Hey Gang,
Is this tool really worth the money it costs? Seems like a lot of money for a scraper with handles? Thanks Gang, Matt
Its a well designed and thought out tool. I have one of the older ones,I hear Dean has changed how they are made. I traded an osage stave for one a while back. I'm impressed with it and the price I paid was quite reasonable in my book.
That being said, I made a scraper very much like it with a piece of an old bandsaw blade, a chunka osage and a drywall screw. Works almost as well just isn't as micro adjustable. It does remove wood well.
Chris
You can make one yourself fairly easily with just a few tools. One of the main things I like about it (over the less refined models) is the brass toe. Helps reduce chatter and makes it a very useful tool.
I lent out my Bowyer's edge (come to think of it, who has it now?) and have made one out a maple that worked great ('til the maple warped badly)
I also have the Veritas Scraper Shave (http://www.leevalley.com/wood/page.aspx?c=2&cat=1,310&p=54883)
Of the two tools I like the Veritas better. The thumb screws make adjustment easier and faster. The blade is seated at an angle (more like you'd use an actual scraper) and cuts smoother.
The Veritas shave looks like a very fancy version of the BE.
Yes, I believe it's well worth the money. I have a lot of wood working tools here that I've tried to use in the bowmaking process that are eventually left to hang and collect dust... the Bowyer's Edge is NOT one of them. I use it all the time.
Yes,
They are worth every pennie!
Bert
I've loaned out a lot of tools. I have three that you would have to put down a deposit on first;
1. my bandsaw
2. my nicholson rasps
3. my Bowyer's Edge.
I have used mine for years, and yes it is worth the money. Looking at the veritas, I don't think you could go wrong with it either. The Bowyers edge comes unshaped and unassembled and once you take that time into account, they would be comparably priced. The brass plate on my Bowyers Edge has come off on several occasions but it is easily glued back into place. The burnishing tool and sharpening instructions that came with the B.E. are valuable by themselves and can be used on other tools.
I love mine...PR
Where do I get one?
I have several Bowyers Edges, can't go past them. I just bought four of the new ones for bow classes I run, you can to shape the handle to suit if you want but you can use them the way they are. I really like the files Dean is selling as well, they are a good bit of kit...Glenn...