Using a skew on a bowl or large diameter turning?

[Reed Gray]

Geoff, I think we are on the same page about tool selection. You can get good results with just about any tool, but it is a lot easier to use the correct tool. I do hope to be able to go down under some day just to have a play date with Robbo (he is Robbo, and I am robo....).

I do think the term 'skew' when applied to a scraper is just plain wrong... Yes, the nose sweep is skewed off to one side, but in no way is it a skew chisel, which can easily lead to confusion for those who don't know better. I attribute that to 'marketing'. Those straight edges shear scrapers puzzle me as well, fine for the outside of a bowl, but worthless on the inside, and any standard scraper will do just fine, and a bit of sweep to the edge makes it work better.

robo hippy

[John K Jordan]

...and any standard scraper will do just fine, and a bit of sweep to the edge makes it work better.

Then they couldn't sell all those different scrapers to tool collectors, er, turners who must have one of each in the catalog.

JKJ

[Geoff Whaling]

Then they couldn't sell all those different scrapers to tool collectors, er, turners who must have one of each in the catalog.

JKJ

So true! We can never have enough tools, and the next one will solve all our problems.

[Prashun Patel]

I think I have been doing it wrong or am not using what I think is a skew. I have a Sorby oval skew chisel that I use for some finishing cuts on the outsides of bowls. I don't use them inside. But for outsides, the corners are not in jeopardy of catching except near the tenon, which is kind of like a thick spindle anyway. I especially like them near this region because the point sharply defines the shoulder there as well.

[Ralph Lindberg]

For us mortals, using a skew on the exterior of a bowl, as a skew, is something we should never do.

But for people well past us... this 1926 short has been posted more then once, but watch the final cuts he does on the outside at the end. That certainly looks like a skew to me.
But I would never try it.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-z_Ph6nZfGE

[Shawn Pachlhofer]

He's using a skew as a scraper, not as a skew. No different than using any other scraper.

[Michael Mills]

The reason I brought up the "bowl skew" was from the OP's statement "I have used a skew in .... It produces a great finish." He states he does use a bowl gouge but maybe he is not getting the finish he wants.
I tried a lot of times to use a gouge in the sheer scrape position (handle very low as per Grumbine and Jamieson). I typically made it worse and came out with a Ruffles potato chip surface. This may be due to 1. it just felt awkward 2. felt I had less control 3. shorter stance movement. By number 3 I mean with the handle at my waist I can move (sway) a foot or more; with the handle way down the smooth movement may be half that much. And of course 4th just being a iss poor turner.

I do agree with the comments about too many tools. All of my scrapers and skews were 20+ year old Sorby, while nice, not heavy duty. So there was the itch for a Lacer size skew and heavy Robo? style scraper for a few years. I stumbled across a close out at Woodworkers Supply for three Crown 1.5" X 3/8 LH bowl skews. Minor grinding to convert to a standard skew, radius scraper, and RH bowl skew. They were normally $120 on sale for $40 so I got all three itches scratched pretty cheaply.

I do not suggest buying one but if you have a similar problem making a sheer scrape with a bowl gouge AND have an unused scraper around it may be worth a try. I really don't think the "skew" angle matters... it can be straight across but the bevel should be down around 45* to hone and then turn a very slight burr.

[Geoff Whaling]

Geoff, I think we are on the same page about tool selection.
robo hippy

Definitely, choose the tool which offers the most pro’s and least con’s in a particular application.

For us mortals, using a skew on the exterior of a bowl, as a skew, is something we should never do.

But I would never try it.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-z_Ph6nZfGE

Good advice, Thank you for posting this link again, I couldn’t remember its title to link to it -“Wood Carving In Germany 1926”?? You may also notice he uses what most turners call a continental gouge or a forged shallow fluted spindle gouge to hollow the bowl. It is manufactured in much the same manner as a skew with a forged tang. He also gets a few catches while turning. Those tools were best available technology & I guess they broke a few tools back then too. Thankfully manufacturing technology has vastly improved and tool development has made it much easier & safer to turn these days.

He's using a skew as a scraper, not as a skew. No different than using any other scraper.

True, but good bowl gouge tool skills and using a negative rake scraper in a “sheer scraping” mode will generally kick you along at least two grades of sandpaper with finishing. I use a traditional skew chisel as a shear scraper very regularly on my small (3” / 75 mm) linear laminated bowls.

I tried a lot of times to use a gouge in the sheer scrape position (handle very low as per Grumbine and Jamieson). I typically made it worse and came out with a Ruffles potato chip surface. This may be due to 1. it just felt awkward 2. felt I had less control 3. shorter stance movement. By number 3 I mean with the handle at my waist I can move (sway) a foot or more; with the handle way down the smooth movement may be half that much. And of course 4th just being a iss poor turner.

Michael, we all started out as a “iss poor turner.” I think its not only the tool profile but the physical stature of a turner relative to the lathe spindle height etc greatly affects the quality of a cut and shear scraping with a gouge. A good match up permits a wider range of body / tool movement. The rest is practice, refining sharpening skills (quality of edge & tool profile) and learning the nuances of tool presentation to improve a cut.

[Roger Chandler]

All things positive and negative on this thread considered. and due deference to the experience and expertise of some of the posters here........it is my contention that anyone who would advocate using a skew to turn bowls, with the exception of shear scraping as a negative rake scraper, on the outside of the bowl, or helping to shape a tenon, would not be serving the interest of the persons who are new to turning or in exploration mode as far a tool use, presentation and control .............any other use, should be considered a definite no go.

I think from the posts, that the more experienced turners who have posted agree that a skew is not a tool to turn bowls with!

[Shawn Pachlhofer]

True, but good bowl gouge tool skills and using a negative rake scraper in a “sheer scraping” mode will generally kick you along at least two grades of sandpaper with finishing. I use a traditional skew chisel as a shear scraper very regularly on my small (3” / 75 mm) linear laminated bowls.

my comment was regarding the 1926 video...tools and techniques have improved vastly since then...

[Bill Boehme]

It does raise an interesting side question. We're told by experienced turners from the very beginning don't use a skew on a bowl, etc. But here is the rub...whether spindle, bowl, or gigantic boulder...round is still round. Meaning, there must be a transitional 'sweet spot' or something that suggests bigger than this should be done with a gouge, etc. I don't do a lot of spindle work but have grown comfortable with skews just for the fun of it but this is still a question that has puzzled me in the past.

Only at a very superficial level would round on a spindle be the same thing as round on a bowl. On a spindle, you are always cutting downhill with respect to the grain, but on a bowl you will be cutting into every sort of grain orientation. And .... cutting uphill with a skew can be .... well, let's just say that only you and the person who does your laundry will know how exciting it was.

[Geoff Whaling]

It does raise an interesting side question. We're told by experienced turners from the very beginning don't use a skew on a bowl, etc. But here is the rub...whether spindle, bowl, or gigantic boulder...round is still round. Meaning, there must be a transitional 'sweet spot' or something that suggests bigger than this should be done with a gouge, etc. I don't do a lot of spindle work but have grown comfortable with skews just for the fun of it but this is still a question that has puzzled me in the past.

There is only common ground with spindle turning, hollow forms and end grain bowls - when all have the grain aligned with or parallel to the turning axis. Traditional bowl blanks usually have the grain aligned perpendicular to the axis of the lathe.

There is also a common message here do not use a skew chisel to rough out or shape a bowl blank with the grain aligned perpendicular to the axis of the lathe. End grain bowls and end grain hollow forms whilst similar to traditional spindle turning because of the larger diameter of the blanks generally presents a significant challenge for using a skew chisel.

[Brice Rogers]

I want to thank the many people who responded to my original post. When I first started turning and using a skew, I was using it as a scraper. Worked okay but required much more sanding. After watching a bunch of videos, I eventually became semi-proficient using a bowl gouge in shear mode and using a skew on spindles in the shear/slicing mode. But every attempt to use it on bowls resulted in the inevitable major catch. Up until I read all of these replies, I wasn't sure if my problem was my own lack of technique or if I was trying to do something un-advisable. So, at this point, I'm going to give up on shear cutting with a skew. Thanks. You probably have saved me from another trip to the emergency room.