Skew Chisel Fustration

If you are knocking pieces out of a Talon with a skew then you have to be digging the point into the workpiece. Always pay close attention to where the top tip is at all times and make sure you are working above center. You do not necessarily rub the bevel on a skew it is worked at all angles to form the shapes and curves and cut you desire. I often do lay it rather flat and then lift and rotate the handle to feed it into the workpiece. Make sure your tool rest is close to the workpiece and at a height that makes cutting comfortable and above center. The skew must be sharp and it is the one lathe chisel that I will spend time honing to get a good edge.

When you mentioned the Talon I thought you might be using it on a bowl- doesn't really work except for decorative grooves made by the tip. Billh

If you have a live center use your old dead center in the headstock to drive the work. Now, if you get a catch the work will just spin and not scare hell out of you. If the work keeps spinning after the catch, tighten the tail stock. The other benefit of using the dead center to drive your work is you'll start using your tools with a soft touch. This technique also works with the gouge. I frequently rough out turnings between center, driving with the dead center. If you look at the Sorby Stebcenter it's just a dead center with some notches. If you're good with a file you can make your own.

The second part is to use the bottom 1/3d of the skew (not the pointy end). Remember the skew is a flat gouge and you still have to RUB THE BEVEL!!! and feel your way into the cut.

The third part is to make everything in your shop that's not round, round. When you're no longer spooked reverse hands so you don't keep bumping into the headstock.

There's a lot more to the skew but the hints above should get you started. If you have a chance to watch Richard Raffan's Videos you'll appreciate what can be done with the skew. I've not seen Alan Lacer's video but I understand it's very good.

Good Luck

Paul Kierstead wrote:

Alan Lacer has a pretty good video on skew chisel use. You can find his web site at

Excellent video - Lacer's "The Skew Chisel". Well explained, clear video, lots of detail and explanation.

Paul,

A) I always figure the bevel should rub in the clean area immediately following the cut, not in an area alongside where you are cutting. Think of it more like a plane instead of a knife. Bring the skew around so the handle is closer to 75 - 80 degrees to the ways of the lathe and work with the very bottom of the cutting edge (the obtuse angle, not the acute angle). If you use only the bottom 1/8" of the blade you won't be too far wrong.

B) I recommend Alan Lacer's video, too.

C) Take the other suggestion about making everything you can find round. Practice helps a bunch.

Good Luck, David

Paul Kierstead wrote:

Paul,

If you are trying to make some of the skew cuts that Raffan shows, be sure that you have a RADIUS edge skew. A straight edged skew doesn't work well for some of his cuts. If you are trying to roll a bead as on the end of a shaker style peg (coat hook) the skew has to move in three directions simultaneously. The blade has to roll, be pushed toward center, and as you get close to center, the end of the handle has to swing in a horizontal arc. also be sure that you are cutting only with bottom i/8" edge of the blade with the obtuse point down.

One of the standard answers to the problem is to make the skew more gouge-like by grinding a convex profile. That way if the rotation grabs, there is just a bit of natural relief to keep the thing from running too far. Lots of information on that in standard sources.

Now, if you're turning Shaker pegs or similar, which is what I liked to start the kids at school on, you'll feel much better with a non-skewed chisel. The skew really comes into its own on longer tapers and flats, not on short ones. For that, what the old birds called a beading tool is great. If you're like most people and bought a set of tools to begin turning, you can take that 1/2" spear-point scraper and make it into a beading tool by grinding skew-slope bevels either side of a squared end. This planes, cuts and sizes that tenon beautifully, and since it is almost infinitely relieved, it doesn't catch. What it also doesn't do is reference as well for long straight or tapered sections, because you can't lay as much bevel on the work as a skew. It'll tend to ride up and down until you get really proficient with it.

Alternatives include a tool with a bevel on one side only called a Bedan, or, for a preview, you might want to try working with your 1/4" parting tool as if it were an extremely blunt chisel. Roll a few convex surfaces with it, and you'll be convinced.

SNIP

I was advised to start using my skew for everything, even including roughing. You need to develop a feel for what positions of the tool will work, and which are dangerous, by practice, practice, practice. You will eventually stop having so many catches, and will be able to think about the work, without consciously thinking about the tool positition.

Leo and all:

I need, I think, to interject my thinking here. There is no question that the skew is hard to use. Maybe that is because it is just not the best tool for a lot of what we are trying to use it for -- maybe there are better tools for just about everything we try to use it for!

Planing cuts on spindles? My roughing gouge has the wings well ground back. The tool cuts in the center of the edge just as everybody else's does. But, if I roll it over on edge and keep the handle perpendicular to the cut, it will take a shearing cut. I defy you to tell the difference between the surface I get and the surface from a skew. If you analyze what I'm doing you will see that the edge is presented the same way with both tools.

Making beads? Use a 3/8 beading and parting tool. It is much easier to use and also has a lot of other uses. And it is cheap. The brits like Martin Pidgen

The only time you need a skew is when making v cuts which are very narrow or beads which are close together. In these cases use a small, hand-made round skew. Make it from a piece of drill blank -- one in 1/4" and one in 3/8" will meet all your needs.

Bill

Sometimes the best way to learn is to have someone standing next to you. Check the sig line at the end of this message, find the local chapter near you and if you haven't already, join the AAW as well as the local chapter. You'll find a bunch of people who can help you and will be happy to do so.

Dave in Fairfax

the skew is hard

what we are trying

try to use it for!

back. The tool cuts

it over on edge and

defy you to tell

you analyze what

use and also has a

or beads which are

it from a piece of

This is absolutely true of course. There is a woodturners club here as well. I have entirely too much enthusiasm for learning things on my own; my mother always called it something along the lines of "independent stubborn (*&$# ... ". I will admit seeing beats reading by an order of magnitude.

PK

I actually did that after posting the message and it did help some.

Well.... I guess the thing I was pursuing was doing said pegs as a way of practicing with the skew; i.e. the goal was using the skew, not making pegs; the pegs part was just so something came out of it.

I didn't buy a set; got one roughing gouge, got a smaller gouge (1/2" I think), a skew and a parting tool. From my reading I should be able to do al lot of non-bowl turning with that lot. But that is an interesting suggestion for the future which I filed away.

Hmmm... that I will try. Sounds like fun. Thanks for all the help and suggestions!

PK

I have since put the radius on there. Helps for sure; thanks for that suggestion (and the others who said it!)!! Does make a fair difference.

LOL, I'll say the ends are a complex movement. I started with some glued up scrap cherry (y'know, very dry cherry isn't the easiest turning stuff, especially the roughing part...) to make a peg for hanging my air hose on. This is for practice of course. The peg started out way more then long enough. By the time I got the end bead done even passably, it was way too short :) Guess it will be hook for something smaller... Fun and learning though.

PK

PK

I don't have a dead center and have been looking at the Stebcenter. Actually, the catches don't ... scare me much (I think I might be stupid), but they are mighty irritating and I would like to limit the damage caused. I suspect larger stock might make me more respectful too. Perhaps I should try them out; I am not 100% sure that the price is "worth it" though, although I admit several people have recommended this so perhaps I should *listen*.

I thing I was using too much edge. I have ground a slight radius and that seems to help too.

My shop is rapidly approaching square-wood-challenged status. Tis fun.

I have his Turning Wood video. The problem is that he doesn't really describe what he is doing much, or show it. The video definitely helped, but could be a *lot* better. I guess it is getting a bit long in the tooth.

PK

Whilst I agree that you can cut wood with just about any sharp piece of metal, should one wish, certain tools will perform better in certain circumstances. There are many significant differences between the geometry of skew chisels and roughing gouges.

The sharpening angle of a skew is usually much more acute. This obviously makes the tool sharper, but it also means that the bevel is much longer and this can make the tool more stable. The bevel of a skew is also flat, and I suspect that this makes it easier to control, compared to the conical surface of the roughing gouge bevel.

Another interesting point is that the skew is sharpened on both sides. This reduces the angle between the rubbing bevel and the axis of the tool. So when you push the tool forward, more of that pushing force is going in the direction of the cut rather than pushing the bevel against the wood.

It's safer for a newbie to use the roughing gouge, though. Bigger surface on the rest, doesn't roll as easily.

It is usually the tip that digs in indeed, leaving a very unsightly groove. I think the above center part may some of the problem.

No no, no bowls for me. Thanks for all the help! It definitely helps.

PK