draw knife

[Madog]

Hi everyone , iam looking to buy a new draw knife for shaping axe handles to fit the head. Any advice/recommendations.
Cheers

 

[marcros]

my only recommendation is that I wouldn't buy new. If you do, the Ray Iles ones always look nice at the shows.

 

[Madog]

Aye was looking at older ones but iam not v handy lol. Think I need to buy new. Seen those ones, cheers

 

[MikeK]

I agree with marcros on looking for a used drawknife. There are no moving parts, and a new drawknife will eventually need sharpening, so I would look for one with good handles and a blade with enough material left to sharpen.

 

[marcros]

it isnt a job I have done, but I am not sure whether I would use the small drawknife that I have (but can't find a link for) or a spokeshave. I think I would rather use the latter, but that may be completely wrong.

 

[Madog]

I agree with marcros on looking for a used drawknife. There are no moving parts, and a new drawknife will eventually need sharpening, so I would look for one with good handles and a blade with enough material left to sharpen.

cheers ill defo consider that

 

[Madog]

it isnt a job I have done, but I am not sure whether I would use the small drawknife that I have (but can't find a link for) or a spokeshave. I think I would rather use the latter, but that may be completely wrong.

aye, was looking at spokeshaves too cheers

 

[Madog]

my only recommendation is that I wouldn't buy new. If you do, the Ray Iles ones always look nice at the shows.

managed to get a set of three vintage spokeshaves today , thanks for the pointer

 

[El Barto]

The Ray Iles drawknife is fantastic.

 

[Sheffield Tony]

It is a shame that the current circumstances make it even harder to try before you buy. A lot of personal taste involved. I tried a new Crown drawknife and disliked it, clumsy feeling thing, engineered rather than forged. I have 3, a Ward Sheffield made one, an American one, and a French type from Goldenberg. I like the French one best, a very subtle tool. I am embarrassed to admit I like the Ward one least; but mostly because it is too large for my purposes.

Whether you need a drawknife or a spokeshave depends on the size of the axe, whether you have a shave horse, and your patience. The general rule of removing as much material as possible with the most aggressive tool before moving on applies - axe, drawknife, spokeshave.

 

[Madog]

It is a shame that the current circumstances make it even harder to try before you buy. A lot of personal taste involved. I tried a new Crown drawknife and disliked it, clumsy feeling thing, engineered rather than forged. I have 3, a Ward Sheffield made one, an American one, and a French type from Goldenberg. I like the French one best, a very subtle tool. I am embarrassed to admit I like the Ward one least; but mostly because it is too large for my purposes.

Whether you need a drawknife or a spokeshave depends on the size of the axe, whether you have a shave horse, and your patience. The general rule of removing as much material as possible with the most aggressive tool before moving on applies - axe, drawknife, spokeshave.

cheers pal , i managed to get a set of three vintage spokeshaves yesterday so looking forward to using them when the arrive

 

[Madog]

The Ray Iles drawknife is fantastic.

it does look good