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Skew chisels

R

robo hippy

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Well, at the last Oregon Woodturning Symposium, I was taking in Stuart Batty. Can't remember what he was turning, but small end grain piece. He made the comment that he never would start a finishing cut from the end of the spindle because it would "always" catch. So, I went home to try it out since that was a cut I had "always" done and didn't have any big problems with it. So, all of my skews are ground with a slight sweep to the cutting edge rather than the straight across grind like Stuart was using. Using my swept back variations, I had no problems making that entry cut. Then, thinking that maybe it was Stuart's particular grind, maybe 20 degree angle off of the side/not square, maybe that was the reason. So, I took one skew and ground that profile on it. Again, no issue. So, what I would like to know is what grinds do you all use. I am far from being any skew master, but do use them some times. I just like the swept back ones rather than the straight ones. I am guessing that maybe that is because I really like that peeling cut for roughing out my spindles, and the straight across/angled ones just can take too big of a bite... So, straight like Steve Jones/Woodturner 21, or swept back like Tomislav? And of course, why?

robo hippy
 
Of 4 I own, the 1/2" and 3/4" are straight. I realky don't use the 1/2", and the 3/4" is my go to to create a dovetail tenon for chuck grabbing.

The 1" and 1-1/4" have the gentle radius sweep. I did this becuase whoever it was that demo'ed skews to me 20-some years ago suggested it as a way to get the tips (esp. the long side tip) away from the spinning wood to lessen chances of catches even more. I can't confirm nor deny Stuart's catch claim, I guess it hasn't been an issue for me.

In use, I don't notice a performance difference between straight and curved. A sharp edge means more than edge profile, and the wood doesn't seem to care about profile. I haven't measured the bevel angles in forever, so I'll say that they are maintained at typical skew angles, ground concave on a wheel, and kept sharpened by hand.
 
IMHO the curved end skew is more forgiving, so it's what I recommend to people starting out. I use a 1" radius/curved skew for most 'skew work', but grab a 3/4" straight skew for miscellaneous things like cleaning up tenons, making v-cuts to mark blanks, or facing off the ends of spindle blanks.

As for not cutting into the ends of spindle blanks, I also teach beginners to cut off the ends. In theory, when starting a cut into the end grain, you can lift up fibers. It's also a way to get beginners to start thinking about cutting 'downhill' and avoid cutting into end grain. Once you've got good tool control, you can probably get away with it, and I do at times.
 
I have four skews, without getting into bedans, beading and parting tools etc. All of mine are straight, and I have no plan to change them. I have a big Taylor at a 30 deg included angle like Steve Jones, ,my new Ashley Iles is at 40 deg included, waiting to go to 30, and a1/2" one that I think is at 30 deg. Like you, I don't seem to have a problem starting at the end of a spindle, but I have heard Batty say that.
 
I have Allan Lacer's monster 1 1/2" X about 3/8" at the working end tapering to about 5/8" near the tang with the almost square end on the long point that then rounds off to a typical sweep skew. Note: I couldn't resist that beautiful piece of steel when we had Allan do a demo. That works well for large spindles and has the added function of being excellent at peeling off lots of material to form tenons, but the long point on a straight angle skew is needed to clean up the end grain face.
The skew I use the most is a 1" with a straight angle and rounded edges. This skew is close to the end of it's life so I am getting ready to replace it and since I recently won a gift certificate as part of a best turning award I thought I had it paid for but that dealer did not have any skews listed.
The newest skew is a 1/2" straight angle and sharp edges that I bought from another member of my local club who didn't seem interested in learning how to use it.
Starting a finish cut at the very end is something I rarely have a need to do, but I have developed a method to start a cut on a tenon using the short point of the skew.
Aside from the genuine skews there are many skew like cuts that can be done with gouges and any tool similar to a parting tool simply by slightly rotating the tool.
 
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robo hippy said:
Well, at the last Oregon Woodturning Symposium, I was taking in Stuart Batty. Can't remember what he was turning, but small end grain piece. He made the comment that he never would start a finishing cut from the end of the spindle because it would "always" catch.

robo hippy
Click to expand...
Robo, I'm watching Raffan turn a *cross-grain* spindle shape, he states to come in from the end to avoid tear out, so don't go off the end. He's using a gouge in this case.

Maybe Batty's *end grain* orientation comment has merit, being the opposite grain orientation as you see here with Raffan. I'm gonna say, I've never considered either notion.

This video starts a few seconds before he makes the comment (at about the 6:35 mark). You can restart the video to see what he's making, and why.
View: https://youtu.be/XFjC6fyPSfw?t=390&si=NIVclV4ItEMuMZOz

View: https://youtu.be/XFjC6fyPSfw?
 
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