Paul,
I've followed this thread with interest since the skew is my favorite
tool. Using the skew is like shaving with a straight razor, the blade
glides across the skin on its bevel and you do the same with the skew
on the wood. With the lathe off, hold the skew against the wood and
rotate the piece to see how and where the skew is cutting;
understanding this helps a lot.

Good Luck
Ruth