Sharpening a draw knife

[Robert Waddell]

I picked-up a near mint condition James Swan draw knife a few days ago. Before I go and adjust the "patina," I thought I would ask the experts how I ought to go about it. What do you use to sharpen a draw knife?

[harry strasil]

Robert it is basically the same as a chisel, keep the back side flat and put a slight bevel on the front, I use a hand held oil stone or a slip to sharpen mine. If for heavy use put more of a bevel on the top so you don't roll the edge if you hit a knot or are going to take heavy cuts.

[Dave Anderson NH]

I am a bit different than JR. I sharpen the main bevel in a similar manner, but I also use a small back bevel on the other side. I find that this allows me to steer the drawknife a bit better and also allows me to decrease the depth of cut in the middle of a cut.