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Wide Skew Chisel

Joined
Jul 19, 2018
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Location
Ponsford, MN
I have Allan Lacer's super skew and I believe it is about 2" wide. Just checked his web site it is a 1 3/8" wide, then measured mine and it is 1 38" wide by about 5/6" thick on the cutting end tapering up to 1/2" thick near the tang.
 
Joined
May 4, 2010
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Location
Bozeman, MT
Doug Thompson also offers a 1 3/8" skew from V10 steel, but Alan's would be a little more refined. I bet Doug could make you one up to a couple inches in width, but it would be extremely expensive.
 

john lucas

AAW Forum Expert
Joined
Apr 26, 2004
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Cookeville, TN
I found one at a flea mkt. It's almost 3" wide. I rarely use it. I did a turning that was 19" in diameter and used it.
 
Joined
Dec 15, 2017
Messages
255
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140
Location
South Plainfield, NJ
There’s a video of Allan Batty using what looks like a 2” wide skew chisel. Does anyone know who makes such a wide chisel. I can’t find one anywhere
Just curious- why do you want a skew that wide? I use my 3/4" and 1" skews the most. I have the large 1-3/8" Lacer skew, but rarely use it.
I find the smaller skews much easier to manipulate and maneuver, over the bigger one.
 
Joined
Jan 11, 2022
Messages
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Location
Roanoke, VA
So much depends on the scale of work you're doing. Little fussy detailing requires little fussy skew chisels. Big diameters are easiest done with big skew chisels. The wider skew chisels are easier to grasp and control when aggressive cutting is done. Wider skews also take a little longer to sharpen.

1     scale 1 - 1.jpg
Wider chisels work best here

1     scale 2 - 1.jpg
Getting in these deep crevices requires a small and thin skew

1     scale 3 - 1.jpg
My current inventory of skew chisels. Skew chisels are so easy to make.
 
Joined
Aug 14, 2007
Messages
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Location
Eugene, OR
My wide skews are 1 5/16. I got some blanks from D Way and ground them to my preferred shapes, which is a slightly round nose profile rather than straight across. If I was to turn a large spindle, I would use a SRG first, then my larger skews to clean it up. Can't imagine using a 2 inch wide skew, any more than I can imagine using a 2 inch wide scraper.

robo hippy
 
Joined
Oct 23, 2015
Messages
21
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347
Location
Pine Bush, NY
Just curious- why do you want a skew that wide? I use my 3/4" and 1" skews the most. I have the large 1-3/8" Lacer skew, but rarely use it.
I find the smaller skews much easier to manipulate and maneuver, over the bigger one.
Partially, due to curiosity. But recently I was doing some large spindles and thought a wider skew would give me a little more security going into a deep "v". I remembered the Alan Batty video and looked up wide skews on line but could not find one like he was using. I don't know if it was a full 2" but It was pretty wide and had a rather short handle.
 
Joined
Mar 5, 2018
Messages
107
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91
Location
Quorn, Leicestershire, United Kingdom
Before investing in a 2 inch skew I would suggest watching Steve the woodturner
Steve is a uk professional production woodturner

Steve uses an Ashley Iles one inch skew which has rolled edges


Steve also as considerable content on Instagram (both images and short videos)


or type Steve the woodturner into Instagram


Example video 2 methods using skew

https://www.instagram.com/p/CXeCCLOFpqX/
 
Last edited:
Joined
Feb 3, 2010
Messages
375
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426
Location
Adelaide Hills, Australia
If you are turning very large spindles you will need a very large SRG and at that radius the wings can be used just like a skew for the finishing cuts... see the following video at the 6min mark where he uses the big SRG to do finishing cuts and explains that he using it like a skew chisel.

View: https://youtu.be/f8vuZOOX1cc
 
Last edited:
Joined
Apr 12, 2022
Messages
73
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23
Location
Papamoa Beach, New Zealand
There’s a video of Allan Batty using what looks like a 2” wide skew chisel. Does anyone know who makes such a wide chisel. I can’t find one anywhere
I make my own chisels as the old turners did . I make them from old files and old thickners planer blades which are HSS steel it takes a bit of work but to me is part of the turning experiance
 
Joined
Feb 3, 2010
Messages
375
Likes
426
Location
Adelaide Hills, Australia
I use my 30mm wide skew for just about everything including very thin spindles...

Two spindles c skew - Lg.JPG
But, a smaller skew or bedan gives better visibility when rolling beads and such on very small finials...:)

IMG_1549.JPG
 
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