Hi everyone tonight:Hi Timbeal,well I have did alot of wittling in my day and I always wittled away from myself if possible, but then as I have said many times before people do work in many different ways.Working on a shaving horse is one instance that it is necessary to work pulling the drawknife towards your body.  I always wore a leater apron to protect myself incase of a slip.

Talking about adzing, well I have did  a pile in my day, and here again you are working between your feet aned ankles.  If you have the proper rhythm and are not tired then you have a fairly good control of the adze.  The problem with the adze is that it can glance sideways if you loose control.I have did alotof trough adzing and it is quite dangerous if you do not pay strict attention to what you are doing because at times you literally are working beside,infront of , and below your feet, and as the work progresses it gets increasingly dangerous.anyway good remarks and do it as you will NH