Lee Valley Spokeshave

So I finally ordered a new spokeshave. Never used Lee Valley tools before, so I did some research. After learning about the micro bevel from the factory, I emailed them about getting one without the micro bevel as I do not use honing jigs and have no electricity in my shop for a grinder and only have fine oilstones. They said it is so slight of a micro bevel I could polish it out pretty quickly. After about an hour and a half on that A2 blade I gave up. I also tried a lapping plate and sandpaper during that time. The primary bevel is mirror polished, but that dang micro bevel is still there. Thinking about sending it back and getting the Lie-Nielsen. Anyone have any thoughts? Thanks. John.

Lee valley still sells O1 spokeshave irons. I bet they will exchange the iron.
Lie Nielsen Boggs spokeshave iron is also A2.

Hi John,

You need something coarser. Fine oilstones are not nearly aggressive enough to take out the micro bevel that come on their blades, especially on an A2 blade. With fine oilstones just raising a burr can be a pain on A2. You can stick some PSA sandpaper down to a piece of thick glass, floor tile, granite, any thing that's hard and flat to work the primary bevel on.

I wouldn't recommend making a choice of tool based on whether or not it comes with a micro bevel, at some point your going to need to reset the bevel regardless. If you think you might the LN better overall then by all means return the LV, but if you like LV better then keep it, get something coarser and reset the bevel to meet your needs...again, you'll need to do this eventually regardless.

Hope that helps!

EDIT: I somehow missed the part where you said you'd already tried sandpaper on a lapping plate....errr...well keep at it with that...it shouldn't take too long if you're using coarse paper.

You did not say which spoke shave you purchased. I have three LV shaves and will not part with any of them.

I sharpen with diamond hones, but I have sharpened the shaves on water stones as well.

Just keep the micro bevel and freehand it.

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Originally Posted by John Padgett

So I finally ordered a new spokeshave. Never used Lee Valley tools before, so I did some research. After learning about the micro bevel from the factory, I emailed them about getting one without the micro bevel as I do not use honing jigs and have no electricity in my shop for a grinder and only have fine oilstones. They said it is so slight of a micro bevel I could polish it out pretty quickly. After about an hour and a half on that A2 blade I gave up. I also tried a lapping plate and sandpaper during that time. The primary bevel is mirror polished, but that dang micro bevel is still there. Thinking about sending it back and getting the Lie-Nielsen. Anyone have any thoughts? Thanks. John.

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Hi John

I use the LN spokeshaves but have many LV blades (A2, PM-Vll). As far as I am aware, LN does not offer O1 steel any longer.

There are two factors I would look at in what is effectively grinding A2.

1. You need to be using at least 250 grit sandpaper, preferably wet-and-dry type. Better still, an extra coarse diamond stone (225 grit).

2. If you are polishing the bevel and not removing the secondary bevel, then either the grit you are currently using is too fine, and/or you are nor working the full bevel.

Regards from Perth

Derek

I completely understand your issue with the already added micro-bevel that LV decides to put on all their blades, this is my biggest complaint with LV tools. Most of my blades on my planes will end up with a micro bevel anyway but I don't want it put on at the factory as it is not necessary. My goal is to get as many sharpening as possible before I have to reset the bevel. My favorite edge is on a brand new blade (whether off the grinder or from factory) and I put a hairline micro bevel on in seconds that is set to my honing guide stops. So now when I get a new LV tool I have to take the blade to the grinders before I do anything, which I feel shouldn't be necessary with a brand new tool. LV should not assume that everyone is using their MK II honing guide therefore not set up to match the micro already on the blade... End rant now.


Having said all that I must agree with Chris in that you really need to look into setting yourself up with a way to quickly reset your blades' bevel. I own the LV curved sole spokeshave and have really liked the performance. But I do think I like the LN Boggs shave a little better. I get a little chatter sometimes with the LV shave and haven't figured out why. It may just be due to the extra mass of the Boggs shave that makes it a little better on full width shavings. Depth of cut is a little easier to control with the LV shave though.

One of the things I like about the LV flat spokeshave is that they come with plastic shims allowing you to adjust the blade's position in the slot. It is similar to setting the chip beaker fine and closing up the slot on a hand plane.

I don't think you will go wrong with LN or LV. I have a goodly number of tools from both companies.

Hi John,

Trying to understand what problem you are trying to solve. Is it functional or aesthetic? If functional, given the sharpening equipment you listed, I think I would just raise the blade another 2 degrees, and if it isn't ready to use in 20 swipes on the fine stone, after burr removal, I think you are using wrong stone for the blade, or wrong blade for the stone, depending on your perspective. If just aesthetic, I suggest ignoring it until you have different sharpening equipment (that can remove more material faster). Longer term, it sounds like you will have a hard time with this stone and A2 steel, once your micro bevel gets too large.

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Originally Posted by John Padgett

I also tried a lapping plate and sandpaper during that time.

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What sort of sandpaper? Silicon carbide is probably what you want, and in a coarse grit--100, or maybe even less.

Thanks for all the replies. Sorry I was venting yesterday after all that work. I never saw the use of micro bevels, but understand why people use them. I bought a Ray Iles mortice chisel and it came with one. I tried to balance the tool on that tiny micro bevel and ended up rounding it over and had to eventually find someone to hollow grind it for me. Sharpening the same way for over thirty years you get used to that method of doing things. I just use my hands and hold the tool on the bevel and turn a bur pretty quickly on the hard ark, then move to the hard black. It doesn't really take that long, unless you have the cheap stones they sell today, (With a couple exceptions.) I used one of Dan's hard black and it will be just as good as my vintage stone once it gets broken in.
I just spent another hour today using 150 grit sandpaper on a granite plate. Called a friend and borrowed his dia flat lapping plate and did some more. It's getting there.

I think (and my wife will tell you too) I am just used to a certain way of doing things, and have the setup that has worked for me and get a new tool that requires some kind of sharpening jig or new technique to sharpen it.

Thanks again.

John.

I was in the same boat, then I decided to try it and saw what all the fuss was about. I could quickly hone the micro bevel with just a few strokes freehand. Anyway, not trying to sell you. It is really about finding what works for you and if it gets sharp, well then it worked! I actually was going to say sorry for the short reply above- wife was yelling at me to put down the iPad and come to dinner. :-) I'm surprised the DiaFlat didn't make quick work of resetting the bevel.

You will love the spokeshave. I used mine yesterday on the Wegner chair build. It made fast work and maintained a true surface. First time I had used it on a wide, flat piece (flat across, but curved linear). Usually I am shaping rounded pieces or truing up plywood templates for boatbuilding. Even with a dull blade it made quick work of shaping the back leg. I actually was just toying around to see how it did in just one spot, and ended up shaping the whole thing.

I use a sharpening method that is a Dunbar-Sellers method.

Use diamond hones with water sprayed on them. Use a Dunbar stroke, that is sideways, from right to left.
Arms and hands are locked in place and the side way movement comes from the hips and legs, rocking back and forth. This prevents rocking the iron during the stroke.
Give it 15-20 strokes and then 3-4 more while holding the iron at 2 or 3 degrees higher angle. This puts the micro-bevel on it. This is done using 3 grades of hones, coarse, medium, and fine. Strop the iron or chisel to finish it.

Finish up by honing the back to remove any burr created by sharpening. This works on irons and chisels.

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Originally Posted by lowell holmes

You did not say which spoke shave you purchased. I have three LV shaves and will not part with any of them.

I sharpen with diamond hones, but I have sharpened the shaves on water stones as well.

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Pretty much this. The PMV-11 holds an edge seemingly forever.