8 Best Drawknives for the Money – Reviews & Buyers Guide
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Drawknives are an important piece of kit for a woodworker and selecting the right one for the job can be challenging. A high-quality drawknife can be used for various tasks, such as stripping bark from trees, trimming large beams, and even sculpting wood in crafting. We have tested and reviewed 8 of the best options available.
We have written an in-depth report on each one, displayed them in an easy-to-read comparison table, and compiled a buyers guide to make your buying decision easier.
Comparison of our favorite Drawknives
| Image | Model | Price | Editor Rating |
|---|---|---|---|
  | UJ Ramelson Co 4.5 | Click Here | 4.4 / 5 |
  | Morakniv Classic | Click Here | 4.5 / 5 |
Top  | Stubai Drawknife | Click Here | 4.8 / 5 (Best Overall) |
  | Felled Draw Shave Knife | Click Here | 4.2 / 5 |
  | FLEXCUT 5 inch Draw Knife | Click Here | 4.3 / 5 |
  | BeaverCraft Draw Knife | Click Here | 4.4 / 5 |
  | Carmyra | Click Here | 4.4 / 5 |
  | Timber Tuff TMB-10S | Click Here | 4.7 / 5 (Best Value) |
Drawknives Reviews
UJ Ramelson Co 4.5″ Drawknife
- The UK Ramelson is a handcrafted draw knife. The blade itself measures 4.5” and is made from 1095 Hi-Carbon steel. When we tested the knife the blade was as described and is nice and sharp. The handles are made of rosewood.
- The knife comes with a leather sheath to protect the blade. We liked the brass ferrules and overall the knife is of good quality and is well priced.
Prices pulled from the Amazon Product Advertising API on:
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on [relevant Amazon Site(s), as applicable] at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product.
Morakniv Classic Wood Splitter Knife
- The MoraKniv is a wood-splitting knife which has a durable carbon steel blade. The Knife has red ochre birch handles and weighs 5.3 oz. The blade length itself is 4.3“
- The blade is lovely and sharp, it’s also easy to sharpen and it feels strong when splitting wood. The handles are easy to grip and the knife is lightweight.
- Carbon steel is harder than stainless steel, this is ideal for frequent re-grinding of the product. Priced below $40 we found this to be a good value tool and does what it’s designed for.
Prices pulled from the Amazon Product Advertising API on:
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on [relevant Amazon Site(s), as applicable] at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product.
Stubai Drawknife Made In Austria (Best Overall)
- The Stubai drawknife is a general woodworking knife, blade length is a good 9 ¼ and the overall size of the knife is 17”. The knife is made of hardened steel and the blade is very sharp.
- This knife has offset and fixed handles which we found comfortable and easy to use when in operation.
- The knife is ideal for furniture making, and general timber and log making. It’s made in Austria from high carbon steel which is tempered and designed to hold a sharp edge!.
- We liked the sturdy feel of the knife, it is very sharp and has received praise on its quality and durability. It’s also priced well.
Prices pulled from the Amazon Product Advertising API on:
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on [relevant Amazon Site(s), as applicable] at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product.
Felled Draw Shave Knife
- The Felled draw shave knife is a tool for woodworking and furniture making. The 8” blade is manufactured using toughened steel, and it comes with a rubber edge protector for additional safety.
- The handles are 4.7” which prevents your hands from getting in the way when using it on larger wood.
- The blade is curved and beveled making it easy to be honed and kept sharp for all your wood stripping. We liked the fact it comes with a rubber protector included in the very reasonable price. The handles are easy to hold making the knife easy to control and more accurate.
- The negatives state the blade was not sharp enough and there is a safety warning associated with the product stating its use can expose you to harmful chemicals.
Prices pulled from the Amazon Product Advertising API on:
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on [relevant Amazon Site(s), as applicable] at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product.
FLEXCUT 5 inch Drawknife
- The FLEXCUT 5 inch draw knife is designed to make life easier for the craftsman. The blade has 5 inches of workable edge and is flexible and conforms to projects as needed.
- The handles are made from solid ash hardwood and are designed to be ergonomic for a better grip.
- The knife comes with a well-made leather sheath to protect the blade. We liked the fact the tool can bend to accommodate concave and convex surfaces making life easier!. The blade itself is made from high carbon steel.
- Made in the USA, the FLEXCUT is reasonably priced however there have been some issues with the handles breaking and falling off which is a negative point to note
Prices pulled from the Amazon Product Advertising API on:
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on [relevant Amazon Site(s), as applicable] at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product.
BeaverCraft Drawknife
- The BeaverCraft drawknife has a 4.3” blade made from high carbon steel. The handles are made from oak and are designed to be comfortable to grip.
- The knife is suitable for both softwood and hardwood alike and comes ready sharpened and polished ready to use straight out of the box.
- This item is made in Europe and is very reasonably priced however it doesn’t come with a leather sheath, there is an option to buy a knife and sheath though at a higher price.
- After purchasing this item you will receive FREE e-books on how to sharpen the knife and the manufacturer also posts tutorials on social media which is a feature we really liked!
- On the negative side, there have been complaints the knife is brittle, flimsy and broke after a few uses.
Prices pulled from the Amazon Product Advertising API on:
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on [relevant Amazon Site(s), as applicable] at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product.
Carmyra 8 Inches Straight
- The Carmyra has an 8” inch toughened blade made from hardened steel which is 5mm thick and has a 30-degree angle designed to make life faster and easier.
- The knife comes with a blade protector included for safety purposes. The knife is ideal for building furniture.
- Its handles are made of wood and are easy to grip and hold. The beveled blade is easy to hone and comes ready to use. The knife is lightweight at 1.7 pounds.
- The price of this knife is value for money but there have been some negative remarks that the knife blade was blunt and needed to be sharpened prior to use.
Prices pulled from the Amazon Product Advertising API on:
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on [relevant Amazon Site(s), as applicable] at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product.
Timber Tuff TMB-10S (Best Value)
- The Timber Tuff TMB - 10S has a 10”, 5mm thick blade which is set at a 30-degree angle which greatly improves the users’ efficiency. It is designed for furniture making and can be used for shaving logs, wood, and fence posts.
- The wooden handles are ergonomically designed and this tool comes with a decent blade protector, which not all drawknives do. Remember, a high-quality drawknife should have a razor-sharp blade and it’s not something you want to touch!
- Its blade is made of heavy-duty steel with a hardness of HRC 30. The item weighs 2 pounds. There is a limited 1-year parts warranty.
- Good value for the price as it comes with a larger blade. On the negative side, there have been a number of complaints the blade was not sharp and the user had to sharpen the blade prior to using it.
Prices pulled from the Amazon Product Advertising API on:
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on [relevant Amazon Site(s), as applicable] at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product.
Drawknives Buyers Guide
As we mentioned in our introduction drawknives can be used for a variety of tasks and, therefore, there are different types to choose from. The use of this tool is where it derives its name from as the user pulls the blade toward them, usually in a seated position, shaving off a thin piece of wood. The blade is ‘drawn’ over the wood.
Blade
These knives are very sharp and typically quite long with handles on either side. The blade is sharpened to a chisel bevel and there will be a distinct color difference between it and the rest of the metal. This indicates it is sharp and ready for use.
Handles
Fixed handles on either side of the blade are better than and that adjust because it affords you a better, sturdier grip, and therefore much more control. Remember, these can be used for intricate and artistic woodworking and the handles are what gives you the control over the blade.
The Drawknife handle should be at a downwards angle and this will enable more power in each draw and be far easier to use.
Length
This will be determined by the task you need to do. A general rule of thumb is a larger drawknife will be used to prepare wood for further work, such as turning on a lathe, whereas a smaller blade is used for the finer intricate work.
Larger drawknives lack precision but are very powerful. Medium-sized blades are ideal for most jobs. The shortest drawknives have limited uses and will mainly be used in small sculpting crafts.
Blade thickness
The thicker the blade the more material you will shave off each draw. This may be fine if preparing large logs for the wood lathe, but for the intricate work, it’ll be much more difficult to accurately control. Ensure the blade is not too thick otherwise your project could be ruined.
How to use a Drawknife
The most common way to use a drawknife is in a seated position beside a shaving horse. This enables much more control and grip of the stock, and additional power can be gained from the users’ legs.
Each draw is made easier if the grain of the wood is parallel to the shaving horse as the blade is not then trying to slice against the wood fiber. Slow and gradual pulls of the blade is the best way to use the tool, to ensure that not too much material comes off at once.
By angling the blade, or pulling in a slithering fashion, you will have much more control of the depth of each cut.
Conclusion
For us, the Stubai Drawknife is the go-to choice and easily won our Best Overall award. It’s very durable, sharp, versatile, and affordable. This drawknife can be used in so many tasks and we found it as easy to use as peeling a carrot!
Another great choice is the Timber Tuff TMB-10S which we selected as our Best Value pick. It’s similar in performance to the Stubai and is a lot cheaper. Although we didn’t encounter this issue, some buyers reported less than razor-sharp blades and this affected the performance of the tool, and it’s for this reason we dropped it a point.
As a woodworker, you’ll want to use the drawknife several times before the need to sharpen it arises. Also, consider the fixed angled handles and thickness of the blade.
We hope that you now have enough information to confidently choose which drawknife is right for you, and we wish you the best of luck in choosing one.
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When I’m not testing and reviewing tools, you’ll find me in front of a hot BBQ, cold drink in hand, cooking up something big, and spending quality time with my wife and two boys. I’m also often found in my workshop working on my next project!
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