Skews

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Old Griz

Passed Away Oct 4, 2013
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Here is a great beginner article on the skew chisel by the master himself... Alan Lacer....
http://woodturninglearn.net/articles/skew.html

BTW, here is a real good picture of how Alan shapes his skews... it really makes a difference
skews_500.jpg
 
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My good friends, if you can afford it, get another skew to grind this way, and keep a straight one. There are some operations better done with the straight skew.
 
Fred, the reason I'm thinking about regrinding my 1 1/4" skew this way is because I've tried it a few times with mixed success... mostly bad. I have a perfectly goo 1" oval skew that I keep straight and LOVE it! I also use my 3/4" regularly so I won't be regrinding it this way. I jsut thought it might let me get more use out of the 1 1/4".
 
I might try grinding one like that with an old el-cheapo just to experiment. But I can't see the advantage. There are round nose tools and gouges that would (seem to) do the same. For now, straight for me.
 
That looks like a great article. I remembr reading a post a few days ago in my searching about how important a skew is and how it is hard to comprehend someone using just a gouge. Well that person would be me. I learned to turn in a workshop at a woodcraft in CT ant the gouge was the only tool they taught me how to use. I think I'm going to have to give this new tool a try!
 
Originally posted by Paul in OKC
<br />I'll have to look at that. Maybe I can do something with a skew besides automatic spirals[:D]
Click to expand...

Is there any other kind of spirals?
Someone asked me if I could turn a spiral, I replied "not on purpose."
 
Originally posted by dubdrvrkev
<br />
Originally posted by Paul in OKC
<br />I'll have to look at that. Maybe I can do something with a skew besides automatic spirals[:D]
Click to expand...

Is there any other kind of spirals?
Someone asked me if I could turn a spiral, I replied "not on purpose."
Click to expand...
Don't I know that feeling! And they always happen in the exact place that you DON'T want them. [:p]
 
Alan's videos on the skew are really great, as well. I teach an 8 week turning class for our local Woodworker's Guild. We insist that the students watch the first video: "Skew Chisel: The light Side and Dark Side", before we get to the skew in the class. We've found that very few people have near the problems after watching the video that others who haven't seen it have.
 
Billy (alamodc), I also have an oval skew, and love it, especially for cutting larger beads (much larger than the beading bits I sell). The oval section makes it easier to roll it on the tool rest.
 
Originally posted by Fred in NC
<br />Billy (alamodc), I also have an oval skew, and love it, especially for cutting larger beads (much larger than the beading bits I sell). The oval section makes it easier to roll it on the tool rest.
Click to expand...

Oh yeah! [:D] My square edged skews had chewed up my tool rest so bad that by the time I got my oval skew, I had to "rework" the tool rest to get any tool to glide moothly across it. Now I keep it waxed and that seems to help. That and the fact that I primarily just use my oval skew! [;)]
 
Hi Rob! Welcome to the forum! I used to be strictly a gouge user as well. Then I started watching people use a skew at some of the demonstrations. I practiced and worked with a couple of different skews, and now I really prefer using a skew. It really is a tool worth learning how to use! Give it a try, and don't be put of by a few little catches - say, the first hundred or so! [:)]

A couple of months ago I was at the closest Woodcraft, and they had the Lacer skews on sale for some reason, so I picked one up. What a sweet piece of steel! It is now one of my preferred tools! There are probably a few little things that might be better with a straight skew, but I can't think of many. I have about six skews now, ground in every different way you can grind a skew, and I have to say I like the Lacer style best so far.

Scott.
 
To keep your square edge skews from digging into your tool rests take the sharp edge off on the grinder. You don't need to round it much, just enough to remove the sharp edge. Sometimes the cause of digging into the tool rest is a tool rest made of too soft a material....
 
What are your thoughts on the width of the skew? I saw the Lacer videos and IIRC he recommends that the blade be half as wide as it is tall. And yet the small Lacer skew I have is of a different proportion. Almost too fat. I find with the skew that I use it more as a knife and cut from the side versus the gouge which I use to gently break off pieces of wood.

How about the rest of you?
 
I have my large skew with the curved grind but I have a small skew from PSI that is about 1/4" wide that I keep straight. As Fred stated there are some things you cannot do well without a straight grind skew. I love my skew and do 95% of my pen turning with one. On most woods I can go right to between 300 and 400 grit paper.
 
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