Chasing a ring

[Eric Krewson]

It is all about tool technique. Anytime you pull the drawknife directly toward you and encounter a grain shift you may tear out a place. You have to read the wood and see what it will let you do.

I take slightly cross the stave slicing motions with my draw knife unless I am hogging off a lot of wood. My drawknife is razor sharp.

Like Pat said; at the first sign of a chip turn your stave around and cut from the other direction.

JW has it right, once you pass the drawknife learning curve you can do amazing things with it if you don't get in a hurry.

[Deerhunter21]

Ok thankyou guys. I think i get it now! hopefully i can do this right now!

[Mo_coon-catcher]

On top of what everyone has already said (which I agree with completely). Is that the longer splinter you try to take off in one pull of the draw knife. The more likely you are to get a tear out. Along those line, I have better luck ring. Heading with less issues by chasing a ring up the stave in 6” increments. Instead of working the ring down the stave towards me. Essentially I start chasing the ring in the end closest to me, start cutting in about 6” away. Once yhat section is where I want it, I go to the next 6” section, that way I’m only ever cutting towards a drop in grain layer. Meaning that if it does tear out, it’ll only carry as far as that short section. Plus I like to use a razor sharp knife and use short clicking motions when I get close to my intended ring.

Kyle

[bradsmith2010]

once you have worked about 100 staves to a ring it will seem easy,, but hard to explain,,

[Deerhunter21]

Got it, "be careful and it will come with time but until then be sensible" plus some other personal opinions that i will try. Im going to try (instead of starting in front of the ring im taking off) im going to start just on top of it so it doesnt catch under the ring but instead ill be shaving it off.

[bownarra]

Also when you are new to it chase the earlywood ring above your intended latewood ring first. Then you simply have to 'wipe' off the earlywood with a scraper/sandpaper combo. Don't aim directly for the ring you want. You should be aiming to remove /not even touch the ring you want for the back.