Boxing day dumb question

[tucker1931]

I rec'd a gift certificate from Lee Valley yesterday. Gonna go buy me some GOOD knives tomorrow. My question, what is a SKEW knife used for? I see they have Flex cuts there and I want a small detail knife and the skew knife also looks interesting, but I'm not sure if I need it or will use it. Appreciate any and all input.
Cliff

[Gergie]

It looks like it would be used for chip carving. here's a little blurb I saw on one site.
"Skew carving knife is used for taking more vertical cuts where room is limited for a conventional whittling stroke".

Also If I was going to cut a deeper stop cut that was fairly straight I think it would cut down pretty deep with several passes.

Have fun with the gift card.

[Thomp]

Tucker,

i dont know how many tools you have collected so far, but i think you wont be happy with a skew if your thinking detail knife,


A skew is used in a stabbing cut, where as a detail knife is employed like a pocket knife with a slashing cut most effective for stop cuts and detailing as named.

somewhere along the line you may find a use for a skew, ive got several push skew chisels. but i haven't found a use for them unless making duck feathers or dragon scales...

[tucker1931]

Thanks for the response to ny question. I may be off base but I bought one anyway (because it was xmas gift money). I think I will get to use it for stop cuts in some instances.
Cliff

[Ken Carter]

Tucker .
Im gona try and put my two cents in here . I dont use a bench knife very often, I am a gouge carver meaning I do 99% of my carving with differant gouges and when I want to under cut to show shadowing I use a skew, when I make eye cuts I use a skew, cutting end grain use a skew when you can it makes a slicing cut instead of a full blunt blade cut of a regular gouge. you can use a skew to get into place's without fear of a acidental cut from the edge of your bench knife and that tells you that one size does not fit all when it comes to the skew. Its kinda hard for me to explain here without showing you. Anyway you will find that the person that uses a skew instead of a bench knife usualy has learned to carve from a European taught scupture Instructor some where down the line as it is more commonly used for them . The bench knife is used more in this country (USA) and Canada Im going to say and this is just my opinion from what I see around me. Allot of us got our intrest in carving started by whitlers or Scandinavian style carvers and we learned how to use the knife first, it is also my opinion that there is no right or wrong in either choice and you should learn how to use both to your advantage . I know this doesnt help you learn to use the skew but I hope it does help .
Ken Carter

[tucker1931]

Ken, I appreciate your input, fact is, I used it today to do some eye detail work and it's a fine little piece of equipment and at this point I'm glad I got a little extravagant and bought it, I can see getting a lot of use out of it.
Cliff

[Kenny_S]

Here is another Ken who uses a "skew" blased gouge like Ken Carter posted. Now I don't use it all the time but do use it to under cut when carving houses and other things in bark.
to me,One of those tools needed ever once in a while and for some, used daily.