Tool Update

Posted July 11, 2010:
I'll be starting a batch of all the adzes this week. They will be finished and available in several weeks.
Getting the straight knives back in stock will be next.
I actually did the initial forging of the first batch of new gouges (3, 6 and 9 sweeps in 5/8 and 1 1/4 inch wide). But they still require a lot of time to finish. Looks like that can't happen until September. I'm sorry to be putting them off so long, but my old tools need to take priority.

Posted May 24, 2010:
The new drawknives (8") are coming along well and should be available in another week or so.
Getting the straight knives, mini bent knives, and adze irons backin stock will be next.
I actually did the initial forging of the first batch of new gouges (3, 6 and 9 sweeps in 5/8 and 1 1/4 inch wide). But they still require a lot of time to finish. Looks like that can't happen until July. I'm sorry to be putting them off so long, but my old tools need to take priority.

Posted May 21, 2010:
Well, the 150 pound arbor press I ordered came with the corners missing from the cardboard box they shipped it in! Parts were missing, so I ordered another one. The press is needed to shape the gouges. So the first batch of gouges won't be done for a while yet.
With the gouges temporarilly out of the way, I should be able to finish the first run of new (8") drawknives by next week. I'm looking forward to being able to offer it, something I should have come out with long ago.
I realize I have several tools out of stock. Am afraid this will become a more common thing, with the addition of the new drawknife and gouges. Sorry, all I can do is ask for your patience. Unfortunately, the state of my work is such that I don't think I can hire and train people to do the stuff that has taken me several decades to become proficient at.

Posted May 8, 2010:
Some delays with the new tools (large drawknives and gouges). Hoping to have them ready the end of May.
When I get around to making another batch of large scorps, I'll probably make some that are "flat bottom". These will take less aggressive cuts and will be better for smoothing the ridges left from the deeper cutting round scorp.

Posted April 23, 2010:
With everything else in the works, I've forgotten about the small straight knives that are out of stock. Looks like it will be August before I'll be able to get a batch of them heating in the forge...

Posted April 18, 2010:
The new gouges and drawknives are coming along (though I have to admit I've been a bit distracted with work on some of the coffee tables). Should have the first batch done by mid May. Although I have handles for the drawknives, I don't have any for the gouges. It will be at least mid Summer befor I'll be able to make any handles, so I will probably offer the gouges without handles initially.

Posted March 20, 2010:
The jury is in on the new design for my drawknives (described in the March 15 posting, below). The prototypes I made did not perform as well as my old drawknives. So I will not be changing the geometry or bevels of any of my drawknives.
I just ordered the steel for the first batch of larger drawknives that will have twice the length blade as my Large Drawknife. These should available by May 10. The current Medium Drawknife (DK-M) is being discontinued
I'm also working on some gouges: #2, #6, #9, all in 5/8 and 1 1/4 inch wide. These will all be very finely bevelled, for hand sculpting. I have actually ordered the steel for the first batch of these also, so it looks like I'm committed.

Posted March 15, 2010:

Just finishing a batch of Shallow Bent Knives. They'll be available in a few days.

About twenty years ago, I read an article in one of the woodworking magazines about drawknives. The author was touted as being an expert in their use (I can't recall his name). He claimed there was not a drawknife on the market with the correct bevel geometry. That with a flat or slightly rounded bottom to the blade there is no control because the blade simply wants to follow it. There should be a small bevel on the bottom of the blade, from the edge to about 1/8 inch back. With this geometry the user can control the depth of cut everywhere along a cut by simply lowering the handles a little (to cut deeper) or raising them (to cut shallower). I believe, however, that the angle of the handles also need to be bent to be in line with the new angle of the bottom bevel. Otherwise the use of the tool would be like using any drawknife with a microbevel on top, upside down (That sort of works, but not very well because the direction of pull is not in line with the direction of cut.) This means you can't simply regrind the bottom of an old drawknife, which is why I've never tried it. But I am now. I've just finished forging a few micro drawknives with this new geometry. If I find when trying them out in a few days that the control really is remarkable, I'll be changing all my drawknives to this new geometry. I've also been considering dropping the Medium Drawknife (three inch blade with metal handles) from my line and adding a larger drawknife with about 8 inch blade and wood handles. Bt that won't be this week...

As time allows, I am editing some video footage showing my adzes being used. The first ones should be done and viewable on my site in a few weeks.