Editing Drawknife

{{Short description|Woodworking hand tool}}
[[File:ZiehmesserTop.jpeg|right|thumb|Traditional draw knife|350px]]
A '''drawknife''' ('''drawing knife''', '''draw shave''', '''shaving knife''')<ref>{{cite encyclopedia |editor-last1=Davies |editor-first1=Nikolas |editor-first2=Erkki |editor-last2=Jokiniemi |title=drawing knife |encyclopedia=Architect's Illustrated Pocket Dictionary |location=Oxford |publisher=Architectural |year=2011 |page=154}}</ref> is a traditional [[woodworking]] [[tool|hand tool]] used to shape wood by removing shavings. It consists of a blade with a handle at each end. The blade is much longer (along the cutting edge) than it is deep (from cutting edge to back edge). It is pulled or "drawn" (hence the name) toward the user.

The drawknife in the illustration has a blade {{convert|23|cm|in|abbr=on}} long, although much shorter drawknives are also made. The blade is sharpened to a [[chisel]] [[bevel]]. Traditionally, it is a rounded, smooth bevel. The handles can be below the level of the blade (as in the illustration) or at the same level.<ref name="American Woodworker-1990">{{cite magazine |title=The Drawknife and Spokeshave| magazine=American Woodworker | publisher=New Track Media | issn=1074-9152 | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=cfsDAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA39 |date=Jun 1990 |issue=14| page=39}}</ref>

== Purpose ==
[[File:Working with Drawknive.jpeg|thumb|Using a drawknife in making a [[flatbow]]]]
A drawknife is commonly used to remove large slices of wood for flat faceted work, to debark trees, or to create roughly rounded or [[cylindrical]] billets for further work on a [[lathe]], or it can shave like a [[spokeshave]] [[plane (tool)|plane]], where finer finishing is less of concern than a rapid result. The thin blade lends itself to create complex concave or convex curves.

[[File:Jeffersontown Museum Woodworking Tools.jpg|thumb|American drawknife circa 1800]]
Unlike a spokeshave, it ''does not'' have a closed mouth to control chip formation, and so lacks the spokeshave's superior cutting and shaving precision.<ref name="American Woodworker-1990" /><ref>{{cite book | last=Underhill | first=R. | title=The Woodwright's Shop: A Practical Guide to Traditional Woodcraft | publisher=University of North Carolina Press | year=1981 | isbn=978-0-8078-4082-5 | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=SqzWAAAAMAAJ  | pages=39-40}}</ref>

They are also a vital piece of equipment in hand-made [[cricket bat]]s, being used to shape the curve of the bat.

=== Operation ===
The drawknife ideally is used when the operator is in a seated position astride a traditional [[shaving horse]], which safely grips the working stock, and they can also use their legs for additional pulling power.
The ideal working stock has the grain of the wood running parallel to the shaving horse, and perpendicular to the blade of the drawknife, so that the drawknife shaves away the entire wood fibre and does not cut against it.<ref name="American Woodworker-1990"/>  It is best not pulled with blade perfectly [[perpendicular]] to the wood stock, but pulled slightly upward toward them in a skewed (blade at a slight [[diagonal]]) or slithering fashion, aiming not to take off as much wood as possible, but gradually "shave" the work. The operator gently levers the blade to "bite" into the wood and then controls the depth of the cut by raising or lowering the handles as they pull the drawknife towards them.<ref name="American Woodworker-1990"/><ref name="American Woodworker-1995">{{cite magazine|magazine=American Woodworker |date=Dec 1995 |issue=49 |publisher=New Track Media |ISSN=1074-9152 |pages=43–45 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=vvYDAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA43 |title=Drawknives}}</ref>

[[File:Hessenpark-stockmacher-002.jpg|thumb|Draw shaves are often used with shaving horses.]]
[[File:Fire-setting.jpg|thumb| Use of a drawknife and shaving horse from ''[[De Re Metallica]]'', a sixteenth-century work on mine technology]]

=== Straight cuts ===
One works from the centre of the piece to the end, ''not'' the entire length all at once. The operator then reverses the piece in the shaving horse or [[vise]] and works from near centre to trim the "fatter" end to match the centre and just finished original "skinny" end. Final work can be done by spokeshave, sanding block or lathe.<ref name="American Woodworker-1995" />

*When operated conventionally, that is, with the blade ''bevel-side upward'', the drawknife takes deeper cuts and some [[novice]]s may find it has a tendency to "dive" (cut unintentionally deep).
*When operated ''bevel-side down'', there is the advantage of removing less stock, but the blade dulls more rapidly, requiring frequent [[honing (metalworking)|honing]].

=== Convex ===
The operator applies little leverage from centre and most leverage, so the blade "bites" deeper, thus removing more wood as they approach the end grain.<ref name="American Woodworker-1995"/>

=== Concave ===
The operator applies minimal, then most, then least force on the handles from centre toward the end grain. The work stock is reversed and same method repeated this time commencing a tiny distance away from centre so as to leave a coarse raised section. The coarse raised section where the two concave curves meet can be finished with a [[rasp]], [[File (tool)|file]], spokeshave or other tool.<ref name="American Woodworker-1995" />

=== Splitting ===
For very rapid and rough removal of stock, the blade is drawn toward the user and rapidly levered into the wood to make as deep a cut as possible. The operator immediately stops pulling, and uses the drawknife blade to lever upward so as to "flick" the splinter or splice out of the worked piece. This technique is advanced and may damage the worked piece and drawknife blade if due care is not observed.<ref name="American Woodworker-1995" />

Traditionally, the waste shavings, which are particularly durable, are used for [[basket weaving]] or for kindling. They also make excellent [[compost]] and plant bed material.

Large drawknives can be used to dress [[timber|log]]s, and small sizes for carving and shaving. A common use of a drawknife is to create a roughly cylindrical billet of wood for turning on a [[pole lathe]].

=== Similar tools ===
A [[pushknife]] or wood splitting knife is a similar tool, used by pushing, rather than pulling.<ref>{{cite web | title=Swedish Push Knife: Handier Than A Drawknife | website=garrettwade.com | date=2017-02-13 | url=http://www.garrettwade.com/swedish-push-knife-1.html | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170401235108/http://www.garrettwade.com/swedish-push-knife-1.html | archive-date=2017-04-01 | url-status=dead }}</ref>

An inshave is a similar tool with a blade curved out to the side between the two handles. It is used to shave wood to form a hollowed out surface, such as the top of a chair seat. It is also called a scorp. There are also versions with a single handle.{{Citation needed|date=November 2023}}

==See also==
* [[Spokeshave]]

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
{{commons category|Drawknives}}
* [http://www.greenwoodworking.co.uk Green Woodwork]
* [http://www.craftsmanspace.com/free-projects/shaving-horse-plan.html Craftsmanspace Free Shaving Horse Plan]
* [https://archive.org/download/ShavingHorseWoodworkingPlan/CarvingBench.pdf Internet Archive PDF of Craftsmanspace Shaving-Horse plans]

{{Woodworking}}
{{Cutting and abrasive tools}}

[[Category:Green woodworking tools]]
[[Category:Green woodworking]]
[[Category:Woodworking hand tools]]