# First time with a draw knife - Wow! Time-saver!



## Pennswoods (Nov 19, 2015)

Bought my first draw knife after finding this forum searching "draw knife" on Google. I received helpful info from the members here. Thank you again! Finally put the draw knife to use today. I'll never use a hand knife again for de-barking! De-barked 6 yellow birch and 3 sassafras in no time flat! Was at our cabin and improvised a shave horse w/ a firewood saw horse which worked surprisingly well, other than having to lean over it.


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## Sean (Dec 29, 2012)

Looks great. Haven't had a chance to try mine out yet


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## Pennswoods (Nov 19, 2015)

Sean said:


> Looks great. Haven't had a chance to try mine out yet


It's LOT easier and faster with two hands as opposed to a straight knife. And there's way more control. I've been pining for a shave horse but w/ a little modification, I think a saw horse type of design could work. And it would be easier/quicker to make. The rig in the pic worked great other than needing to lean over it. The draw knife cleaned 'em up FAST.


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## Rodnogdog (Jun 10, 2015)

Exactly - I love my draw knife.


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## Rodney (Jun 12, 2015)

Very nice.

I'm leaning toward the British aesthetic of leaving the bark on. I've peeled a couple sticks now and while I like both methods the bark does add interest for me.

Rodney


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## Pennswoods (Nov 19, 2015)

Rodney said:


> Very nice.
> 
> I'm leaning toward the British aesthetic of leaving the bark on. I've peeled a couple sticks now and while I like both methods the bark does add interest for me.
> 
> Rodney


Me too but in my experience with the birch, the stick shrinks and the bark gets loose. Maybe I just didn't dry/cure it correctly. I left some of the bark on the sassafras' near the tops. We'll see how they turn out. 1st time with sassafras. I already like the look of them with some of the bark on.


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## cobalt (Nov 14, 2013)

leaving the wood on depends on what wood you use.

hazel ,ash and sweet chestnut and holly can be left on some woods the bark is to coarse and will come of anyway.

the advantage of leaving the bark on is you get some amazing coulrs on hazel depending on where and how its grown fro m browns to snake skin and a crackelglaze finish. But the bark protects the stick very well and once treated with oil its always looks good .

Sweet chestnut is a great rich brown its strong again looks good ,

occasionally I remove the bark if I have hawthorn its to coarse and those nasty needles it has on t are strong and sharp other than that havnt removed the bark

but what native American wood you can do this with I have no idea


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## LilysDad (Sep 25, 2014)

Some trees such as Sassafras look nice with the inner bark left on. Sassafras has a beautiful color and an interwoven pattern.

I sometimes use my draw knife, but with saplings that have side branches, I like to cut the branch off proud leaving a bump that I round over. This means I need to peel the bark around that branch with a knife.


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## Sean (Dec 29, 2012)

I can't tell you how many times I've thought about making the shaving horse. I need to get going and build one.


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## Pennswoods (Nov 19, 2015)

LilysDad said:


> Some trees such as Sassafras look nice with the inner bark left on. Sassafras has a beautiful color and an interwoven pattern.
> 
> I sometimes use my draw knife, but with saplings that have side branches, I like to cut the branch off proud leaving a bump that I round over. This means I need to peel the bark around that branch with a knife.


Agreed. I like the way it looks. Some of the handle sections that I left the bark on had branch knots and it left a really nice contrast shaving over them.


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## cobalt (Nov 14, 2013)

hope you guys get these done post pic of them not just finished but in the process as well a good photo before you start stripping it would be good for me as I am not familiar with your woods and I am downright nosey and love to see other people process

but good luck with it


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## Pennswoods (Nov 19, 2015)

Sean said:


> I can't tell you how many times I've thought about making the shaving horse. I need to get going and build one.


Me too! I'm sure nothing beats the secure hold of a shave horse or jaw horse but until I get around to making one, that saw horse rig in the picture worked pretty great. Had to use a hand knife for the last 4" of each end of stick - see brick "stop" - but after that it was clear sailing with the draw knife. And fast. I'll use it again or make something similar until I get around to making the real deal.


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## Pennswoods (Nov 19, 2015)

cobalt said:


> hope you guys get these done post pic of them not just finished but in the process as well a good photo before you start stripping it would be good for me as I am not familiar with your woods and I am downright nosey and love to see other people process
> 
> but good luck with it


I'll get some after-pix of the ones in the picture. I just cut those sassafras that I left bark on. They're the only ones in the saw horse pic with some bark other than the full bark on the birch, which was shaved. The sassafras has a nice reddish tint to the underbark. So, we'll have to wait a while to report. But they do look nice already. The bark adds a whole new aesthetic.


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## MJC4 (Mar 6, 2014)

Here are some American hardwoods with the bark on (with the exception of the cherry on the far left) and sanded relatively smooth. All have had boiled linseed oil applied and a couple coats of spar urethane. I put the cherry bark removed next to the cherry bark on for the drastic difference that can be achieved from the same piece of wood, both are from the same sapling.

Left to right. Black cherry bark removed, Black cherry bark on, Red oak, Shag bark hickory, Eastern cottonwood, White ash, Cherry plum and Silver maple. Whether I remove bark or leave depends on how "tight" I feel the bark is still attached to the piece. A piece of wood I cut and is seasoned 12 months or so is a better candidate for the bark to be left than a piece that has been drying on the ground for ??


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## LilysDad (Sep 25, 2014)

I cut some wild plum saplings in southern Virginia last year. Now that they are dry, the wood has shrunk more than the bark. I was hoping to get a blackthorn appearance, but it's not going to happen.


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## Rodney (Jun 12, 2015)

Deleted due to double post


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## Rodney (Jun 12, 2015)

I really like the looks of the cherry plum.

I'll be able to post pictures after our new camera cord arrives.

Rodney


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## cobalt (Nov 14, 2013)

there nice looking shanks particularly like the ash and silver maple they will require a special topper and treatment or as we say it needs dressing . nothing like a well dressed stick

once the wood is seasoned it will tell you enough about the bark

The wild plum bark is a pity but if its going to come of its better to do so before you start but I am sure it will offer a opportunity to develop the shank in other ways .


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## Pennswoods (Nov 19, 2015)

MJC4 said:


> Here are some American hardwoods with the bark on (with the exception of the cherry on the far left) and sanded relatively smooth. All have had boiled linseed oil applied and a couple coats of spar urethane. I put the cherry bark removed next to the cherry bark on for the drastic difference that can be achieved from the same piece of wood, both are from the same sapling.
> 
> Left to right. Black cherry bark removed, Black cherry bark on, Red oak, Shag bark hickory, Eastern cottonwood, White ash, Cherry plum and Silver maple. Whether I remove bark or leave depends on how "tight" I feel the bark is still attached to the piece. A piece of wood I cut and is seasoned 12 months or so is a better candidate for the bark to be left than a piece that has been drying on the ground for ??


Those look great!


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## Pennswoods (Nov 19, 2015)

LilysDad said:


> I cut some wild plum saplings in southern Virginia last year. Now that they are dry, the wood has shrunk more than the bark. I was hoping to get a blackthorn appearance, but it's not going to happen.


That's what has happened with the yellow birch. I hope my sassafras bark stays in place. I really like the way it looks.


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## Ron T (Dec 13, 2015)

MJC4 said:


> Here are some American hardwoods with the bark on (with the exception of the cherry on the far left) and sanded relatively smooth. All have had boiled linseed oil applied and a couple coats of spar urethane. I put the cherry bark removed next to the cherry bark on for the drastic difference that can be achieved from the same piece of wood, both are from the same sapling.
> 
> Left to right. Black cherry bark removed, Black cherry bark on, Red oak, Shag bark hickory, Eastern cottonwood, White ash, Cherry plum and Silver maple. Whether I remove bark or leave depends on how "tight" I feel the bark is still attached to the piece. A piece of wood I cut and is seasoned 12 months or so is a better candidate for the bark to be left than a piece that has been drying on the ground for ??


That is a really great assortment of sticks. They are beautiful and each one has its own unique color. I guess you can tell I love sticks.


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