Primitive Archer

Main Discussion Area => Bows => Topic started by: mspink on May 08, 2009, 01:02:12 am

Title: Draw knife (my fav. tool)
Post by: mspink on May 08, 2009, 01:02:12 am

I use a draw knife for tillering, roughing out, finding a ring, decrowning, just about everything. Does anybody else use a drawknife so much in the bow making process.
Any details or comments... 

Title: Re: Draw knife (my fav. tool)
Post by: hickorydick on May 08, 2009, 06:09:37 am

Hi.
I don't own one. I use a spokeshave. But let me caveat this: I've made 2 lumber bows - 1) Oak - crap - 20 #(but will back with bamboo to try to make it a bow and learn something) and 2) Hickory - decent effort - 35#.

Now I'm on my first stave - Black Locust off of EBay. This has been crazy! I've used a spokeshave. Have picked my ring twice and trashed it. The end that has the fat rings also has 2 big knots 8" apart and 6" in to 1st knot. Snakey and twisted (very mild) on other end. I guess I got a great stave.  :-\ In the process of trashing the first two rings, I've learned a great deal through pain. Now I'm probably on the last possible ring - but also the fattest (I've gone through 1" of rings) and have gotten some zen and feel confident and have just worked around the two knots and still am on my ring. Phew - this is an apprenticeship.

Reason I'm answering your post - I read in BB1 about using a curved but unsharpened drawknife to - go in and 'wedge' up the ring above your chosen ring, and that this is doable over the length of your stave. I've been so burned by my initial bravado that now I am scraping the rings off. Have you done this? I've experimented with a chisel and can see how it would work, but if this is a successful approach, I would love to do it and would get a drawknife tomorrow.

Thanks,
Gerry

Title: Re: Draw knife (my fav. tool)
Post by: George Tsoukalas on May 08, 2009, 09:24:42 am

I use a dknife for roughing out and early tillering. Not so much for ring chasing. :) Jawge

Title: Re: Draw knife (my fav. tool)
Post by: Hillbilly on May 08, 2009, 09:46:57 am

I find a drawknife indispensable for debarking and chasing rings. Also use it for roughing out some, and often use it turned up perpendicular to the wood as a scraper.

Title: Re: Draw knife (my fav. tool)
Post by: Pappy on May 08, 2009, 11:23:59 am

Debarking and chasing rings,that's about it.  :)
   Pappy

Title: Re: Draw knife (my fav. tool)
Post by: bigcountry on May 08, 2009, 01:06:58 pm

I love a draw knife.  I got one real sharp, one dull.  I use one for debarking, and desapping staves.  The dull one I use for ring chasing along with scrapers, and sandpaper. 

But I don't know how one uses em to tiller.  I use a bandsaw for roughing. 

I recently got a spokeshave and can see using that for floor tiller on some woods.

Title: Re: Draw knife (my fav. tool)
Post by: mspink on May 08, 2009, 02:25:35 pm

to tiller with a drawknife i will get the bend i want with the drawknife then after that i will use my drawknife at close to a 90 degree angle to shave the wood off, and i will draw diagonal lines with a pencil across the limb all the way down the limb about every half inch and shave it till the lines are gone and i havent had any trouble gouging or tearin up grain,,,, and the drawknife workks well finding one ring or decrowning, I think that finding one ring in hickory is harder than doing it in osage and i havent had much trouble yet, i have made going on a hundred bows with one drawknife and it still works well   ;)

Title: Re: Draw knife (my fav. tool)
Post by: Stringman on May 08, 2009, 02:35:50 pm

I'm still young at this, but I agree that the draw knife has it's place. It's best if you try it on hedge as it's the best wood to chase a ring on in my opinion. Rough it out with a hatchet, chase a ring with the drawknife, floor tiller with a spokeshave, and finish tiller with a cabinet scraper. Gosh, that makes it sound simple! Wish I didn't sweat so much when I actually work on it!!

d:^)

Title: Re: Draw knife (my fav. tool)
Post by: John K on May 08, 2009, 04:14:34 pm

I love my draw knives !! Mostly just use them along with my Ferriers rasp for my bows.

I'm like Hillbilly, my draw knife also works as my scraper.

Title: Re: Draw knife (my fav. tool)
Post by: Don on May 08, 2009, 04:31:09 pm

I'm pretty new to this but I have 3 sizes.
The largest one is for removing bark and sap wood. It gets the job done quick.
The middle size for floor tiller and short string tiller.
The small one I use for fin tuning in the tillering. Along with an old butcher knife.
Don

Title: Re: Draw knife (my fav. tool)
Post by: Staver on May 08, 2009, 06:26:15 pm

I use my draw knife for chasin rings, roughing the bow out, and carefully with the rough tillering.  I use my scrapers when I see the wood clumping up and rasps for more detailed roughing before I go to sandpaper.  I sometimes use a hatchet for removing the belly wood from the stave.  If I had to choose only one tool to make an entire bow I'd work with my drawknife! 8)  Joe H