Drawknives

[HillBill]

I'm looking at getting myself a drawknife for general use, nothing specific. I know little about these tools though. So who makes a good all purpose drawknife? Preferably straight bladed and wide enough to be used for most things?

Any recommendations and advice welcome

Thanks

 

[Ian S]

....light blue touch paper and stand well back....

1) The old English makes can be really good, but they're usually completely blunt and they can be badly worn. Re-grinding a drawknife is a horrible job to do.

2) Of the new English makes, my thoughts are:

a) Ray Iles - cheapest, nice handles, nicely ground

b) Crown - mid priced, poor handles (too small, shiney varnish), poorly ground

c) Robert Sorby - dearest, not too sure, not handled a brand new one.

3) There are also some French and German ones available. I don't know what they're like.

4) If you're really really rich, you could look at the Swedish and American ones. I haven't handled them either.

5) I have almost certainly forgotten some other makes - sorry!

I have a Ray Iles/Mike Abbot design drawknife which I'm very happy with, and an old Marples which I would be happy with if I could summon up the energy to regrind the thing.

Cheers

 

[Robbi]

hillbill, Biker is the guy to talk to, he gets some great ones from the car boot sales in france and refurbishes them, good looking tools.

 

[sasquatch]

Mmm, drawknifes! I love mine, as Robbi said Biker is your man for them. I got a pristine example off him a couple months back and it's a real joy to use.

 

[Frederick89]

I can recommend both the works of Svante (blades) and Elsa (handles) Djärv, their products are forged out of O2/K720,
http://www.djarv.se/bilder/bandknivar_alla_popup.gif

and Pasi Hurttila. He uses a variety of steels, from spring steel with 0,7% C to SIlversteel/K510 with 1,2% C.
http://www.hurttilanpaja.suntuubi.com/datafiles/userfiles/Image/kuorimarauta.JPG

 

[HillBill]

Thanks chaps.

Ian, I'll have a look into those you mentioned, i don't mind paying top dollar for top tools as they always pay you back over time.

Robbi, sasquatch, yeah i thought about Aaron, ill drop him a pm and see if he has anything.

Cheers

 

[HillBill]

I can recommend both the works of Svante (blades) and Elsa (handles) Djärv, their products are forged out of O2/K720,
http://www.djarv.se/bilder/bandknivar_alla_popup.gif

and Pasi Hurttila. He uses a variety of steels, from spring steel with 0,7% C to SIlversteel/K510 with 1,2% C.
http://www.hurttilanpaja.suntuubi.com/datafiles/userfiles/Image/kuorimarauta.JPG

Cheers mate, ill look into those also

 

[demographic]

I have a folding drawknife (think its a Wilkinsons, made in Boston Massachusetts) and I like that.
The handles folding inwards protects the edge from whatever its up against in a toolbox.

 

[Biker]

Hill Bill,
I have three sitting on my workbench ready for final stropping and polishing for eventual sale here. Just tagged your name on one of them as a "Karma" thing... PM me your address.

 

[HillBill]

Hill Bill,
I have three sitting on my workbench ready for final stropping and polishing for eventual sale here. Just tagged your name on one of them as a "Karma" thing... PM me your address.

I just Pm'd you I'll send you another with my addy, cheers Aaron

 

[Woodcutter2]

Hill Bill,
I have three sitting on my workbench ready for final stropping and polishing for eventual sale here. Just tagged your name on one of them as a "Karma" thing... PM me your address.

You kept that quiet when you popped in the other day mate

 

[Biker]

You kept that quiet when you popped in the other day mate

Hey Toby, spent too much time drooling over your custom made knives to remember I had them. The Opinel has been stropped and is now razor sharp. Thanks for that. We'll talk later, I'm off out to a US custom car and bike show at Bagnole.

HillBill. PMs read, I'll reply later but basically the drawknifes I have are all aboout 300mm long from handle to handle with a curved blade. Run a search for all postings by me and you'll see some examples of them. These are nice drawknifes, I ignore the knackered ones unless they're a good make.

Thanks for the endorsements folks, means a lot.