Making tool handles with only one tool, the skew chisel. How I learned Skew Chisel techniques for Wood Turning and ended up with a bunch of Screw Drivers.
The finest example of humility with confidence. A lot of the big names out there are not willing to make these videos for those of us who really want to learn by doing and you make it simple and fun. Thank you for your expert presentation.
This is a video replete with wisdom. I’m looking forward to confronting my lathe with skew today. Good, practical, very helpful, clear information. Thank you.
informative, interesting, well-produced....I learnt so much from this contribution. There is so much useful tuition in it. Many thanks from tropical Australia.
This is a great video! I appreciate the multiple camera angles that allow me to understand tool-to-wood relationships. And, as has been said it puts the fear of catches behind me.
I am relatively new to wood turning and have found the skew a little daunting. After watching your video I will approach the practice with a little more confidence. Thanks for sharing.
I really enjoyed your video, it had some great points. I have been forcing my self for a while to use the skew exclusively for a while now and I find it really rewarding. Thanks for a different way of looking at it.
I'm only going to concur with what others have already said - excellent video about this often mis-understood tool. Like tkcenterline though, I would suggest switching to paper towels instead of cloth to melt the wax in - much safer. Thanks for making/putting up the video.
The best video I've seen so far on the skew...very very well done. I've been trying to figure out we which skew to buy, but the variety of opinions is unnerving. Your logic for making a selection is the kind of pragmatic decision-making I've been seeking. I'm so glad I stumbled into this video.
thank you for creating a very simple explanation of using the Skew. I have also watched the masters, but I think I got a great deal of commmon sense advice from this video.
What a good video. Thank you!! The only concern I had was using a cloth to polish. I have been told never bring a cloth rag or steel wool to the lathe! Use only paper towels. All in all, you do a great video. Thanks.
I have made the same projects using only a skew or a parting chisel or a gouge or a spear. Any of them will do the job with practice, yet some will make it more difficult. Great video!!!!!
Wow this is the best wood turning vidio on utube every thing is explained perfect pure excelencejust been riveted to the screen through out thanks cant wait to get on my lathe tomorrow!!
Fantastic video-so much thought and preparation. Really informative and helpful. The skew is the one tool I can never use with 100% certainty - as you say,good practice is the answer plus watching this Video!
Nice little video. The first thing to practice with a skew is sharpening. Get a cheap skew and practice sharpening until you can do it in your sleep. I never sharpen mine on a stone, I use a convex bevel (similar to an ax bevel) on mine. This is very hard to sharpen by hand by very easy on a grinder once you remove the tool rest. I use an oval skew with a rounded edge. For final cuts, I will sometimes give the edge 2 or 3 light and quick sweeps over a piece of 800 grit wet/dry paper. Using a convex bevel makes finding and riding the bevel is so easy you will wonder why you ever had any trouble with a skew. I also only use the tool rest for heavy shaping. For final shaping and smoothing, I push the rest out of the way and ride the top of my left forefinger under the work to steady my hand. Once the bevel starts to ride, it takes only the tiniest pressure to maintain proper contact and I have full freedom of movement with my chisel. Also, if your skew is sharp, and you made a good final cut you do not need to sand except maybe 600 grit. If you need to sand, your technique is bad or your chisel is dull.
hello and thank you for this Video, I must say While listening to this video I kinda recognised the voice and was thinking that voice is familiar and the delivery of the video content was really relaxed and enjoyable to watch.. basically it kept my interest but was also really fun to watch. I than notice that this video was up;loaded way back in 2011... now for the little.... but..... I've noticed that your more recent videos seem a lot less claim or relaxed,m in fact in my opinion , the newer videos seem more in your face and almost hyperactive and at times stressful to watch and listen to... (I don't mean this in a really negative way) because a love the fact that you guys are all sharing your wisdom and knowledge with us. I guess I just wanted to point out that your delivery of these videos has changed some what since 2011. Anyway...just my opinion again.. many thanks for reading my text and for sharing your videos... .
Wow, that was a nice video. I really like your teaching/speaking/editing style. I really felt like I learned something, and it made me want to get out to my lathe and practice the skew. Too bad I am not at home!
Great vid, I don't use skews much but after watching you I'm going to use them more, To apply wax or other coatings I use a strip of artists canvas it conforms to different shapes and hold the wax well because it's a woven product. You can cut a long strip and keep your hands well back . To use steel wool I use a piece of PVC pipe and stuff the end full of steel wool till its tight and leave some out and form a mushroom end. Just dip it in a can of what ever your're using to finish with. works
Very nice video. I have had much the same experience with my woodturning. I have found the Eli Avisera grind (convex bevel) helps make the tool much easier to control. The concave bevel is the most difficult to use with the flat ground bevel the next easiest followed by the convex grind the easiest of the three. But, they all require ongoing practice, all physical skills are perishable.
I am a new turner starting to practice with table legs etc.. I intuitively found the skew to be a better tool over others like spindle gouge etc.. As I get my feel for what kind of widths would work, what bevel angles what shape of bevels etc.. I'm leaning towards a straight bevel on a 1 inch width skew chisel.. this video is awesome in the sense.. i'm going through exactly the same process that you went through.. and it kinda validates my preferences .. thx so much. I'm definitely subscribing.
thanks for doing a video on the most misunderstood but in my opinion one of tbe most usefull tools screwdrivers looked good, please switch to paper towel rags are like rings dont belong anywhere near a lathe
Just watching this one with the Closed Captions on and it actually correctly spelled discombobulating! Their word detections is sometimes suspect, but not today.
Good video, Shawn. I still have to work on my skew chisel technique and sharpening the beast but I am able to use it fairly well. By the way, it's Alan Lacer, not Lancer...but I knew who you were talking about. Take care, Larry
Awesome video. Very very instructive. Only one thing. I wouldn't recommend hammering anything on top of the lathe. The body of the lathe is cast iron and can crack. Thanks for the video!
I have a tiny scew that I like. It's half an inch. The bevel is flat but the shaft is rounded a bit. I have another flat flat one that is 1 inch. Sometimes the 1 inch one is too big to get where I want. I use them both.
Turning is fun, but for some reason there is a school of thought that says that the only tool worth using is a skew for between center work - this is a shame as the tool is difficult to use leading to more accidents and ruined work than any other. At exhibitions and shows the demonstrator always feels obliged to show that he is a master - propagating the unquestioned idea that any turner worth his salt will use a skew. Sure having a tool that gives a very clean cut is most useful but in the long term a gauge is actually far faster.
Practice makes permanent. Permanent is not the same as perfect. If you're doing something wrong, doing it over and over doesn't help. Usually if you see you're getting bad results you'll probably start to try doing it different ways. Hopefully you'll discover a way that works well. Sometimes you aren't able to figure it out on your own so you need to find someone to show you. Once you know what to do, doing it over and over will make it second nature. It sounds silly, but practice alone is not the solution. Practice + good instruction is required.
Lots of useful info all throughout the video. Gotta admit I skimmed a bit but that's just because of its sheer length. Anyway, you're keen on practicing your turning but you put "I can't sharpen them" as a point against different skew profiles. Well, that just takes practice. :) I too like the straight skew best, though.
Really enjoyed the video, man! Like your style (humor, knowledge, Philosophy, etc.) Only missing religiosity. LoL Try adding a Buddhist twist to the repetitive aspect of Work/Art, or whatever, or Baha'i. The Baha'i take on work is: "work done in the spirit of service is equivalent to worship of God". Sharing one's knowhow and experience is key to the Baha'i point of view. You already are on that page, and i am grateful to you for it. In this age of Open Source Collaboration "We" all win.
Pretty good. I wonder if the motor on your lathe can be reversed? Sometimes manufacturers don't bring all the terminals out. Cheap bums, all it saves them is one screw. All tool motors can be reversed, just how they're made it isn't practical with some of them. Anyhow not too sure about your finish choice for a tool handle, plus I might have tried to put the knurls in too somehow. I liked the turning though. Might want to think about bolting that little lathe down.
What's the most reasonably priced slow speed grinder or cbn wheel and adjustable sharpening platform? I recently took up lathing, but currently am stuck using skews as well, I do like them, but I HAVE to because I only have a sharpening stone, and a fast speed grinder non cbn without a platform. Been subscribed for a few months now. Hopefully you'll have time for a response, keep up the good videos
at 13:02 you say that the only part of the skew that's touching is the "toe"... Looks like you're applying the heel to me? Maybe I'm confused on anatomy of the skew, but I always thought the tip was the toe and the base the heel. Nice video tho and thanks for sharing.
I had a problem with the beginning of this presentation since the presenter made a major error in thinking. Practice does NOT make perfect! It makes PERMANENT! To practice something, anything, wrong, is worse than useless. It means that before the person can get better, he first has to break bad habits that he had been practicing wrong. Visulize a person trying to learn to play tennis. He goes out into the driveway and keeps hitting the ball against the garage door and chasing it. In order for a tennis Pro to teach him to play, he first has to break him of all the bad habits that he has been practicing. Practice does NOT make perfect! It makes PERMANENT!
The finest example of humility with confidence. A lot of the big names out there are not willing to make these videos for those of us who really want to learn by doing and you make it simple and fun. Thank you for your expert presentation.
Thanks! I'm just starting to learn to turn, and this was incredibly useful.
This is a video replete with wisdom. I’m looking forward to confronting my lathe with skew today.
Good, practical, very helpful, clear information. Thank you.
informative, interesting, well-produced....I learnt so much from this contribution. There is so much useful tuition in it. Many thanks from tropical Australia.
This is a great video! I appreciate the multiple camera angles that allow me to understand tool-to-wood relationships. And, as has been said it puts the fear of catches behind me.
I am relatively new to wood turning and have found the skew a little daunting. After watching your video I will approach the practice with a little more confidence. Thanks for sharing.
I really enjoyed your video, it had some great points. I have been forcing my self for a while to use the skew exclusively for a while now and I find it really rewarding. Thanks for a different way of looking at it.
Thanks for the video. You explained using the skew in such a way that the light finally clicked on.
Excellent as always.
Love the quotes and the music.
Excellent instructional video and yes, the practice thing applies to most worthwhile things in life!
Good job!!!
I'm only going to concur with what others have already said - excellent video about this often mis-understood tool. Like tkcenterline though, I would suggest switching to paper towels instead of cloth to melt the wax in - much safer. Thanks for making/putting up the video.
RealRuler2112 z1
The best video I've seen so far on the skew...very very well done. I've been trying to figure out we which skew to buy, but the variety of opinions is unnerving. Your logic for making a selection is the kind of pragmatic decision-making I've been seeking. I'm so glad I stumbled into this video.
thank you for creating a very simple explanation of using the Skew. I have also watched the masters, but I think I got a great deal of commmon sense advice from this video.
Thanks, this was an old video of mine.
Watching this in 2021. Thanks for the video.
I am suprised I haven't seen this before now. I really enjoyed this video and picked up alot from it. Thanks for doing this for us less talented. :)
Very well done. I’m just starting to get the feel of my skew chisel. This video helped and yes, I need to practice more. Thanks.
It'll quickly become your favorite.
wortheffort I’m getting there. 😃👍🏻
What a good video. Thank you!! The only concern I had was using a cloth to polish. I have been told never bring a cloth rag or steel wool to the lathe! Use only paper towels. All in all, you do a great video. Thanks.
I have made the same projects using only a skew or a parting chisel or a gouge or a spear. Any of them will do the job with practice, yet some will make it more difficult.
Great video!!!!!
Wow this is the best wood turning vidio on utube every thing is explained perfect pure excelencejust been riveted to the screen through out thanks cant wait to get on my lathe tomorrow!!
Love the plethora of good information and tips!
The biggest mistake I can find is that I do not have any of those awesome screwdrivers...
Superb video - both content and editing. Thanks so much!
Thanks for the great video.
I'm picking up a midi lathe, and the skew is going to be the first thing I play with
Fantastic video-so much thought and preparation. Really informative and helpful. The skew is the one tool I can never use with 100% certainty - as you say,good practice is the answer plus watching this Video!
Thanks
great video. I learned a lot especially for the peeling cut. going to go out and try it. thanks for sharing your hard work!!
Thanks for a nice well informed video. Keep up good work.
Też tak kiedyś zaczynałem ,był to prawie pół wieku temu , cieszę się że ktoś uczy się tego zawodu który jest równie trudny co wdzięczny .
Nice little video.
The first thing to practice with a skew is sharpening. Get a cheap skew and practice sharpening until you can do it in your sleep. I never sharpen mine on a stone, I use a convex bevel (similar to an ax bevel) on mine. This is very hard to sharpen by hand by very easy on a grinder once you remove the tool rest. I use an oval skew with a rounded edge. For final cuts, I will sometimes give the edge 2 or 3 light and quick sweeps over a piece of 800 grit wet/dry paper.
Using a convex bevel makes finding and riding the bevel is so easy you will wonder why you ever had any trouble with a skew. I also only use the tool rest for heavy shaping. For final shaping and smoothing, I push the rest out of the way and ride the top of my left forefinger under the work to steady my hand. Once the bevel starts to ride, it takes only the tiniest pressure to maintain proper contact and I have full freedom of movement with my chisel.
Also, if your skew is sharp, and you made a good final cut you do not need to sand except maybe 600 grit. If you need to sand, your technique is bad or your chisel is dull.
Nicely produced. Great tips. Thanks
Thanks for a really good teaching job ,made it look so simple but I know better
hello and thank you for this Video, I must say While listening to this video I kinda recognised the voice and was thinking that voice is familiar and the delivery of the video content was really relaxed and enjoyable to watch.. basically it kept my interest but was also really fun to watch. I than notice that this video was up;loaded way back in 2011...
now for the little.... but.....
I've noticed that your more recent videos seem a lot less claim or relaxed,m in fact in my opinion , the newer videos seem more in your face and almost hyperactive and at times stressful to watch and listen to... (I don't mean this in a really negative way) because a love the fact that you guys are all sharing your wisdom and knowledge with us. I guess I just wanted to point out that your delivery of these videos has changed some what since 2011.
Anyway...just my opinion
again.. many thanks for reading my text and for sharing your videos... .
This was all voiceover, nowadays I talk to the audience.
Great video - that's it need to put fear behind me and just do it and accept catches happen but hopefully with time less often!
Thanks for the instructional video. Enjoyed it, great tutorial, Cheers Harry
Great video, Thanks for all the advice. Keep up the good work
I love your vids. Honest and very funny.
Wow, that was a nice video. I really like your teaching/speaking/editing style. I really felt like I learned something, and it made me want to get out to my lathe and practice the skew. Too bad I am not at home!
You rock, thank you so very much for all you show us!
Thanks
Great vid, I don't use skews much but after watching you I'm going to use them more, To apply wax or other coatings I use a strip of artists canvas it conforms to different shapes and hold the wax well because it's a woven product. You can cut a long strip and keep your hands well back . To use steel wool I use a piece of PVC pipe and stuff the end full of steel wool till its tight and leave some out and form a mushroom end. Just dip it in a can of what ever your're using to finish with. works
Great presentation!
Very nice video. I have had much the same experience with my woodturning. I have found the Eli Avisera grind (convex bevel) helps make the tool much easier to control. The concave bevel is the most difficult to use with the flat ground bevel the next easiest followed by the convex grind the easiest of the three. But, they all require ongoing practice, all physical skills are perishable.
I am a new turner starting to practice with table legs etc.. I intuitively found the skew to be a better tool over others like spindle gouge etc.. As I get my feel for what kind of widths would work, what bevel angles what shape of bevels etc.. I'm leaning towards a straight bevel on a 1 inch width skew chisel.. this video is awesome in the sense.. i'm going through exactly the same process that you went through.. and it kinda validates my preferences .. thx so much. I'm definitely subscribing.
Sandeep Puri u
Another great video. I really learned a lot. Thanks!
thanks for doing a video on the most misunderstood but in my opinion one of tbe most usefull tools screwdrivers looked good, please switch to paper towel rags are like rings dont belong anywhere near a lathe
Excèllent video. thank you sir.
Great explanation of the skew!
I am glad that I can start with just a roughing gouge and simple ABC, then go straight to sandpaper and done, since I want to turn flutes.
Thanks Shawn
Hey bud.. take high grit sandpaper and a popsicle stick and sharpen it while your tool is in a vise sticking up. It's cheap and easy.
Just watching this one with the Closed Captions on and it actually correctly spelled discombobulating! Their word detections is sometimes suspect, but not today.
Nice job, thanks for uploading
Good video, Shawn. I still have to work on my skew chisel technique and sharpening the beast but I am able to use it fairly well. By the way, it's Alan Lacer, not Lancer...but I knew who you were talking about.
Take care,
Larry
Great informative video....subscribed.....thanks
Awesome video. Very very instructive. Only one thing. I wouldn't recommend hammering anything on top of the lathe. The body of the lathe is cast iron and can crack.
Thanks for the video!
great video!
I have a tiny scew that I like. It's half an inch. The bevel is flat but the shaft is rounded a bit. I have another flat flat one that is 1 inch. Sometimes the 1 inch one is too big to get where I want. I use them both.
10/10 scariest tool. my skew is only 1/4 inch and mainly used to remove nipples after parting :D
@Larenzoid Thanks, and I'll work on pronunciation more in the future ones. I know I misspeak a lot.
Just curious why not drill the hole before you remove the handle from the drive center?
only thing missing was speeds at the different stages roughing planing finishing sanding thank you
Turning is fun, but for some reason there is a school of thought that says that the only tool worth using is a skew for between center work - this is a shame as the tool is difficult to use leading to more accidents and ruined work than any other.
At exhibitions and shows the demonstrator always feels obliged to show that he is a master - propagating the unquestioned idea that any turner worth his salt will use a skew.
Sure having a tool that gives a very clean cut is most useful but in the long term a gauge is actually far faster.
Cut a groove in wood with the wierd shape and lay sandpaper it and hand hone it.
Great video thanks.
That was great!
Practice makes permanent. Permanent is not the same as perfect. If you're doing something wrong, doing it over and over doesn't help. Usually if you see you're getting bad results you'll probably start to try doing it different ways. Hopefully you'll discover a way that works well. Sometimes you aren't able to figure it out on your own so you need to find someone to show you. Once you know what to do, doing it over and over will make it second nature. It sounds silly, but practice alone is not the solution. Practice + good instruction is required.
Lots of useful info all throughout the video. Gotta admit I skimmed a bit but that's just because of its sheer length. Anyway, you're keen on practicing your turning but you put "I can't sharpen them" as a point against different skew profiles. Well, that just takes practice. :) I too like the straight skew best, though.
Really enjoyed the video, man! Like your style (humor, knowledge, Philosophy, etc.) Only missing religiosity. LoL Try adding a Buddhist twist to the repetitive aspect of Work/Art, or whatever, or Baha'i. The Baha'i take on work is: "work done in the spirit of service is equivalent to worship of God". Sharing one's knowhow and experience is key to the Baha'i point of view. You already are on that page, and i am grateful to you for it. In this age of Open Source Collaboration "We" all win.
good job
i always use the round scraper unless its detail
@wortheffort Hey, no problem, Shawn. I just brought it up because I had read some about him earlier in the day.
very nice!
Pretty good. I wonder if the motor on your lathe can be reversed? Sometimes manufacturers don't bring all the terminals out. Cheap bums, all it saves them is one screw. All tool motors can be reversed, just how they're made it isn't practical with some of them. Anyhow not too sure about your finish choice for a tool handle, plus I might have tried to put the knurls in too somehow. I liked the turning though. Might want to think about bolting that little lathe down.
cool stuff.
What's the most reasonably priced slow speed grinder or cbn wheel and adjustable sharpening platform? I recently took up lathing, but currently am stuck using skews as well, I do like them, but I HAVE to because I only have a sharpening stone, and a fast speed grinder non cbn without a platform. Been subscribed for a few months now. Hopefully you'll have time for a response, keep up the good videos
Thanks. Have you done other practice projects with just one tool?
Bonita maquina
Just curious; how did you get that nice rounded smooth crown on your tool rest, or did you purchase it like that?
Steel bar welded to top. Robust sells em.
I love the scew but it doesn't love me. I practice on a bit of construction timber before it becomes fire wood
a felt mallet should help with the deforming of those ferrules
at 13:02 you say that the only part of the skew that's touching is the "toe"... Looks like you're applying the heel to me? Maybe I'm confused on anatomy of the skew, but I always thought the tip was the toe and the base the heel. Nice video tho and thanks for sharing.
Ive seen others put the heel of the blade down, but you put the heel up; significance?
none, just keep the cutting edge at the same angle.
I had a problem with the beginning of this presentation since the presenter made a major error in thinking. Practice does NOT make perfect! It makes PERMANENT! To practice something, anything, wrong, is worse than useless. It means that before the person can get better, he first has to break bad habits that he had been practicing wrong.
Visulize a person trying to learn to play tennis. He goes out into the driveway and keeps hitting the ball against the garage door and chasing it. In order for a tennis Pro to teach him to play, he first has to break him of all the bad habits that he has been practicing.
Practice does NOT make perfect! It makes PERMANENT!
All those were famous quotes about "practice".