Thread: Roughing With A Skew

Not nice when a corner splinters off !

Phil.

Using it as a scraper except in the first bit and then just doing peeling cuts.

And other Skewmeisters.

It is my understanding that using an accursed skew as a scraper dulls it quickly. Those I have with the original grind I only hone on a 600 grit diamond pad to keep the edge razor sharp and the corners very close to original.

Some I got that were abused and look to be sharpened on the curb stone or sidewalk, I have ground and sharpened on the diamond pad.

For scraping I have scrapers, and for roughing I have a small roughing gouge and my lawn mower blade.

Am I barking up the right tree, or am I missing something.

About all I do with an accursed skew is make tool handles for myself.

Originally Posted by Paul39

And other Skewmeisters.

It is my understanding that using an accursed skew as a scraper dulls it quickly.Yes. Those I have with the original grind I only hone on a 600 grit diamond pad to keep the edge razor sharp and the corners very close to original.

Some I got that were abused and look to be sharpened on the curb stone or sidewalk, I have seen a few like that. I have ground and sharpened on the diamond pad.

For scraping I have scrapers, and for roughing I have a small roughing gouge and my lawn mower blade. That is the way it should be.

Am I barking up the right tree, or am I missing something. Nope.

About all I do with an accursed skew is make tool handles for myself.

The skew is a finishing tool.

It has its little foibles but once understood and used properly your whole tool use and turning ability goes to a new level.

I have a 1" Carbon Steel Skew I use as a roughing out tool bit not on such large sections and I use it as a skew not a peeler. I do also use the skew as a scraper in certain circumstances.

But I also keep a diamond home very close at hand and touch up my edges very regularly.

Th accursed skew:

Originally Posted by

It has its little foibles but once understood and used properly your whole tool use and turning ability goes to a new level.

Some time ago I was digging out my dirt floored basement that is my turning shed. I had piled everything in that end on the wood lathe and benches.

I was digging with an pre WW2 entrenching tool in a small space between the wall and a 1000 pound metal lathe and broke the handle.

I got a chunk of oak off the wood pile, hacked the end more or less round with an ax and put it in the 3 jaw chuck of the metal lathe and ran the live center in the other end. All that were not buried in the way of tools was a $20 set of Chinese mystery metal with small short handles.

I roughed the stick a bit with the small roughing gouge, only bending it a little. The accursed skew was 5/8 inch wide and maybe 3/16 in thick. I sharpened it a bit on a piece of 220 grit paper and had a go.

With frequent stops to sharpen the accursed skew and to put the flat belt back on the proper step of the pulley I made a beautiful handle, with no spiral grooves and no random chunks taken out.

I had done this one other time before with a "good" HSS accursed skew on the wood lathe. I have many times made a really nice handle, slick as a greased eel, and close to the last finishing stroke, groink, or zzipp, a chunk out or a nice spiral.

This usually happens right after I think; look at that nice finish, I'm really getting to like the skew.

I know the answer is more practice with the a. skew. Meanwhile if I want a nice handle I use a bowl gouge with a fingernail grind.

Beautiful handle on metal lathe.P1040793.JPG

Originally Posted by Paul39

Th accursed skew:
I got a chunk of oak off the wood pile, hacked the end more or less round with an ax and put it in the 3 jaw chuck of the metal lathe and ran the live center in the other end. All that were not buried in the way of tools was a $20 set of Chinese mystery metal with small short handles.

What, from the land of the Pecan tree, and you used Oak for the handle?
I would give anything for a good supply of Hickory, and SHMBO would devour the nuts. Paul, back in 86 we did a tour of a nuclear power station in South Carolina, and while we were waiting for it to open, a gent was picking up the nuts from the trees in the car park, and showed us how to pick good ones, so we filled the rent a car up with them, and she was still eating them all the way back to LA.
rgds,
Crocy

Originally Posted by

Using it as a scraper except in the first bit and then just doing peeling cuts.

Not sure its quite scraping. Its so curved that it can skew in both directions.

But why oh why does he have to turn off the lathe to put the pencil marks on. Could have finished it already in the time he faffed about marking it out.

Skews make good bottle openers.

Ya heathen!

Originally Posted by

Ya heathen!

Now, now play nicely, we don't call each other names here.

• 
  Regards
  
  

I shall have to slap myself.

Put the skew down first.

Originally Posted by A Duke

Now, now play nicely, we don't call each other names here.

• 
  Regards

PIGS BUM we don't! Name calling is all some of us have left ya goose!

Oh, And Cliff, go jump off one ya banana bending, pickle pussed prawn! Maaaaate........