Draw knife sharpening.

[Gregoryv]

Ok I have a draw knife.  I ordered it off eBay and it has a few deep nicks in the blade.  My question pertains to sharpening the beveled side of the blade.  On videos and tutorials I have seen the process is to lay the blade bevel down and use the high ridge on the knife to use for your angle.  When I do this the blade does not line up with my diamond stone.  Does that mean my bevel is that far from true or should I just sharpen that side of my draw knife as I would any other blade? Any opinions or help is greatly appreciated.  Thank you.
Ps I know it’s hard to understand what I am saying.  When I lay the blade on the stone bevel side down  the cutting edge of the knife is up away from the block.  I would have to tilt the knife upwards to actually sharpen that edge.

[SLIMBOB]

People use these knives differently and I presume sharpen them differently. My way is simple. Lay the knife bevel up and run your stone or file down the bevel. This sharpens the blade and leaves a burr on the edge. I use it bevel up for bulk removal. The burr (bevel away) is ready for shaving when needed. Again, some use it opposite (bevel down) from me and may sharpen it differently.

[Gregoryv]

Ok thank you very much.  I have been using it bevel down because this is what I have been seeing in videos.  I will try the other way.  Thank you!
Gteg

[Swampman]

I use my draw knife bevel down as I have much better control with it that way. 

[bjrogg]

I use mine bevel down to. I have good control of depth I cut that way.
Bjrogg

[SLIMBOB]

I learned to use mine bevel up. I know that a lot of guys, maybe most use it backwards 🙂. Running it bevel up uses the bevel as a wedge of sorts. Yes it will take bigger bites this way. You just learn to control the bite. I couldn’t use one the other way with any comfort.

[bentstick54]

It’s possible that a previous owner of the drawknife did not know how to sharpen it, and could have changed the edge of the bevel in an attempt to sharpen it. My daughter picked me up one from an antique store for $15 that was just the case. I get some use out of it removing bark to save wear on my good knives.
I also use mine bevel down for chasing rings. I have tried both ways, but find I have better control bevel down.

[SLIMBOB]

We left handed people had to figure out how to move in a right handed world. We learned to use things upside down backwards and sideways. Scissors, shears, guns, fishing reels. Maybe that partially explains it. My right handed friend uses it like me, bevel up so maybe he’s lefty curious🤔. Bevel down takes a big bite, but I can run it by feel nearly on a good piece of Sage. The angle of the blade determines how deep you cut. When you feel that gravelly surface you are in the early wood. I love hitting that note on a stave.
That should read “bevel up takes a big bite”.

[George Tsoukalas]

I would remove nicks with a file. Then use a medium stone to touch up the bevel. Turn it over and run the stone along the knife holding the stone flat against it.

I use it bevel up and the increase  the angle of attack to remove bulk wood and lessen the angle for fine curls.

If you want you can hold it nearly vertical and use it as a scraper.

Jawge

[Pat B]

I use a drawknife bevel up only to hog off wood and bevel down for the rest of the more controlled work.

[Eric Krewson]

Bevel down here.

I stand my drawknife vertically on one handle, hold the other handle and run a diamond stone about 4" long and 3" wide in a circular motion over the blade bevel while trying to maintain the bevel angle. Next I make a quick swipe on the back of the blade with the stone flat to remove any bur. I follow the stone with a piece of leather glued on a narrow board to polish up the edge.

[Badger]

  I never use anything but a good quality file to sharpen my draw knives. I read somewhere years ago that Draw knives were best sharpened with files and thats when I started using a file. Happy with the way it sharpens.

[bownarra]

It needs re-grinding.

[bassman]

I use a grinder. Then a file to de burr, and finally a ceramic stone.

[jimmi the sammi]

I have purchased and fixed a number of drawknives over the years.  Lately I have been using my bench belt sander to take out nicks and/or reset the bevel.  Take your time.  Keep checking what is happening with the steel every few passes until you get what you want in appearance.  The nice thing about the belt sander is it doesn't overheat while shaping and works on a large part of the cutting edge as you move it back and forth over the belt.  Bevel edge down obviously.  Otherwise I do what Eric does.  Hope that helps.