Sharpening a scorp, bent draw knife, inshave, whatever you call it

[Michael Ray Smith]

A while back I picked up an inshave draw knife, scorp, scorper, whatever you want to call it. The blade is curved -- less than a complete u-shape and with a fairly large radius -- with the bevel side concave and the "flat" side convex. I thought I'd use it to hollow out chair seats. . . . if I ever get around to learning how to make chairs -- but now I may have another use for it before then. Which leads me to the question I've been avoiding. . . . how do I sharpen the darned thing?

[Steve Friedman]

For concave curves, dowels with sandaper glued to them and a dowel with leather and honing compound as a strop. For straight spots and convex curves, just regular stones and flat strop. For all of these, however, you need to take the abrasive to the steel. Hold or clamp the steel securely and rub the abrasive on the steel. The shape of the tool makes it difficult to do any other way. Just need to watch your fingers and go slowly.

Good instructions at North Bay Forge, Barr Tools, and, for drawknives, You Tube video by Brian Boggs done for Lie-Nielsen.

Steve

[Michael Ray Smith]

Thanks. I've seen Brian Boggs's video on sharpening draw knives. Good stuff. I'll check out the others.

[Ryan Baker]

A drum sander works well for the rougher work (either by hand or corded). Conical or round stones are good for honing. Of course, normal flat stones can handle the outside curve.