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Skew Sharpening

Jerry Bridges

Jerry Bridges

Joined
Aug 31, 2021
Messages
67
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Location
China Spring, Texas
What is the best angle for sharpening a skew? I have a 1" skew that now need sharpening. I know I can use a marker and approximate the angle, but I want it to be the same angle as from the factory.
 
I believe it is something like a 25 degree angle. early on I took some advice I read on here - every turner develops their favorite angles , toss numbers out the window - and adjusted the grind on my skew each time I sharpened until I was able to get something that a) I can consistently duplicate the grind b) I'm comfortable with handling it at the lathe (tool controllability - some like more angle, some like less, according to several videos from pros I watched) and c) I'm happy with it. I think my angle is somewhere around 28 degrees or so , curved heel. but I never bothered measuring it......
In other words, exact angle ain't important, if you like the current angle, use the marker and just duplicate it.. Factory grinds (unless you're talking top dollar elite branded tooling) are generally "just enough" to put an edge of sorts to the tool, and usually are no where near being lathe-ready out of the box
 
Thanks. This is a Carter and Son skew which came very sharp. It appears (as near as my old eyes can tell) to be about a 25 degree angle. So I will try to keep it close to that angle.
 
Most of mine are around 25 degrees. 30 is too blunt and less than 25 is too acute. Matching the grind from the manufacturer is a good idea.

robo hippy
 
I set the table on the RS Pro-Edge at 25 degrees and use the supplied guide to maintain the horizontal angle.
 
As Brian says, exact numbers aren’t particularly important… unless you’re a demonstrator and regularly get asked what angle your tools are!!

I use 22° on each face of my Signature Beading and parting tool (used as a small skew). Several production turners I know go as long as 15° on each face.

You’ll find that the longer the angle (15° being long) will give you wonderful long shavings from a planing cut, but is much harder to control for other cuts. Shorter bevels are easier to control but won’t cut quite as cleanly and won’t fit into tighter spaces. I find my 22° a good balance between the two.

Hope that helps

Richard
 
Richard Findley said:
As Brian says, exact numbers aren’t particularly important… unless you’re a demonstrator and regularly get asked what angle your tools are!!

I use 22° on each face of my Signature Beading and parting tool (used as a small skew). Several production turners I know go as long as 15° on each face.

You’ll find that the longer the angle (15° being long) will give you wonderful long shavings from a planing cut, but is much harder to control for other cuts. Shorter bevels are easier to control but won’t cut quite as cleanly and won’t fit into tighter spaces. I find my 22° a good balance between the two.

Hope that helps

Richard
Click to expand...
I will go with "probably right" but understand that you need to be able to replicate what you have/are using.
But there are two numbers, the angle of the bevel and the angle of the face.
 
My experience was that my skews got progressively more blunt over time, until I get fed up and restored the original angle. One way to keep score is to measure the width of the bevel on a skew you have ground 'just right.' Then in the future, you can quickly and easily check to see if you've drifted from what you want. (With a Robo Rest platform now on my grinder, I just plug the rod into the #4 hole, and I no longer have a migrating angle)
 
This video might be of interest to some:

https://www.instagram.com/tv/CWTF66ID9jf/?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y=

It shows how I sharpen my ‘skew’. My tool is actually square across rather than skewed, but matching the existing skew is pretty easy. Less skew makes the tool more versatile and easier to use though in my opinion.

Richard
 
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