Drawknife suggestions?

[Jessica Pierce-LaRose]

Thinking of picking up a small drawknife - was originally thinking vintage/used for the price more than anything, but everything I find locally is quite large, or expensive or both. I also get that weird thing looking at a couple of local tool dealers where I don't know enough about the tool to understand why the less-nice looking one is more expensive . . .

Still debating a purchase, and will probably clean up my fathers slight larger drawknife and experiment before plunking down cash (new or used) but was wondering folks opinions on these two drawknives:

The Pfeil, available at Woodcraft (http://www.woodcraft.com/product/2001340/1214/pfeil-swiss-made-carvers-drawknife.aspx) (which I've heard good comments on)

And This one from Lee Valley (http://www.leevalley.com/US/wood/page.aspx?cat=1,130,43332&p=31074) which I've heard nothing about.

Any comments?

[Bill Houghton]

Try out your dad's drawknife first. I have a small James Swan knife, but find myself using the 10" Greenlee more than that. Maybe if I did smaller scale work...but on almost any work, you wind up using only part of the blade anyway.

[Alan Schwabacher]

I like the tools I have from Lee Valley, and like to support my local Woodcraft, but don't have experience with those drawknives. However, if you are interested in an older one, several online dealers have reasonable prices. I'm happy with one I got from Walt at Brass City, and note that he has a 4" CE Jennings drawknife listed right now for $40.

[Steve Friedman]

I have the Lee Valley carving drawknife and I like it, but it is different from just about every other drawknife I have. I think I measured the bevel at 15 degrees, which makes it really dig in easily. None of my other drawknives are as "sticky," but I do like the size a lot.

I'm not sure if it's necessary to spend a lot of money on a new drawknife, but I did get to spend some time with the L-N curved drawknife this summer and it was an amazing tool. Unfortunately, it has a $175 price tag, which is $50 more than the equivalent drawknife made by Barr Quarton. That may be the best deal going. I have a Barr Tools 12" drawknife and it is scary to see what it can do to a log. I should need a license to own it.

Steve

[Jack Curtis]

You might want to take a look at http://www.japanwoodworker.com/dept.asp?dept_id=13217&s=JapanWoodworker

I have and use the laminated one on the upper left, works fine.

[Bill White]

Mine is an OLD Wm. Battey & Son #8--Chester-- Slightly curved blade that I have VERY sharp. What a joy to use.
I have it set with a slight back bevel, and honed/stropped.
Have it in a leather "keeper" so as not to kill myself when I take it from the case in which it lives.
Amputation is not in my plan.
I think I paid $15.00.
Bill

[Ron Kellison]

I've had the small LV drawknife for many years. I don't use it often but I keep it sharp and when it's needed it does the job. It's a great tool for the price!

[Patrick Tipton]

Thinking of picking up a small drawknife - was originally thinking vintage/used for the price more than anything, but everything I find locally is quite large, or expensive or both. I also get that weird thing looking at a couple of local tool dealers where I don't know enough about the tool to understand why the less-nice looking one is more expensive . . .


Any comments?

I use drawknives a lot in making chairs and have quite a few.

There are tons of drawknives on the big auction site. I would buy an old one. Witherby made a nice tool as did Greenlee. I did a quick search and there is a nice small Greenlee for $40 buy it now. The blade shows no pitting and could be cleaned up quickly.

Most of the new knives are comparatively poorly made in my opinion. The handles need to be bent to be comfortable sitting at a shave horse.

I have bought really rusty ones and really clean ones. With the ugly ones, I tend to hit them with a belt sander and then go finer. Some have needed new handles, which isn't too bad of a project either. New or old, a drawknife with a fine edge is a pleasure and can do as fine of work as a craftsman's hands are capable of.

Good luck.

[Jim Koepke]

I could not find a length listed on the Woodcraft offering.

I have one drawknife and am tempted to find a few more. I do not recall the maker of mine, some unknown name. Most liked on mine is the folding handles that can be set to different angles. The handles can also be closed over the blade to save space and protect fingers when taking the knife out of the tool box.

For me, a longer length is appreciated when slicing cuts are made.

The problem with draw knifes is once you start using them, you will likely have a desire for different sizes and curvatures.

jtk

[John Coloccia]

I have the Pfeil, and it is very nice IMHO.

[Jessica Pierce-LaRose]

Thanks for the input everyone. My drawknife experience is limited, not owning my own, but having used one a little bit, the main think I'd like it for is the beginning of guitar neck shaping. Because often I want to do a lot of the neck shaping in-situ, as it were, I'm thinking a smaller knife might be more suited to the space.

I'm also thinking a larger size might be helpful for sizing boards to width or making them parallel - what I tend to do, particularly when I'm removing a bit of stock that's too little to saw away or when I need to straighten an edge to get parallel sides is scribe the opposite edge with a panel gauge, and then chamfer the edges down to that new line. Sometimes I scribble the chamfers with a soft pencil to make them more visible. Then I can jack plane that edge down until that chamfer disappears, and I've got my width consistent before a few strokes with the jointer. The chamfers help as a good visual indicator for getting to that line. I'm actually thinking that a drawknife might be the quickest way to make those preliminary chamfers.

[John Coloccia]

I had a feeling you were thinking neck shaping. It's very good for hogging off material fast. It's also good for some fiddly work, like making the rough cut for a backstrap. I don't find it's particularly good at an fine work, though. You do need to watch grain direction. It's easy to dig in and take off a BIG chunk. Honestly, I can probably rough the neck just as fast with just some aggressive rasps. I normally do, in fact.

You you'll have to experience it to see what you think, like I did. I'm generally lukewarm on it. I don't think it excels in mahogany, to be honest. It also doesn't work well with any figure. I don't think it's a mistake that between knives, spoke shaves, draw knives, rasps etc almost every guitar maker I know shapes their necks predominantly with a rasp after hogging off the first facet with a bandsaw or draw knife.

[Jack Curtis]

Thanks for the input everyone. My drawknife experience is limited, not owning my own, but having used one a little bit, the main think I'd like it for is the beginning of guitar neck shaping. Because often I want to do a lot of the neck shaping in-situ, as it were, I'm thinking a smaller knife might be more suited to the space....

I think a small drawknife is more suitable to working very small items and sculpture, not guitar necks. As John says, rasps are generally better for this task, perhaps preceded by a larger drawknife, which actually gives you more precise control due to the larger size.

[Bill Houghton]

Everything you've listed calls for a regular 8-10" drawknife.

Once you establish the chamfers, you can remove a lot of the width with a drawknife, too. Just watch the grain direction. Hogging out cuts calls for short, powerful strokes. But you can smooth, too, by skewing the blade and moving more gently.

[Steve Friedman]

The problem with draw knifes is once you start using them, you will likely have a desire for different sizes and curvatures.

jtk

I can guarantee it!

[ian maybury]

I know nothing about draw knives, but bought this Swedish Mora version a few years ago. Here's a US source that came up, there's probably lots more: http://www.bensbackwoods.com/servlet/Detail?no=45 It's not a heavy duty model, but I've been amazed at how effective it is to rough off a lot of wood in a hurry when shaping. They allow you to put a lot of power in while retaining control.

The steel is carbon, but like their carving knives is pretty tough and takes and holds a very good edge...

ian

[Gary Herrmann]

I've got a JS Cantelo folding knife with an 8" blade. Very stout and the handles lock in both positions very firmly. I like the folding handles to I can put it in a tool drawer and not worry about the edge.

[Jessica Pierce-LaRose]

Thanks for the further input, guys. I'll have to see if I can't snag my father's drawknife and experiment with it, I suppose. I guess the plan all around was to get more experience with a larger knife before hunting down a smaller one; you've all certainly confirmed that.

I've been doing more and more shaping of all stages with a large chisel bevel down, or a gouge, and a bit of knife work and found it more and more useful using simple edge tools to remove waste and begin the final smoothing as I've developed the skill to handle them, I feel like a drawknife, while it's a new skill to develop, the orientation of the handles to the blade will make other types of cuts easier. My last couple of necks had very little rasp work to them, mostly in the transitions and the penultimate shaping before sanding.