Quality Draw Knife?

[rkeltner]

even if abused, an old draw knife is worth buying, you'll just have to spend a bunch of time 'rehabilitating' it. you can get some of the abused ones cheap, particularly if it doesn't have handles on it...and handles are easy!

[E. Jensen]

If anyone has an old draw blade they don't want, I'll take it 

When I was a pro knife maker, I made my own draw knife.  It was a little outside my realm of expertise but it works great, it's just a little more delicate and it'd be nice to have something I can put a little more weight into.

[IndianKid]

For what its worth, I put the first proper edge on both my draw knife and axe a few months back.
The difference is night and day. I bought a cheap diamond grit square from harbor freight and
a $40 3" wide by about 10" long wet stone. In about 15 min the
axe could easily cut into white oak, so much so it felt like cutting balsa wood !

I also learned while using the draw knife to hold thw blade on a slight angle and
while pulling rearward to also pull slightly to one side or the other.
I was able to get tissue paper thin strips and thick shavings with very little effort...

I only mention this because of a little trial and error.. maybe it will help someone some where. ..

[paulsemp]

old is good... Here's mine

[PAHunter]

I've sharpened my draw knife properly with the help of a friend and it cuts much better.  However it still cuts much worse than my friends big old antique one.  I'm considering buying one from Cariboo Blades.  They look very well crafted and they can make any size I want.  Not cheap but neither is treating arthritis in my fingers and a bad back from an inferior draw knife.   

[Buckeye Guy]

Rob
Just remember dry hickory and draw knife don't do well together
Sand paper works the best on dry Hickory or get a  Shinto rasp
Save your draw knife for that inferior yellow wood