Drawknives. Suggestions?

[Chris Grimbowyer]

Hey guys, I was wondering if there were any specific brands of antique drawknives I should lookout for. I would like to get one, and the antiques are much cheaper than new ones. I have seen the Fulton name out there quite a bit. Are they of high quality?

[J.F. Miller]

don't know about the Fulton, but I own a Sorby, and it has been a joy to use for the last 15 years. wife bought it for me as a gift after I made about a dozen selfbows with a Lowes drawknife. no comparison. this Sorby is a lifetime tool. I have a few drawknives, some "antiques", but only reach for one when I have some staves to rough out. spend the money on a quality new drawknife if you can. you won't regret it if you intend to use it much.

[rainman]

Snow & Nealey makes a good new drawknife.

[scrub-buster]

I have a couple of pineknots that I really like

[Eric Krewson]

I picked up a rusty Greenlee drawknife at a flea marked a couple of weeks ago. Took it home and cleaned off the surface rust and found I had a new, never sharpened tool.

I sharpened it and tried it out on a piece of osage, found it to be a true jewel.

There are so many subtle differences in drawknifes you have to know what you like before you buy one.

I like a straight blade with handles on the same plane as the blade and parallel. I tried one the other day that had handles that were angled up from the blade, I couldn't control the cut and it wanted to dig in even with the bevel down.

I don't like curved blade drawknives, I have control issues with them as well.

Another thing, some folk like a dull drawknife for working osage, I like them razor sharp.

My current drawknives are below;

On top is a heavy, hand forged, debarking drawknife that has been the workhorse for all of my bow making to date. I bought it many years ago from the log cabin building section of a tool catalog. I like the way it powers through tough oasge with great control. I have used it to remove the bark, sapwood and chase rings on close to 300 osage staves.

Next is the Greenlee I found the other day.

Third it a Pine Knot a friend gave to me. It is a little light in the blade and doesn't get down to business like my heavy drawknife.

Last is my small Swedish drawknife, too light for serious wood removal but nice to use around pin knots.

     

[Chris Grimbowyer]

Thank you all. I'll find something.

[4est trekker]

I also like and use a Greenlee.  

[swtchbckshtr]

I bought one off of the net and I picked up one from a flea market. the one off of the net is a older one and sharp as a razor. the one from the flea market is sharp but not razor sharp like the older one. You should buy a good brand knife if you do buy one. run it across a japenese water stone a few times and youll be good to go

[SEMO_HUNTER]

I've never bought a draw knife, I make my own. I draw and cut with mine, then just flip it up on edge and scrape with it by pushing away or pulling towards myself, it works either way. It looks quite similar to the bottom one in Eric's pics.
I also like to keep mine razor sharp, I hate a dull knife it's how I get busted knuckles.

I also use a spoke shave from time to time and I like it razor sharp also.

[Tom Leemans]

Any drawknife made from good steel will do. I'm not at home but I think mine might be a Pexto. Bad steel shows up quickly when you're trying to get the job done. You can usually tell by how much cussing you do. Beyond that, any sharp drawknife is a good drawknife.

[okcaveman]

Mine is a Fulton, and I am pleased with it.

[Cuban Missile]

Mine is a John deer lawn mower blade chopped to size.  Keep it sharp.

[Paul/KS]

Mine are mostly old ones...