Bill,
I use both the skew and a roughing gouge in a shearing cut. I find the cut
from the skew to be better than that of a roughing gouge. Don't know why
exactly but I can definitely see what I'm doing better with a skew. My skew
also tends to be sharper and have a finer edge (I hone it) than my roughing
gouge (which just comes off of the grinder). I think the rubbing bevel of
the skew tends to do a better job of burnishing the wood and requires little
sanding. I slowly learned the skew over the 6 years I have been turning and
I am glad I have.
Tony Manella
ndd1"at"prolog.net (remove "at")
http://home.ptd.net/~ndd1/
Lehigh Valley Woodturners
http://www.lehighvalleywoodturners.com/

"Bill Rubenstein" wrote in message
. net...
Leo and all:

I need, I think, to interject my thinking here. There is no question that
the skew is hard
to use. Maybe that is because it is just not the best tool for a lot of
what we are trying
to use it for -- maybe there are better tools for just about everything we
try to use it for!

Planing cuts on spindles? My roughing gouge has the wings well ground
back. The tool cuts
in the center of the edge just as everybody else's does. But, if I roll
it over on edge and
keep the handle perpendicular to the cut, it will take a shearing cut. I
defy you to tell
the difference between the surface I get and the surface from a skew. If
you analyze what
I'm doing you will see that the edge is presented the same way with both
tools.

Making beads? Use a 3/8 beading and parting tool. It is much easier to
use and also has a
lot of other uses. And it is cheap. The brits like Martin Pidgen
(http://www.fholder.com/Woodturning/pulls.htm) turn more beads in a day
than we turn in a
month. Martin uses the 3/8 beading and parting tool. If it is good
enough for him, it is
good enough for me.

The only time you need a skew is when making v cuts which are very narrow
or beads which are
close together. In these cases use a small, hand-made round skew. Make
it from a piece of
drill blank -- one in 1/4" and one in 3/8" will meet all your needs.

Bill