Opinions please!!

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MDWine

MDWine

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OK, now that I'm working better with the skew, I want a better skew!

Your opinions would be greatly appreciated. Presently, I'm looking at the Henry Taylor KRYO from CSA, since the sale would help the price!

Your thoughts, kind ladies and gentlement???
 
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I have the Sorby 1/2" and find it to be just the right size for pens. You can't go wrong with Henry Taylor though.Pretty much anything HSS will do the job.
 
I have the Alan Lacer Skew; 1 3/8 in M2 tools steel and It's a hard tool to put down. Absolute pleasure to cut with, IMHO.

http://woodcraft.com/family.aspx?familyid=20084

http://tinyurl.com/2k2ejd (this links to CSUSA, their URL is too long to fit in this window without scrolling.)
 
Michael,

First decide if you are going to be turning square pieces (especially plastic) to round. If so, get a BIG, HEAVY skew. Dampens vibration, makes the cut much more enjoyable, and a LOT quicker.

If you will just be turning round things rounder, who cares??? ANY SKEW can do that. (And many turners can SKREW it up, trying!!!)[:D][:D]
 
I have a Crown Pro-PM 3/4" radius edge skew and I love it. It was a lot less expensive than the big Lacer skew but bigger than the small Lacer skew.
 
Originally posted by ed4copies
<br />Michael,

First decide if you are going to be turning square pieces (especially plastic) to round. If so, get a BIG, HEAVY skew. Dampens vibration, makes the cut much more enjoyable, and a LOT quicker.

If you will just be turning round things rounder, who cares??? ANY SKEW can do that. (And many turners can SKREW it up, trying!!!)[:D][:D]
Click to expand...


Ed is 100% right. I use a 1" skew from the Harbor Freight kit. I have used Sorbys and Crowns from other people, but the HF skew is *just as good* with a slight modification: I regrind the bevel to a very wide bevel, similar to what Lacer does with his. I have a 3/4" skew also that I keep as backup but seldom use it.

SECOND, and very helpfully, was I used a belt sander and 80-grit paper to round off all the corners along the skew shaft a tad--- just enough to make it feel comfy in the hand. Tremendous difference.

I can easily turn one pen from nearly any acrylic material without having to resharpen. The only exception is Lapis trustone, which causes sharpening trouble for everyone.
 
I have a 3/4 Crown skew I just picked up after using the Benjamin's Best skews. What a difference. I haven't used many different skews, but the Crown is a great tool - very well balanced, holds an edge a long time, and I really like the radiused end - I may regrind my BB skews to a radius like that, or turn them into scrapers. So, another vote for Crown!
 
I have the HF skew, but if I was to buy a new single skew, I'd go for one of the Benjamin's Best oval skews from PSI. They were recently highlighted in a turning article about getting into turning for under $600. I forget the publication.
 
Buy some M2 or M4 steel, grind it down to a skew. We already know you can make a nice looking handle[:)]. Will be a whole lot less than any of the big name ones and if you can sharpen will be just as good.
 
Hi Michael!

I'm with Mudder on this, the big Lacer skew is the one I reach for. I just love the feel of it, the mass that soaks up all that vibration, all of it! My second favorite is a nice 1/2" Sorby skew. You've had some other good answers above - I'm sure you will get a ice one that you will enjoy.

Scott.
 
Michael asked about the KYRO skew. I believe that is the cryogenically treated steel that, supposedly, holds and edge many times better than other steels. From another forum, one member reports liking his cryo treated tools very much. Another said that when they do need sharpening, it is very difficult because the steel is so hard. Everything is a trade off. I'm needing to upgrade my skew also as the Buck Brothers 'cast steel' one I am now using needs frequent touch-ups to restore the sharp edge. I'm leaning to a cryo treated one, either 1" or 1 1/8".
 
Originally posted by Rifleman1776
<br />Michael asked about the KYRO skew. I believe that is the cryogenically treated steel that, supposedly, holds and edge many times better than other steels. From another forum, one member reports liking his cryo treated tools very much. Another said that when they do need sharpening, it is very difficult because the steel is so hard. Everything is a trade off. I'm needing to upgrade my skew also as the Buck Brothers 'cast steel' one I am now using needs frequent touch-ups to restore the sharp edge. I'm leaning to a cryo treated one, either 1" or 1 1/8".
Click to expand...

Bigger = better. Less chance of a point catch and heavier so it feels smoother in the hand.
 
Excellent advice from all, and I thank you. I couldn't make a decision, so I missed the CSUSA discount. I'll keep watching for the next one, and make a decision... I think I'll scratch the Kryo and opt for something easier to maintain! [;)]

Wanna hear something funny??? I was actually SHOWING someone how to use a skew last night!!
Who wudda thunk it!??????!!!

Thanks again!
 
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