Something to sharpen a draw knife

[Timberwolf]

I purchased a Draw Sharp about 2 years ago. I have yet to use it. It looks a good idea, and is well made. The reason it lies on the shelf is that I hollow ground all my drawknives, all 4 of them, when I readied them for use - which they get - and the hollow makes them easy to hone with ceramic waterstones and paddles. Look up Curtis Buchanan sharpening a drawknife on YouTube for a video on the hollow grinding method.

Regards from Perth

Derek

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A video showing the grinding process a little better and the use of a jig for grinding the hollow.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZFL0RSliTyY

[Arlin Eastman]

Thanks Derek

PS - I just looked at on my computer on things I downloaded and found part one of Curtis Buchanan sharpening the draw knife. I will download his second one

Thanks Jack

I just downloaded his video on my computer

[BaileyNo5]

Thanks for this thread, Arlin.  I recalled that I have a Greenlee 10" drawknife, purchased in a hardware store some years back in Alaska.  Probably close to 35-40 years ago if I was truthful about it.  I think I stripped the bark off a couple of logs and that was about it, it's been sitting all those years.  So I dug it out and had a look at it.  

Back had never been flattened.  Probably never sharpened.  I had some spare time and a coarse diamond plate, so I went to work.  Figured a little sweat and hard work is my penalty for letting it lay neglected all those years.




Here's the back before pic.  Nothing to see but machine marks.




A shot after about 30 minutes.  It took about 2 hours, four 30 minute shifts.  Not bad at all.  



After an hour.



And the final.  Took it through the diamond plate and three waterstones. The majority of the blade near the cutting edge, certainly the working area, is nice and flat and shiny.  The ends and a spot near the right side are definitely not flat, but won't impact the working area of the blade.  I'll put a hollow grind on the blade and re-finish the handles, and I'll have a new drawknife.  

[mvflaim]

Maybe if it is not to much to ask could you show it and maybe how you made it?

I know I would love to have one to make it easier for me and the vets.  We use both of mine quite a lot taking bark off of things we are going to turn and a dull one is NO help.

I would throw a picture up, but I can't figure how to do that here.

It's nothing much. Looks similar to Peter's. Mine is two rectangular blocks with different grits of sand paper on each side on a wooden base with two bolts that act as guide posts. Just look at Peter's and ask yourself "if I made that out of wood, how would I do it?" and that's what I did.

[Derek Cohen]

When sharpening drawknives, you do not want a flat back. You will find that they work better with a slight backbevel or curve.

Regards from Perth

Derek

[Timberwolf]

When sharpening drawknives, you do not want a flat back. You will find that they work better with a slight backbevel or curve.

Regards from Perth

Derek

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+1

[Arlin Eastman]

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+1

Well

Something new to learn again.

[hbmcc]

If you feel rich, the June Fine Woodworking issue (on news stands now--and we're only now turned over to April) has a bunch of info about sharpening draw knives. Different ways for different purposes. I think this is the first issue I purchased in well over a year.  What can I say? I felt rich, and my friend Visa paid. 

You can always peruse at the book store. I used to do that all the time until they taped them shut.... Wait! Those were porn.