Looking For A Good Quality Draw Knife

[Erwincm]

Hi guys. A friend of mine and I are thinking about trying our hand at making a few self bows. We have some Osage staves split and ready to de-bark and chase rings. What style draw knife do we need to do the job and where can we find a good quality tool (ideally made in the USA)?

Thanks,
Charles
Madison, AL

[rainman]

Look for draw knives in flea markets or Estate Sales.  Only U.S. manufacturer I know of is Snow & Nealey and I believe they sold to a Chinese Mfg.

[J.F. Miller]

Sorby #565. you might find a cheaper one, but not a better one.

[bjansen]

Also check out lie Nielsen. Those are the best of all that I tried (I have never tried the sorby though) but I would still my old rusted and dull drawknife for selfbows.

[Bowjunkie]

There are numerous good quality used drawknives to be found. You can find good ones on the big auction site on just about any given day. I look at the brand, but more important to me is blade size and shape(I like them slightly curved), handle angle, condition and tightness, and condition of the steel (no rust pitting).

I currently have a Snow and Nealley that I bought new, and a Pexto I bought used on the auction site. I love them both and would never get rid of them.

[scrub-buster]

I find very good quality draw knives at auctions, flea markets, and antique stores.  I like the quality steel in the old ones.  Try to find one without pitting or chips out of the edge.

[Eric Krewson]

I have a really nice one listed on the St Jude auction.

 

[Incognito1]

If you are looking for new, Arno makes a good drawknife with quality steel.

[BMorv]

I'm a big fan of refurbishing old tools bought on auction websites or antique stores.  I have 3 draw knives that I've bought for $20 or $30.  Most are American made and I can sharpen them razor sharp in no time.  As mentioned just check for pitting on the cutting edge and make sure the handles aren't loose (ask the seller if it isn't in the description).  
One of mine looks identical to the one Eric has listed, and I love it.

[Erwincm]

Is there a particular style (curved vs straight, angle of handles, length of blade, etc) that is best suited for removing bark and/or shaping the bow?

[scrub-buster]

I've used straight and curved.  They both work.  I like a little bit of a curved blade.  The handle angles can be different.  You will adjust to them quickly.  My daily driver is an old True Value 8" draw knife.  I bought it because I used to work at a True Value hardware store when I was a teenager.  It turned out to be a great draw knife.

[Randy]

I use a straight blade and like it a lot. I have a couple different ones and like them both. I purchased both knives used. A little sharpening and they work great. Look for used Greenlee knife. They are easy to sharpen and hold an edge.

Tractor supply has them... Look in the chain saw section...  I don't know how good they are...

[Eric Krewson]

I posted this over at the primitive archer site just now;

I looked at the fleabay drawknives, there are two Greenlee  10" on the first page, very good drawknives in almost perfect shape. I have an identical one my shop and can attest to it's quality. I prefer a longer blade than 8", I have a 6" that is hard to use for anything other than cleaning up around pin knots.

I like a straight bladed knife, others may like a curved blade. I also like straight handles with no offset to the blade.

What ever configuration you get you can learn to use it.

The top knife is a heavy debarking drawknife and the one I use the most, I like heavy and big.
The next one is the Greenlee
The third is a Pine Knot that is currently on the Trad Gang St Jude Auction, it won't go cheaply.
The last is the 6" swedish drawknife with a thin, light blade. It is hard to keep that thin blade from digging in.

   

[scrub-buster]

Nice draw knives Eric.  Greenlee and Pine knot are very solid knives.  I'm not sure if I have a Greenlee but I know I have a pine knot.  Your debarking knife looks like it might be a home made forged job.  It's build to last a few hundred years.

[Eric Krewson]

I have pealed about 300 osage staves with my heavy drawknife. I have used it so much I can chase the finest grain with it, no problem.

[Carson81]

Nice Knives Eric, and holy smokes that is a lot of osage staves for man to have chased!

Good old US made drawknives on the big auction site are cheaper by the dozen.    I have found that lot listings of 3 or more drawknives can be a great deal as most folks are looking for just one. If you and your buddies need more than one, search for lot listings of drawknife.