Find a sizable chunk of scrap wood and clamp it firmly in a holding fixture. The tool should feel pretty much the same, regardless of which way the bevel is facing.Ģ. Hold it so the bevel is up, then turn it around so the bevel is facing down. Grip the tool firmly in both hands, but not too hard. Take a good look at the drawknife and study its anatomy. Here’s how you can familiarize yourself with the tool in eight steps:ġ. Get a Grip on It – 8 Steps to Mastering the Drawknife There is more control with this extra bevel, but it is hard to grind or file evenly across the long cutting edge. Some drawknife enthusiasts put a slight bevel on the back of the blade for extra maneuverability when working with the bevel up. It will take some time to get the bevel in tiptop shape, but the result will be worth the effort. A fine mill file, available at most hardware stores and home improvement centers, works well to reshape the edge. If you do manage to get a ding in the blade, or if it’s one of those antiques dulled by years of neglect, then you are in for a little work. ![]() Use an extra-fine stone on the back to get rid of the wire edge. Make sure the stone is flat against the bevel and apply long strokes instead short choppy ones. Use a flat sharpening stone-diamond, ceramic, natural and manmade are all good choices. The safest way is to hold the tool upright with one handle resting on a workbench or tabletop. If you do need to sharpen it, you have several options. For that reason, it’s a good idea to purchase a new one that will probably just need a good honing and not a major sharpening. You probably won’t gut yourself with the tool-I haven’t come across that happening, but why be the first? Sharpeningīecause of the long blade and the handles, it’s hard to sharpen a drawknife on a grinding wheel. And don’t work with your body too close to the project. When you want to clear away chips, keep the tool well to one side so you don’t sweep the clean-up hand into the blade. Obviously, use the handles and don’t grip the drawknife by the blade. I’ve heard of no serious mishaps with the drawknife, but be prudent. If the blade is curved in, the drawknife becomes an inshave, which works great for hollowing out or “scooping” work. The drawknife can tackle both convex and concave surfaces, pare wood down exactly to a line, and hog off wood very quickly. ![]() Most handles are bent at angles to the blade, but a few come straight out. To make the blade more manageable, the tangs are covered with wooden handles. The drawknife has been designed with a number of configurations the typical form offers a long naked blade tapering into narrow ends or tangs. What is a drawknife? Visualize a two-handled chisel with a very long cutting edge and single bevel. Despite their intimidating names, they have found their way into woodcarvers’ shops. But other cutting tools such as drawknives, spokeshaves and scorps are available. ![]() For large hardwood pieces, chisels, gouges, V tools and power tools get the job done accurately and efficiently. A sharp knife can’t be beat for a small project in softwoods. Whether pushed or pulled, these tools rank high as wood removersĪs a woodcarver, you know that the game plan is to remove wood.
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