Draw knifes??

[David Gendron]

I'm sure some one can help me with chousing a "new" draw knife! I have a small french one I bought at LV a couple years ago and like it but I would like a more traditional one, one that the handles are not so much lower that the blade. Which brand of old draw knifes are the best? Is there any of the new maker that offer a good one(like Barr tools)?
Thank you for your inputs!

[Sean Hughto]

Many excellent vintage (Witherby, Swan, etc) ones are available fairly inexpensively, but eh problem is that they are often compromised in some way (loose handles, pitted or short blades, etc). Good ones can be found, but it takes some looking, or careful eBay questioning.

On the new side, yes indeed Barr's is excellent:

http://www.highlandwoodworking.com/barrchairmakersdrawknife.aspx

[Chuck Nickerson]

+1 on Barr's chairmaker's drawknife. I've had mine for about two years, and I love it. All those wonderful antiques seem to escape me. The two I've bought needed hours of rehab each.

Chuck

[Bob Smalser]

Top-quality draw knives with full blade life remaining. As good or better as any made today. 10 bucks starting plus shipping. Plenty will sell for 10 bucks.

Pexto, Worth, Witherby, Greenlee. If you need help peening a handle rivet or sharpening it, then holler.

look on ebay

[Joe Close]

How do you go about sharpening a draw knife? A file? Or do you also take a stone of sorts to it?

[Bob Smalser]

How do you go about sharpening a draw knife? A file? Or do you also take a stone of sorts to it?

The Drawknife
http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?t=7528


Or the knife can go in the vise and the stone used freehand, which is the way most people do it.

[Sean Hughto]

Hey, Bob, that is a nice shave horse you show in the linked thread. Do you have any thoughts on the best style of horse. I'm torn between Drew's and the Bogg's one. Have you found that there are any significant pluses and minuses to various designs? Thanks.

[Bob Smalser]

Have you found that there are any significant pluses and minuses to various designs? Thanks.

How much space you have. Anything else is esoteric if you don't have one. When you do have one, it's wood and you can modify it or simply make another.

http://pic20.picturetrail.com/VOL12/1104763/7081299/91841729.jpg

http://pic20.picturetrail.com/VOL12/1104763/7081299/93859833.jpg

http://pic20.picturetrail.com/VOL12/1104763/7081299/99960843.jpg

[Sean Hughto]

Well sure, something is far better than nothing, and, yeah, I'm competent enough with wood to modify or build twice, but my question really was, if you didn't have one, which sort would you build, knowing what you know now? Maybe you've never tried other sorts, like Bogg's? Even if not, would you build Drew's just the same again?

I was hoping to benefit from your experience so as not to have to build one twice, or wish I had built a different design etc. If you are telling me there is not a dime's worth of difference, okay, that's an answer too.

Thanks.

[Randy Klein]

If you're looking for new, don't forget Ray Isles at TFWW (http://www.toolsforworkingwood.com/Merchant/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Store_Code=toolshop&Product_Code=MS-IDRAWK.XX&Category_Code=&Search=drawknife).

[John Powers]

Get one off Ebay. Look for a good picture. Handles loosen and they can be pitted as all get out. If you saw a picture like the one Bob posted you'd buy it.

[Bob Smalser]

If you are telling me there is not a dime's worth of difference, okay, that's an answer too.

What I said was it depends on how much space you have. Otherwise what you said.

The Boggs horse was obviously designed to fit in a smaller space than my traditional horse (Drew Langsen may have drawn up plans for it, but certainly didn't originate the design).

So.....if you are using it for short chair parts, the Boggs looks fine. If you are making oars, you can also use the Boggs along with a roller stand, but if you have the space for it the traditional design allows foregoing the stand in most cases.

http://www.brianboggschairs.com/images/ShaveHorse.jpg

Adjustable height roller stand:

http://pic20.picturetrail.com/VOL12/1104763/4518261/56705282.jpg

[Sean Hughto]

Thanks, Bob. I understand now. Yeah, I'm going to be using it for chair parts, and my shop is already kinda overcrowded, so maybe I'll go with the Boggs. Thanks again!

[george wilson]

I have an old Keen Kutter I paid $1.00 for. Aside from the very small one O made and posted pictures of,it's the only straight drawknife I have.

Drawknives are always to be seen at any decent flea market. I see no reason to drop bug bucks on a new one which may not be as good

You sharpen them like any other tool,except it is handier to hold the stone in your hand,and move it over the blade.

[David Gendron]

Thank you every one for the options! Thank you Bob for the links. I made my own shave horse using a plan from FWW magazine that uses a similar design as the Bogg design and like it... but like any thing else, not perfect!!