I think there's a point being missed over and over again about the skew, and
that is what Jim is saying. If you use it anywhere below the very top of
your turning, the open edge can be drawn into the cut _by the rotation of
the piece_ as you begin any downward motion of the edge, regardless the
bevel. It's for precisely that reason that people grind convex profiles on
their skews to give them a little bit more clearance, or use a gouge, which
clears in two directions. Think about the geometry of it. The heel is
never farther from center than the extended portion , so rotating the tool
to cut inward may bring the extended portion _further_ into the cut than the
edge you're trying to control, resulting in a catch.

Can't do this with a short square chisel - one point of tangency possible
only, anywhere above centerline. Think that's why the bodgers used 'em to
cut beads - a skew would have caught

"Jim Gott" wrote in message
...
If you are knocking pieces out of a Talon with a skew then you have to
be
digging the point into the workpiece. Always pay close attention to where
the top tip is at all times and make sure you are working above center.
You
do not necessarily rub the bevel on a skew it is worked at all angles to
form the shapes and curves and cut you desire. I often do lay it rather
flat
and then lift and rotate the handle to feed it into the workpiece. Make
sure
your tool rest is close to the workpiece and at a height that makes
cutting
comfortable and above center. The skew must be sharp and it is the one
lathe chisel that I will spend time honing to get a good edge.
BRBR

Bill,
I have to respectfully disagree with you. As Allan Batty, the master of
the
skew chisel says, it is not the tip of the long point that causes the
catch.
The tip is what makes that spiral you see, but that's because the tip is
the
last thing that was drawn into the wood when the long straight edge became
unsupported and dug into the wood. Like any other woodturning tool, when
you
lift the bevel off the wood the edge is unsupported and it can dig in.
It's not
the point that causes the catch, it's the unsupported edge.
That said, a skew with more mass such as Alan Lacer uses is much
friendlier
than a small oval skew such as the Sorby. Try making a skew out of a 3/8
thick
square scraper, easing the corners a bit, and you will be amazed at how
much
more friendly it becomes.
-Jim Gott-
San Jose, CA