bowyer's edge help

[Swanny in MD]

Anyone have a pic of the business side of the bowyer's edge tool handy?  

I got one in the mail from Dean last week and don't want to bug him since he's busy in a remodel.  I must be an idiot...can't figure out how this blade is to be mounted.  thanks!

[Shaun]

The blade sticks out the bottom (brass covered end) of the slot 1/32" or less. Hook on the edge towards the brass side. Pull it towards the hooked edge. You will find the sweet spot by feel, too little shaving - extend the blade, grabs the wood too hard - move it back in.

 
 

[Swanny in MD]

thank you, thank you, thank you, Shaun!  I had it like that, but today found out it wasn't sharp enough to do anything worth while...somehow got it in my head that the blade couldn't possibly be 90 degrees to the work surface...but it is.

Dean must be making them a bit different now...mine looks a bit different than yours (not referring to the handle, but the brass area).

Does yours leave a perfectly smooth surface on something an inch and a quarter wide?  Mine leaves a bit of a chattered surface on hard rock maple or jatoba even at the lowest setting - reckon it needs a better edge?

Finally broke down and bought one of these gizmos...wish I had a couple years ago...hard to teach folks how to take off just enough with pneumatic DA's and stuff.

[Jeff Strubberg]

One of the best wood bowyer tools ever.  the best way i came up with to set the blade depth was to lay a playing card on the workbench and drop the blade just off the edge, then tighten the screws.

[Shaun]

If it chatters and leaves waves, try angling the blade as you pull. I do not try to cut a full 1.5" sweep. Rull of thumb; flat blade for curved surfaces - curved blade for flat surfaces. The Bowyers Edge is a flat blade made for taking a shaving off a curved surface.

The cutting edge of a scraper is the little curl of metal you rub (with a burnisher) onto the squared edge of the steel. Get someone to show you how the first time. Prep of the steel to square is important before burnishing.

[Tom Leemans]

Chattering can also caused by the blade sticking out too far. Sharpen and burnish per Dean's instructions, and it should cut just fine. You just want a little hook on the edge; not much. I assume you got the little honing jig with the tool?

[Tom Leemans]

P.S. You can also taper your arrow shafts with a Bowyer's Edge. Make pencil marks around the shaft at 3", 6", and 9" from the nock end. Shave the shaft all the way around, starting at the 3" mark, working towards the nock end, just enough to remove the line, then from 6" to the end, then from 9" to the end. (Of course, you'll need the tool set just right.) After that, a little sanding and you have your tapered shaft. A simple board with a shallow groove and a small nail at the right depth to keep the arrow from sliding will suffice. I learnt that one from Dean, the day I met him.

[Swanny in MD]

Yup, got that burnishing tool.  Misplacing the instructions didn't help, but I found them today.