Crook knife advice...

[Squidders]

I'm in the market for something in a crook knife...

I like the price of the Frosts ones but from what I saw at Ashdown they need quite a bit of reprofiling work and I don't fancy doing that.

The ones that aren't Frosts cost about £40 and i'm sure you get what you pay for but are there any other options?

Frosts do a right handed version, does anyone know if this is going to need serious work to make it right?

any and all help would be really appreciated.

Cheers

Joe

 

[rapidboy]

I got my Frosts from Axminster Tools http://www.axminster.co.uk/category.asp?cat_id=207918

It was fine without any work.

Why reprofile it ?

rb

 

[Squidders]

The Frosts one had two distinct bevels on it that didn't feel quite right when carving (not that i'm anything close to proficient) but I had a go of PWs one and he had ground the bevels smooth and it felt a lot better.

Cheers

Joe

 

[JimH]

I got my Frosts from Axminster Tools http://www.axminster.co.uk/category.asp?cat_id=207918

It was fine without any work.

Why reprofile it ?

rb

Like he said...

Got mine from Rob and Mel. I'm sure it could be honed better by a perfectionist, but it has been fine just touched up with a dowel and some 1200 grit wet&dry when it dulled.

I'm not a shaven-armed sharpening fetishist mind you :?:

Jim.

 

[beachlover]

Like he said...

Got mine from Rob and Mel. I'm sure it could be honed better by a perfectionist, but it has been fine just touched up with a dowel and some 1200 grit wet&dry when it dulled.

I'm not a shaven-armed sharpening fetishist mind you :?:

Jim.

I can only agree with the foregoing. Got mine from Rob too and it is superb.

 

[ChrisKavanaugh]

Take a look at some farrier's knives. They are available in left and right hand versions and easily rehandled.

 

[Hoodoo]

I agree on the farrier's knife. A very versatile tool in the field.

I like the frosts. I pound out the cutlers rivets and replace with bolts and epoxy everything back together. Then I grind the handle to fit.

 

[Paganwolf]

squidders, get an axeminster one and ill grind and sharpen it for you at ashdown buddy

 

[Gary]

Joe, the Frosts range are pretty good and have single beveled models if that helps!

 

[Squidders]

Gary / PW: I can't be the only one who gets worried when you two start winking!!! ):

What I think i'll do is try and get a right handed model and the standard one and see how I get on... if the standard one doesn't work out for me, I'll trade it for a beer or something

Your offer is very kind JP but I don't want to abuse your generosity and I'm already going to bug you for spoon/canoe advice and help

Thanks to everyone else for the alternatives but I'm only after a cheap crook knife, I like the look of the farriers knives but the crook knife I used at ashdown was really comfortable to use so I want to stick with that.

Cheers

Joe

 

[Hoodoo]

No problem Squidders. Just thought you'd like to know there are alternatives out there.

 

[Paganwolf]

Gary / PW: I can't be the only one who gets worried when you two start winking!!! ):

What I think i'll do is try and get a right handed model and the standard one and see how I get on... if the standard one doesn't work out for me, I'll trade it for a beer or something

Your offer is very kind JP but I don't want to abuse your generosity and I'm already going to bug you for spoon/canoe advice and help

Thanks to everyone else for the alternatives but I'm only after a cheap crook knife, I like the look of the farriers knives but the crook knife I used at ashdown was really comfortable to use so I want to stick with that.

Cheers

Joe

Ill bring my sharpening stuff then eh

 

[2blackcat]

Bought mine from Rob and Mel sunday.

Hi guys :wave:




Steve

 

[demographic]

I am thinking of getting a hook knife so by the looks of it this thread is where I can get the best information.

I have seen some advertised for about a tenner in the axeminster catalogue HERE made by frost.

Also have seen some made that get called Crook knived sold HERE looking like this and costing about 20 quid...

The last ones I have seen are from Dick fine tools (no pun intended) and are called Mettgar and the range looks like this...

Now not having even used a hook knife yet (ever that is) but am not fussed in the slightest bit about sharpening then before use is there any that stand out as being significantly better than the rest?

I am assuming that the ones with longer handles give more control or leverage

I also note that some are sharpened on both edges but some only on one, I understand that some get used on the push stroke as well as on the pull stroke so the double edged ones sound like they might be more versatile?

I am looking at having a bash at knocking up maybe a bowl or a few spoons by the way.

Any views?

I work as a Joiner by the way so it's not as if I am unused to handling/sharpening tools but would appreciate some feedback.

Ta muchly in advance

 

[spamel]

I got the one from Axminster just the other day. It worked fine straight from the package, but I did regrind and put a bit of emery across it. I have no experience of the others, but I am happy with a £10 outlay on a tool that I had no experience with. If I feel like I need something better in the future, I will hopefully know what I want from experience with my current crook knife.

I also bought the small whittler which needed a quick pass on the stone, and was very sharp soon after. After a fair bit of whittling, it's still razor sharp.

Spamel

 

[demographic]

I got the one from Axminster just the other day. It worked fine straight from the package, but I did regrind and put a bit of emery across it. I have no experience of the others, but I am happy with a £10 outlay on a tool that I had no experience with. If I feel like I need something better in the future, I will hopefully know what I want from experience with my current crook knife.

I also bought the small whittler which needed a quick pass on the stone, and was very sharp soon after. After a fair bit of whittling, it's still razor sharp.

Spamel

I love it (well my wallet does anyway) when somebody says the cheapest option will do just fine

Might have to send off for one then.

 

[Squidders]

I also got the tenner one... works a treat.

 

[MartiniDave]

I've got the "tenner" one from Axminster, it works just fine once you sort the edge out. I used the type Woodlore sell on the course I did, I think it was a bit nicer to use and certainly a nicer thing to look at, but both will do the same job.

Both will also leave an interesting scar on your thumb!!

Cheers,

Dave

 

[tenbears10]

It looks like you decided Joe but for others I have recently found crook knives which fill the middle price range (not £10 but not £40)

Ben Orford makes them and sells them through Woodsmoke. I haven't seen one in the flesh but they look very nice and almost £15 less than the woodlore ones.

Dave, I have that scar as well only once though. Spoon knives can be a steep learning curve.

 

[jamesdevine]

Spoon knives can be a steep learning curve

Well really tenbear10.



James