It's safer for a newbie to use the roughing gouge, though. Bigger surface
on the rest, doesn't roll as easily.

"Tony Manella" ndd1 at prolog.net wrote in message
...
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.