Skew: Hollow Ground or Flat?

[Jon Finch]

I've got a question for you spindle turners out there.

I've got two skews. A little short handled 1/2" oval skew that came in a 3 piece pen turning kit and a 1" wide, long handled (rectangular body) one. Both skews came, as do all I think, with a flat sided grind. I couldn't use the 1" skew when I got it (mostly due to being new to turning) and thought it might work better if it were sharper so I sharpened it on my 8" grinder giving it a hollow grind... I still couldn't use it. Then I went through a phase where I was making a lot of pens and got to where I could use the 1/2" oval skew ok. I still have issues with the 1" skew... I REALLY have to concentrate when using it.

I can't decide if my issues are related to the grind, body (oval vs. rectangular) or handle length. The 1/2" skew is in need of some sharpening and I'm not sure I want to change the grind by going to the wheel. So do you think it matters if a skew has a hollow grind? Are my problems just due to the fact that I'm all thumbs?

[Kyle Iwamoto]

A skew is difficult to use. If you're determined to use a skew, I'd suggest getting Lacer's DVDs, Skew the dark and light side, and Son of Skew. They are very informative DVDs. I still can't use one, but the DVD's are a good start.

[tom martin]

Couldn't agree with Kyle more--excellent video! You were right on the mark in that the skew needs to be scary sharp! The rewards are enormous though. It really cuts down on sanding. I would also recommend joining a local turning club. Most have dvd libraries and Lacers videos are usually in them. There will probably be someone who could give you some hands on help in mastering the skew too!
good luck,
Tom

[James Carmichael]

I'm a relative noob who is learning by doing, but here's what I've found:

Using a 6" wheel as I do, it's very hard not to put a hollow grind on a skew. I really haven't found that it makes a lot of difference, though. Maybe I'm just not advanced enough.

One thing that is absolutely critical is keeping the bevel in contact with the spindle to control the tool. It'll chatter like crazy and catch if only the edge is in contact.

With a small spindle like a pen, I've found that hard to do unless I either hold the tool almost parallel to the spindle, or, what works better, is to regrind at a more obtuse angle to give a shorter bevel. This works pretty well, but I took it a bit too far on my 1" skew with bevels around 60-degrees, it's a little hard to use, and does not cut as well.

The curved skew definitely seems to cut easier, or maybe I'm just getting better with it. The only downside is with the curved point, it's a little harder to clean the end of a blank right next to a pen bushing.

I've turned about 15 pens now. Except for roughing, I use a 1/2" and 1" straight skew almost exclusively. It's very gratifying to see those ribbons come off like an apple peel.

[Ken Garlock]

Hello Jon.

One professional turner I know of, Dick 'Father' Sing, uses skew almost exclusively. Dick uses a hollow grind on his skews, and then hones the edge with a diamond hone. He resharpens with the same diamond hone until the hollow grind is worn off, then he regrinds on the grinder. The nice thing about the hollow grind is that you can lay the hone across the back end of the hollow grind and the front edge. Then you have an exact angle for sharpening, kind of like a built-in sharpening jig.

Like the old hippy said, when the tourist asked how to get to Carnegie hall, practice man, practice. The skew is the same thing, practice, practice, practice. An easy way to practice is to get a 12" piece of 2/x4 and split it into 2x2x12 pieces. Mount a piece in the lathe and go at it. By the time you have worked you way through a stack of 2x2x12 you will have the idea.

Merry Christmas:)

[Jon Finch]

Looks like a couple votes for "it doesn't matter" whether or not you have a hollow grind. My problems with the larger skew might just be due to the longer handle and/or rectangular body shape. I kind of watched myself last night with the small skew turning a small spindle and I was really swinging the skew around (from almost perpendicular to the workpiece to almost parallel on a steep downslope). I'm pretty sure I'm not swinging the larger skew around like that. The handle would be going through my belly :).

[Thom Sturgill]

If the larger skew is rectangular, grind the corners to give it a rolled edge - the square corner is hard to balance on the tool rest. The cross section should look something like:
_________
(_________)

not:

_________
|________|

Hope that helps.

[Ken Fitzgerald]

Jon,

The skew is my favorite tool.

I have a 3/4" Robert Larson and 2 Lacers. The Larson was a rectangular and Allen Lacer in his video recommends rounding over the corners on the short point side and leaving them square on the long point side. I did that. That skew was my first and still remains my favorite though the 2 Lacers are coming on strong.

Like Ken said...I grind on on the grinder and then can diamond hone for months before going back to the grinder.

Also as Ken said....practice.....it will come and when it does...you'll be amazed. Any sanding will reduce the quality of surface you can get with that skew.

Keep at it!

[Dan Forman]

Not much new to add here, Ken en is right on about sharpening and practicing. I find the oval skew easier to use for pens, as it is thinner, and easier to find the right angle relative to the pen blank than it is with the fatter skews. The First Lacer video is the most helpful, the other one is project oriented, and is good, but don't feel that you need to have both to benefit.

Practice is vital. One thing that I've found helpful is to "rehearse" with the lathe off, plan and trace your movements with an eye toward keeping the point of the skew following the cut, and not wandering off into the wrong side of the workpiece, which will cause a catch. If need be, turn a few beads with a spindle gouge, then with the lathe off, go back and trace them with the skew, leading with the short point.

This is working with "muscle memory", so your body learns the necessary movements to make the tool work, without having to worry about a catch. Move with your whole body, not just the hands or arms, and you have to keep a fair amount of downward pressure to counteract the natural forces that want to push the blade out of the cut. Angle of approach is critical, as is follow through. Arms are locked to the body, and legs provide lateral movement, the arc is accomplished by dropping the left shoulder and raising the handle with the other hand at the same time. This keeps the weight of your body firmly behind the cut. When you try to do it with just the hands or arms, the blade is too easily pushed out of the cut, and wanders into the "waste" side of the cut, resulting in a catch.

You must hone the edge of a skew after sharpening on a wheel, it will have a "wire edge" that has to be removed in order for it to cut properly. The oval skew can be sharpened without grinding, on a diamond stone , or with sandpaper using the scary sharp method.

The general guide for bevel angle, is that the width of the bevel should be about 1.5 times the thickness of the blade.

Dan

Dan

[Bernie Weishapl]

I agree that Lacer's DVD is a great DVD. Like Ken F. the skew is my favorite tool. I have 7 from a 1/4" round to Lacers 1 3/8". On the square skews I round the edges on the short side. IMHO honing is a must.