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The tool itself is forged from steel, with a single-edge blade and two handles. In operation, it is pulled (or drawn) towards the operator, hence the name draw-knife’.
It has a long history, with Saxon woodworkers documented as using the tool to fashion longbows, beams and cart-wheels. The oldest surviving specimens yet found date from 1000 AD.
Draw-knives vary in size and form, with either flat or curved blades and handles in-line with the blade or off-set towards the operator, as in the photographs.
For the gun stocker, a draw knife’s primary function is to remove wood quickly, with reasonable precision, when shaping a walnut blank into a recognizable stock shape. It is pulled along the direction of the grain and cleanly removes layers of wood without trauma or impact.
One might think of it as similar to a wood plane in the way it works, but with the ability to remove more wood faster and providing more flexibility in the shapes it can be used to create in the hands of a skilled wood worker.
Our stocker, Jordan, has only one draw-knife and uses it when more precision is required than can be achieved safely with a band saw but more wood removal is needed than can be quickly achieved with a file.
Unlike many gunmakers’ tools, the draw-knife is purchased commercially rather than made by the gunmaker during his apprenticeship. It is made of a grade of steel sufficiently hard so as to retain a good edge and requires sharpening just once before each new stock is started.
Whether for the discerning collector or the avid sportsman, Westley Richards firearms represent the epitome of excellence in the world of bespoke gunmaking. Known for the droplock shotgun, over and under shotgun, double barrel rifle and bolt action rifle, the company has achieved an illustrious 200 year history of innovation, craftmanship and artistry. As part of our best gun build, clients can choose from three levels of gun engraving: the house scroll; signature game scenes; and exhibition grade masterpieces. All Westley Richards sporting arms are built at their factory in Birmingham, England. Discover more about the gunmaking journey at our custom rifles and bespoke guns pages.
