Osage Bow (that hopefully doesn't take 10 months)

[Marin]

Thanks,
 I the the technique but so far the draw knife is feeling more like a scraper. Is it supposed to take off small amounts of wood? Is it possible mine isn't sharp enough? How can I tell if it is sharp enough?
I attached pics of the draw knife and it's edge. Sorry for there poor quality

[Mo_coon-catcher]

The easiest way to tell if a blade has an edge is to scrape your fingernail wth it. It an edge is there it'll dig in or shave a curl. If it's dull, it'll glide across without leaving a mark. It only takes gentle pressure. You want it to take no pressure to catch.
Depending on how you hold the knife and the kind of pressure applied. You can tear off big chunks, or shave paper thin curls. It all comes with practice.

Kyle

[Marin]

I was just outside practicing and I think I am getting better. I kind if feel like I am using this draw knife as a sort of scraper and I haven't been able to take off long pieces. Rather the draw knife feels like it catches and digs into the wood, not too deep but deep enough to catch the knife on. Am I applying too much pressure?

[Eric Krewson]

Looks a bit dull to me. Easy to sharpen, I hold a knife handle in one hand resting the opposite handle on something solid and make circular motions with a stone held against the bevel the whole length of the blade.  I use a fine diamond hone but any stone will work well. When I get the blade pretty sharp I make a pass or two down the flat side of the blade to knock off any burr that forms, done.

Here is a drawknife video on chasing a ring, pretty crude but you can see how he uses the drawknife.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rGQdzMKmue4

[Marin]

So I was outside chasing a ring and I thought I was on the thick 3rd ring but it sites out I've been chasing the 2nd ring. the 2nd ring is thinner than the 3rd (go back to the 1st page to see) but it is thick enough for me to chase. If i do successfully chase the 2nd ring, should I use it or should I go down to the 3rd?

[Eric Krewson]

If you do a good job on ring #2 it will work just fine for the back of your bow.

[Marin]

So the thickness of the growth ring used for the back of the bow does not do anything for performance? I was just thinking about this and I realized I never asked this question before.

[Marin]

Okay I finished chasing the ring and I was able to do it successfully on the not as thick 3rd growth ring.vi realized that if I got more courageous when using the draw kmife to take of fthe early wood and pull through the rough spots, I could work right through it and not take off that much late wood.
I did violate the ring very, very close to the edge near one if the ends but at really doesn't matter.
I've attached pictures. I haven't removed all the little early wood "islands" but enought if them to give you a good picture.
How does it look?

[Marin]

More photos

[jeffp51]

as you practice with your draw knife, try it both bevel up and bevel down.  I like mine best bevel down--it gives me control without digging in and allows me to make really fine cuts.  Others claim to do better bevel up, so I think some of it is knife-dependent.  When I flipped mine over the first time it was a whole new experience.

[Marin]

I was going to try bevel up when taking off a lot of wood , which I'm going to do next by thinning the belly and then shaping the edges.

[bjrogg]

Looks like your getting the hang of it Marin. That should be a fantastic tool for you that will last generations if taken good care of. Or in the case of mine even if it's been a bit abused. I do use mine both ways but mostly bevel down.
Bjrogg

[Marin]

Do you guys think that I should take it down to the thicker ring tho? I've seen the cross section and there is only a thin section of late wood from the third ring left on the back, though it is not violated (except on one edge near the tip)

[Pat B]

Show us a pic of the end grain so we can see what you're talking about.  I'd go only far enough to get a good, clean back ring.

[Marin]

Here's the pic of both the ends. The late wood layer is appears thinner at one end then the other but I just don't know whether or not I should try to go down one more ring.