Gotta love that skew

**Matt88s** · 17th July 2008, 02:49 PM

Originally Posted by barnsey

Ah yes, the agonizing at the end of a day, supping a good red with a rare steak cooked over the embers of the latest offering of the skew demon. A not uncommon event.

One may cast the skew or bastardize it's use but I would offer the following:

"Which method - Cutting or Scraping?

A common dilemma.

Cutting is the accepted method of turning for generations - handed down from father to son and jealously guarded by craftsmen. It is the fastest and cleanest method of turning but can only be learned through much practice and patience. The skew and gouges are the tools for this purpose.

A professional employs this technique wherever possible and is rewarded with the satisfaction and sense of achievement from mastering it.

Scraping is a much more recent method employed by pattern makers. It is slower and will produce a result that requires greater finishing however it does have the strength of providing greater accuracy as the amount of material removed can be more precisely controlled.

Scraping is probably best for those who turn only a few articles now and again and will produce satisfactory results with less practice or loss of stock. To master a difficult craft and acquire the greater skill it is necessary to learn the art of cutting."*

Guess it's a matter of what floats your boat FWIW

*Acknowledgments to Dale Nish with considerable editing

My biggest peave with the skew is it doesn't seem to always have anything to do with skill or experiance, it's just a ticking time bomb. Yes in your normal wood you should be able to go long periods without any trouble, but I hunt up the sickest most twisted pieces of timber I can find, then cross cut them, or put them at funny angles

and by the time I'm finished, using a skew is really a crapshoot more than anything.

All it takes is one uncharted hard spot, or twist of the grain, or just plain ornery wood, and bam, your beautiful bit of treasure blows up in your face.

It's just a high risk tool.

**Rookie** · 17th July 2008, 03:45 PM

I also only use the skew for pen turning. Only the skew in most cases from roughing down to the finish. I use a half inch Henry Taylor. I have no illusion in my mind that I am using it extremely cautiously because it still scares the bejeesus out of me, probably incorrectly, and with one method only; shaving right to left.

I have tried to use it on bowls and other jobs which require curves and have failed dismally. I have had the guys at my turning club coach me through it but it seems I have a mental block. They use it all sorts of ways but I continue to take great spirals out of nice pieces of timber.

But I love it on my pens.

**salty72** · 17th July 2008, 05:21 PM

When using a skew I always try to use the 1/3 above the short point especially for flat work.
One method I found useful is to use a square blank placing the diagonals horizontally, raise the tool post slightly above this height,

ensure the skew blade is at least 30degrees to the cutting angle

after the timber has been roughed round....place the cutting face and the skew over the job and rest it on the tool rest with the timber rotating..

slowly move the skew back till the bevel is being rubbed (you should not be cutting and the point / cutting edge will be above the job)

A little more and fine powder will form (if this is near an edge you will hear a loud BANG shortly, - the dust should be about 1/3 of the way up the cutting face)
now holding the 30degrees start sliding the skew along the face of the timber and watch the timber fly

If you need a deeper cut draw the skew back slightly and increase the angle a bit

you can cut using the short point but you really need a good balance on the "rubbing the bevel" part.

Well That how I do it.... (MOST DAYS - until it goes BANG!!!)

**dhurrang** · 17th July 2008, 07:56 PM

Originally Posted by Matt88s

Just lost a really pretty cross cut Cocobolo pen I'd been working on off and on all day.
Yup, it hurts.

G'day Matt,

Sure does hurt

and your post is

I use the skew for all my pens now and I'm building up the gumption for larger projects

.

I'm constantly encouraged by the posts of beautiful, considered craftwork displayed by members of this forum. I'm equally comforted by your disaster post (and NewLondons pen mandrel). Please see my contribution to the bloopers below. This particular blunder taught me to be diligent about trimming blanks

. Perhaps we could start a bloopers and blunders thread ???????

**handyrn** · 19th July 2008, 12:07 PM

I use a 3/4 gouge for lots of my pens, turned at an angle it cuts very clean with very little sanding required. I do use a skew, but have rounded off the back side so there is nothing to catch and when using it I have to pay close attention so no distractions. Whenever I get distracted using the skew is when the wood gets flung off the tube around the room.
I continue to practice with the skew on 2x4 or 2x2 pine pieces and I think it will be a longggggg time before I can claim to really be good at it.

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