I have just recently come into ownership of some older drawknives that are in dire need of some tlc. The largest of the bunch is 13" across, and I was wondering what most here use to sharpen theirs?
Has anyone ever used the "scary sharp" method on a drawknife, or is it best to use the traditional oilstones?
I use a grinder or file, depending on the blade's form, to set the bevel, then follow up with a contoured sanding block papered with increasingly finer grits. Sorta "scary sharp" Be careful to keep your mind on your work, and you won't get cut. DAMHIKT. Tom>
I'm curious... having done a good amount of work with a draw knife, I have to wonder why anyone would want an edge like scary sharp can put on a blade. Draw knives need not be any sharper than what a file will do for you. Think about what you're doing with it - shaving bark. Super sharp edges are not the right edge for every tool. Think also about where you're pulling that damned thing to... as you sit astride the log you're shaving...
Who's "shaving logs"? I've watched the folks at the Martin Guitar factory carve a blank into a guitar neck with a draw knife. That's a far cry from a log.
Drawknives arent '_just_ for scraping bark. you can with a sharp draw-kife do some incredibly itricate and delecate work.
You pretty much can't gore yourself without becoming double jointed at both the elbows and shoulders. take a dull knife and see just how far back you need to pull your arms to even get close.
If the knife isn't sharp and you try to pull it through a sticky spot you can hurt yourself pretty good when it pops free. There's a reason all those guys were wearing a plank on a rope. Dave in Fairfax
Yep. People look at me strangely when I put on my 1/4" thick leather bib before straddling the horse, but it's that or bruises in the xiphoid from using the body clamp.
That's why you skew it a bit and slide lengthwise through those kinds of spots. Cuts like butter. You as a turner should know the value of sliding past the fibers as you cut forward.
Of course, there are those who dig in bevel up and yank like hell. They could probably use body armor.
I was thinking of the comment about it not being necessary to sharpen drawknives because they're only used for debarking. Mine are nice and sharp and are no probelm at all to use. When trying to work through a knot with a dull knife and yanking, I could see hari-kari as an outcome. Dave in Fairfax
Some years back I was a trainer in a pack'n house. We used a variety of draw knives. Sharpening was basically the same for the various types. The grind was at about 25deg. After that two stones were used. A medium grit stone and a white arkansas stone. The medium grit was used in a circular motion flat on the ground bevel to smooth it out. The arkasas was used on the bevel side at a slight angle sliding it over the curve of the blade and back again, done in sections so as to maintain a constant angle. Then the same was done on the back of the blade but flat against the blade, much like a chisel. This pushed the wire edge back and forth till it was gone. To maintain the edge a good quality steel was used by holding it vertically and sliding it across the blade which is held horizontally. First across the bevel side at the stoned angle, flip knife, then across the back at like 1 degree above flat. Finish the steel on the bevel side. #80 grit emery is stroked the length of the steel to put vertical grooving in it. This works just fine to bring a rolled edge up. Also, we used soapy water for a lube. With care, a razor of a blade can be had.
I'd guess that woodworking draw knives can be sharpened the same way. I'm yet to try but when I do I'll try this pack'n house method first.
He made that same joke on his 20th (just checked) anniversary show in the year 2000, explaining how care was needed with the drawknife, etc, down to the "that's what happened to my half-brother".
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