A decent draw knife for a good price?

[David Dumke]

I started roughing the top limb of my board bow with a four in one rasp and a stanley surform. OH MY GOD, it is difficult. I was wondering if i could get suggestions on where to find a reputable dealer to find a draw knife for my next bow that i make. Also what is an average price?
   
Im going to continue only using the rasp and surform so the limbs dont look out of proportion.

Thanks for your time,


David

[walkabout]

i roughed my first bow completely with a surform. granted it was the larger model but it does take awhile. as for the draw knife you can find them every so often in the trad bow making materials/supplies classified listings here.

[razorsharptokill]

Just got a very nice old draw knife in the materials/supplies classified listings.

[TroyH]

Do you have a Menards (similar to Lowes or Home Depot) nearby.  Ours has draw knives for less than $20, I'm thinking around $14.  That's where I got mine and its a good knife.

[scrub-buster]

Look for them at antique stores.  I haved been told that the older ones are made of better quality steel than newer ones.  I bought one in perfect shape for $20.  I didn't even have to sharpen it.

[David Dumke]

Thank you all very much for the input. I do have a menards about an hour away from me.

I took a break from my red oak board bow and I started making a small pine bow for a little boy for his birthday and i used my jointer to get a taper started. Im waiting to see how well it turns out. Its scrap wood so it cost me nothing. I might post some pictures when its finished. Im going to use oak for tip overlays. Will regular wood glue hold then well enough to rasp them down?

[Grey Taylor]

I've found good ones at swap meets/flea markets but some of those guys think that any old tool is a valuable antique and charge accordingly.
The best place I've found them is at specific used tool gatherings. The people there know what's collectible and what's just old. I've come away with a half dozen drawknives and not payed more than $8 for any one.

Guy

[bigcountry]

I bought about 5 of em on the big auction site.  My main question to sellers is the handles tight.  I can reshape the profile and bevel if there is enough metal.

Out of the 5, I got 3 that are real good.  1 ok, and one junk.

[rainman]

Snow and Neally in Maine makes an excellent draw knife for around $30.00.  Woodcraft carries draw knive but they are in the $70 to $100 range.

[c'ville]

I got mine at a yardsale for 20 bucks.  It is a fantastic knife.

[shamus]

You can get new drawknives that are decent for under $100.

  Check out the selection here

and it seems like the folks who find old drawknives in great condition (no pitted steel, no ruined bevels, etc) for just $20 are the same ones who find those rare vintage recurves  for the same price.  They have the luck that most here don't. *jealous*              

So for us regular mortals who have to shop new, there are still affordable options out there. You can still buy new draw knives at reasonable. prices.

[sulphur]

I don't use a draw knife on dimensional lumber, however i did pick up a couple nice one on Flea bay for about $20.  The older the better, imho, older steel just seems to hold an edge better.

[Innocente]

thanks for the tip.  the big auction site did indeed have a LOT of drawknives, got me one comin in the mail now, dirt cheap.