mass. I don't know how to post a link, but google it up. I just checked and they still carry them in three sizes, all around fifty bucks.
Goodday, John

[Bob Smalser]

Originally posted by Dolly Varden:
why straight bob? with no experience of my own i would assume that a curved model would work better on a large diameter like a logI don't find it matters a bit to its ability to cut whether the blade is breasted or not, as you're usually cutting with a bit of bias.

What's important for logs is that the knife be a large one for handle clearance and leverage. Long straight ones are common as mud and cheap. Breasted knives are harder to find.

[ 03-24-2006, 01:50 PM: Message edited by: Bob Smalser ]

[Bob Smalser]

Originally posted by Dolly Varden:
why straight bob? with no experience of my own i would assume that a curved model would work better on a large diameter like a logI don't find it matters a bit to its ability to cut whether the blade is breasted or not, as you're usually cutting with a bit of bias.

What's important for logs is that the knife be a large one for handle clearance and leverage. Long straight ones are common as mud and cheap. Breasted knives are harder to find.

[ 03-24-2006, 01:50 PM: Message edited by: Bob Smalser ]

[Bob Smalser]

Originally posted by Dolly Varden:
why straight bob? with no experience of my own i would assume that a curved model would work better on a large diameter like a logI don't find it matters a bit to its ability to cut whether the blade is breasted or not, as you're usually cutting with a bit of bias.

What's important for logs is that the knife be a large one for handle clearance and leverage. Long straight ones are common as mud and cheap. Breasted knives are harder to find.

[ 03-24-2006, 01:50 PM: Message edited by: Bob Smalser ]