do you skew ??

[Rasmus Petersen]

Ohhh yes i do... lets hear... how many use skews (and how many do you have) I love my skews all of them... i have 8 in operation (3 waiting to be tormek´d and set to work)

I love the skew with all its dangers and the joy when you hit the note at the music of long shavings and glassy smooth surfaces

[Jonathan Harvey]

I use a skew. I've only got two but I practice with them at leas twice a week. someday I hope to be more then mediocre with them. I think that like anything else practice is the key to improvement.

[Nate Carey]

The skew is, hands down, my favorite when turning between centers. I think I have five.

[Steve Schlumpf]

Rasmus - do not use them much with what I turn these days - but I do have 5 skews that can leave some very cool embellishments on my spindle turnings!

[Rick Prosser]

I have one skew - but I try to use it as much as possible. As a new turner, I still have a lot to learn, and the skew seems to have more dramatic consequences for poor technique.

Sure looks nice when used correctly. Will keep trying...

[David Walser]

Rasmus,

I have three skews and use them all regularly. I really like the finish from the tool when I cutting within the skew's sweet spot. In addition to using them for planing the surface and cutting beads on a spindle, I find I'm using my skews more and more when hollowing out a box. It's my go to tool for squaring the corner where the box wall meets the floor, putting a fine finish on the box wall, or fine tuning the fit of the lid. (In box making, I use the skew as a negative rake scraper.) Wonderful tool.

As wonderful as it is, I'm sometimes surprised I get better results on some woods or plastics with something other than my skew. For example, I recently made some pens using thuya burl. The thuya burl had some wild grain and a lot of eyes. I found that even very light cuts from the skew would lift the eyes right out of the wood! My spindle roughing gouge -- taking very light cuts -- left a much better surface without lifting out the eyes. The same is true with "money blanks" (cast acrylic blanks that included shredded US curency). The skew will sometimes pull out, rather than cut, the paper. This leaves a hole that needs to be filled with CA glue. The spindle roughing gouge doesn't do this as much. I'm not sure why the spindle roughing gouge does a better job in some materials than the skew. If anyone has an answer, I'd love to hear it.

[Terry Quiram]

I have a love/hate relationship with mine. Mostly I hate it and only pick it up if absolutely necessary.

[David Christopher]

Rasmus, I have two skews and if Im looking to destroy a piece they will be the first chisel I reach for....I use three tools easy rougher, 5/8 Thompson and a thick scraper....oh yea sandpaper

[Rob Cunningham]

I have one skew and like the smooth surface it give when used properly. I'm not to good turning beads with it yet. I have cut some nice threads with it though

[Ken Fitzgerald]

Rasmus,

For spindle turning, the skew is by far my favorite tool. I can't remember the last time I used my Sorby roughing gouge. I can rough out using one of my 3 skews and just continue onto the final turning without even thinking about changing tools.

I use a 3/4" straight Robert Larson, a 5/8" curved Lacer and a 1 1/4" curved Lacer. I grind and then hone.

The keys to using a skew....sharp...sharp....sharp and commitment

[Chris Rae]

I have two skews but I'm a beginner with them. Recently I got the large one out and used it with no catches for the first time. I was pumped! I still need a lot more practice with them though.

[Ken Fitzgerald]

Keep at it Chris and that won't just become an isolated instance!

Chant while using a skew "Ride the bevel....Ride the bevel....Ride the bevel!"

It just takes practice.

[jason lambert]

I was just at a class and used a 1 1/4 lancer and it was wonderful. I was going to order the 5/8" curved Lacer and a 1 1/4" curved Lacer from craft supply yesterday till I saw there price was more than buying it from Lancer himself. Anyhow will be ordering both soon just have to decide on the good one or the really goood one.

[Chris Stolicky]

I have predominantly turned pens. So, yes, the oval skew (1/2" & 3/4") along with some kind of gouge for roughing, get a lot of work.

[Don Orr]

I have at least 5, 3 of which I use regularly. Depends on the workpiece. Also, they are the only tools I hone constantly. A quick touch up with a diamond hone or strop and back at it. They must be SHARP !

And to second what Ken said-practice, practice, practice-bevel, bevel, bevel.