Recomend a skew

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soligen

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Seems I need to learn to use a skew better. Right now I an using the cheapie from the PSI pen making starter set. Perhaps an upgrade would be in order. I would only be able to buy 1, so what would you recomend? Round, Oval, Rectangle? Size?

Any advise appreciated.

Thanks

PS. I have a 25% off coupon on one item at rockler, so thats a likely source.
 
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Skew

I attended an all day workshop with Alan Lacer. (alanlacer.com) He does not recommend an oval skew. He recommends a flat skew with a mostly curved tip. I use both his of his 5/8 and 1 5/8 inch skews and a skew from D-Way Tools (www.d-waytools.com). I like all of them. I recommend that you go to Alan Lacer's web site and read his article on sharpening skews. Knowing how to sharpen them properly makes it easier to use them.

Craig Chatterton
Puyallup, WA
 
SkookumPens said:
I attended an all day workshop with Alan Lacer. (alanlacer.com) He does not recommend an oval skew. He recommends a flat skew with a mostly curved tip. I use both his of his 5/8 and 1 5/8 inch skews and a skew from D-Way Tools (www.d-waytools.com). I like all of them. I recommend that you go to Alan Lacer's web site and read his article on sharpening skews. Knowing how to sharpen them properly makes it easier to use them.

Craig Chatterton
Puyallup, WA
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Yep I second that, never used my oval skew since I've seen his video.

Lin
 
Get the widest one you can. Reason being that catches happen when the tips hit the piece being turned (specifically the tip pointed up), If you use a wide skew it's much easier to keep that point away from the work, at least on pens.
 
I have several different skews but by far prefer the oval shaped ones. I use a 1/4 inch one and a 1 inch one depending on what im doing.
 
I have used an oval skew for pen turning from the beginning. I started with the PSI set, and ruined those in my sharpening learning curve. I now use both a 1/2" and 3/4" Sorby oval skews. In my opinion most Sorby tools are over priced, but these are the two I use for pen turning - after roughing down a pen blank. Unfortunately, I cannot recommend a specific size. I use both depending on how I feel at the time. If you are use to the 1/2", maybe that could be a consideration?

A couple of notes:
- Oval skews are harder to sharpen
- Beyond pen making, a skew with a flat side is probably a better choice

Good luck.
 
Only problem I have with the wide skew (mine is 1 1/2) is it narrows the work area a lot. you dont have much room between centers.
 
I have one of those skews from years ago and it does require some "tuning" - The one I had had sharp corners at the edges which needed to be rounded over so it would roll on the tool rest. It also needed to be sharpened on the ends to make the points sharp.

I learned to use the curved shape -- helped me find the sweet spot -- and I still use it for detail work on occasion.

More important beyond a few tune up items is practice practice practice. Get some cheap wood and makes shavings until you get the feel for the tool and then come back and practice a bit more. They cheap 2 by 2, tree branches, etc -- develop the tool skills a bit then head back to the pens -- and likely magic will happen.
 
Hand me any sharp skew and I will turn you a pen, with plastic, producing ribbons. It is NOT the tool, it is the person.

Having said that, the better tools will hold an edge longer, so you sharpen LESS. IF you have a wet sharpening system, you are removing far less steel, so your tool will last longer, so spending a little more is reasonable--if you are so inclined.

I have two Sorbys, a bunch of "Benjamin's Best" from PSI and I have used whatever WoodCraft has in their classroom that day. Takes a minute or so to acclimate to that skew, but they all work.
 
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