5in Curved Draw Shave Knife - Woodworking Debarking Tool for Logs & Branches | Perfect for Whittling, Bark Removal & DIY Wood Projects | Heavy Duty Hand Tool for Carpenters & Craftsmen

From the reviews I expected it to be dull. It was very sharpgreat trial toolI bought a sawmill and had the problem of all the bark on my logs dulling the sawmill blades super fast so I had to spend more time sharpening them cutting. On a whim to try and make life easier I bought this, it’s sharp and strong, I was able to quickly strip the bark from my logs before putting them on the mill and it has been so nice how much more life I get from my blades and how fast it is to remove the bark!It’s fine if all you are doing is shaving bark. The steel is fine, but it’s not tough enough for too much more than that. Just shaving alder put a big ding on my cutting edge.It’s a good little draw knife, great for debating small to medium size logs, cuts great after you remove the cosmoline and wax. I had no trouble getting it to razor sharp with stones and strop. It’s longevity remains to be seen, but overall I’m very happy with it. People need to realize though that tools must be cared for. This is a unique shaped blade as well, that requires some knowledge and maybe a special tool. However, if you buy it, it’s your responsibility to maintain it. Now that’s it’s good and sharp I’ve even used the opposite side of the blade as a chair scorp. Knives, all kinds are like people. It’s all about context. It’s also unrealistic to believe a tool for under $30 will come as a razor blade. Except beavercraft, their tools are plenty sharp, mora too. This is a specialty tool, it’ll need a dust off. Besides, even if it were scary sharp out the box, it’ll get dull with use. What’s the plan then? For you who are griping about needed to invest 15 minutes in your edges. So just sharpen it up, be proud of your tools and treat them well. It’s a grand little draw knife.Overall, would not recommend, it came far too dull to do anything with and is more or less impossible to sharpen without the aid of a belt grinder or other similar tool due to the very thick, low-quality black coating. Still, I'll list out the pros and cons below:Pros: Quality construction - I was drawn to this (no pun intended) initially because of the handle construction; unlike many draw knives, this one is built with the handles bolted on which means that they can be easily replaced if the wood starts to crack, which seems to be the first point of failure for most well-used draw knives. Also, while this bolted construction could seem to lead to a looser handle, the nuts at the end seem to be attached with thread lock or some other adhesive, meaning that the handles are exceedingly secure.Cons:Dull - This thing came as dull as can be. It was clear that it had not been damaged; there were no nicks or dings on the edge or the thick black finish. It was also clear that absolutely no effort had been taken to sharpen it at the production facility; i've tried it on several pieces of wood of varying hardnesses, and it won't even cut basswood reliably. The knife arriving dull would not be a deal breaker if it weren't due to the other factors.Thick Protective coating - Like many knives and tools, this draw knife came with a black protective coating which was fine by me looking through the pictures. However, when it arrived, it was immediately apparent that this coating was very thick and didn't seem to be terribly evenly applied. On the ground side of the blade, the coating didn't present much of a problem, but on the unground side the coating went right to the edge, which was a contributing factor to it cutting so poorly. My attempts thus far to remove this coating from around the edge have been fairly fruitless; I largely work with hand tools and don't have access to a belt grinder or grindstone, either of which I suspect would remove it in short order.Again, in summary, I cannot recommend this knife; while the construction is solid, the thick coating and unsharpened edge are deal breakers for me. I MIGHT (And that's a big might) consider buying again if I had the power tools I needed to sharpen it, but honestly would probably be better off buying a different tool.I took a chance on this draw knife after reading several reviews that complained of a dull blade, since I tend to sharpen my axes, turning tools, knives, and blades when they arrive.I thought this blade would be as dull as a butter knife when I unpacked it yesterday, but it’s certainly not. I grabbed a piece of sea grape I had on hand (see attached photos). Granted the wood is green, but this blade sliced through this wood with zero resistance. Note how clean the edges of the cuts are. I was quite surprised by this.So far, so good. I can’t speak to the knife or its blade’s longevity, but my first impression is positive.I had to sharpen it once so far.