Homemade skew?

[David Warkentin]

Hi, I was wondering if anyone had made their own skews. Plenty of info on the web about Olund tools and hook tools but don't see much on skews. Could someone point me in the right direction? David

[Curt Fuller]

I've made small skews for fine spindle work, ornaments and finials. I use 1/4" drill rod, grind it flat from top and bottom at about the angle that a pencil sharpener puts on a pencil. The I sharpen a radiused edge.

[Cathy Schaewe]

I spent a day studying with Bob Rosand, and took home one of his skews - here's an article about how he makes them. I love mine -

http://www.rrosand.com/articles/19-3a.html

[Bob Bergstrom]

I've made a number of light screws from old planner blades. It is great high speed steel. I just grind off the sharpened edge and form a tang on one end. Stay sharp and great for getting into tight areas.

[David Warkentin]

Thanks for the answers everyone. I was really thinking of maybe a 1 inch skew. Do I just take some tool steel and grind it and put a handle on it? Is that all there is to it? David

[Bob Boettcher]

That should do it, really not that complicated.

Bob

[David Warkentin]

I understand most of the basics, biggest question I have is what kind of steel do I use. Can I use mild steel and harden it? Or does it need to be hss or O1 or W1? David

[Ken Whitney]

In one of Bob Hamilton's videos, he uses a very small skew for detail work (I don't recall which videos, be he uses it in at least two different ones). Bob made his from 3/16ths inch key stock.

I've made a copy and it works very well.

Ken

[John Landis]

David, you might check out this link at Enco:

http://www.use-enco.com/CGI/INPDFF?PMPAGE=841&PMCTLG=00

I've ordered a piece of the O-1 and plan to try making a skew

[George Clark]

I believe most current turning tools are made from High Speed Steel, M-2 and others. O-1 is high carbon steel. It will certainly work, but a step back in time.

[Mike McAfee]

The little 5 piece HSS set at HF that many of us buy for our hollowing tools includes a 2 inch X 3/16 (as I recall) piece of round stock that I have made a great little detail skew from! The thin piece of flat stock makes a sweet little parting tool as well!

I usually buy 3 or 4 of these sets every time I visit HF!

MMc