Spokeshaves

[Luke Dupont]

Is a spokeshave a push or pull tool?
I have used it as a pull tool, but in the videos that I have seen they were used as a push tool.

I don't think it would make a difference as long as it works.

It's both. You'll find it easier to pull in some situations, and easier to push in others. Plus, it's convenient to just change from one to the other where the grain reverses on you.

[steven c newman]

The round and curved parts of that rocking I just finished? Roughed out with a drawknife.....refined with a spokeshave...seemed to do just fine..
IMAG0005.jpg
USED to have a double bladed one,...each profile would get in the way of the other. Nowadays, just three flat soled ones.....Stanley 64, Stanley Defiance, S. Smith & Sons flat sole ( the double one was also a S&S) Mainly I will just pull them along.
Other than sharpening the cutter, and setting it to a depth that works....there really isn't much to fettle. Maybe stone the soles a bit?

[lowell holmes]

I recommend the following.

http://www.leevalley.com/US/wood/pag...42&cat=1,50230

I got rid of my Stanley shaves.

I also have wooden shaves that I use a lot.

http://www.woodjoytools.com/spokeshaves/

[steven c newman]

Only two of my three are stanleys, the third is a horse of a different colour. Have no time to waste, waiting by a mailbox on something that costs way more than the three I already have. These were very simple to set up, cutters were easy to sharpen back up, as they were hardly even used. They are simple to use, a tap to change the depth setting is all I need to do. Once I get it set, a slight turn of the screw to tighten up, and it stays set. Not sure what is so "special" about those new ones, prefer ones that have already proved their worth.
spokeshave.jpg
One of the three I have.....

[lowell holmes]

I had different experience with Stanley spoke shaves. I found the space in the mouth of the shaves to be excessive. I could not get the thin translucent shavings because of that spacing.
I was at a class and one of the participants brought his own spoke shave. It was a Veritas. I tried it out, and the shavings were instantly translucent and the surface of the wood was extremely smooth.

I now have three Veritas shaves, a low angle and a standard. They both do really well, whispy shavings, no chip out on the surface left. I also have a wooden spoke shave I use a lot. I highly recommend
their Cast Round Spokeshave. It is a real joy to use. worth every penny.

[Derek Cohen]

Yes, I know, search function - however, I am interested in general opinions and information about what you all have in your shop and what you use them for. I'm interested in getting a spokeshave for 'general spokeshave-y work', but there seem to be a million different kinds. So I thought it might be interesting to get a more general overview from those of you who use them regularly and what might be the best options for an all-purpose type of spokeshave to get started with. All of the threads I have found seem to be pretty specific about a particular item or genre of spokeshave, so that's my justification for starting a new thread.

Hi Adam

With regard type, I prefer spokeshaves without adjusters, as these feel less top-heavy. My collection is a mix of old and new, wood and steel.

It is useful to have a spokeshave that can take a deepish cut. Think of this as a jack plane. I tend to go to a Stanley #53, which has an adjustable mouth that can be opened wide, or a Stanley #51.

Stanley #53 ...



For work on interlocked grain (something I live with), the high angle HNT Gordon shaves are excellent. Mine are the old style (wedge rather than lever cap) ...



Mostly I use Boggs spokeshaves when it comes to finishing. I like their fine cut and balance. I have all three - flat, round and convex. The small Veritas Preston round is another in this group. (Note: round bottom spokeshaves are trickier to use than flat bottomed spokeshaves).

For end grain and straight grain, especially softer woods,, the Lee Valley low angle is great. Here it is with a Stanley #84 ...



With the earlier mention of the Stanley #85 (large spokeshave), here it is with the #84 (both were delightful gifts to me quite recently, so I cannot comment on them in use as yet)...



Regards from Perth

Derek

[steven c newman]

You are not supposed to get "see-through" shavings with a spokeshave......as most spokes are for shaping a part, or removing other tool's marks ( like from a drawknife)

Maybe they needed a little more time on the stones? The treads on that rocker I made were cleaned and smoothed up with the Seymour Smith & Sons flat soled shave.....zero chatter. I was cleaning off bandsaw marks.....didn't have a bit of problems....maybe it is more about the user, than the tool?

[Jim Koepke]

You are not supposed to get "see-through" shavings with a spokeshave.

Then I must be doing something wrong. I have three flat bottomed spokeshaves. One is set up for heavy stock removal. One is set for medium stock removal and one is set for very light shavings.

I like the blade set up for an even cutting across the width. Often the optimum stroke seems to be a 'slide' stroke. This is the shave starting at one side of the blade and the shave being moved across the work while simultaneously being pulled with the grain of the work. It produces a kind of slicing motion.

Also sometimes around curves with the piece in a vise, one end of the shave is held against the bench like a hinge knuckle and the other end is pulled through an arc.

I find it fairly simple to set the blade with a small mallet against the blade or the handles for adjustment.

jtk

[lowell holmes]

Some of us do require translucent shavings on something like rocking chair back splats.
I do a lot of shaping with spoke shaves as well as hand planes.
One chair I built had two that were opposite hand, curved backward, and had opposite hand wind (twist).
I assure you that the spoke shaves took translucent shavings while working them. I could not have done those with the Stanley.

The way we individually use our tools, I think, precludes making blanket statements about how tools should be used.

[Mike Holbrook]

With the wide variety of spokeshaves and travishers out there, there are designs to cover many needs and features which may or may not benefit a given user:
Shaves.jpg

Shaves with a few tool handles in the works.

The shave at the top, Wood Joy Big Shave (above the ruler), with it's large size and wide mouth works well for removing large amounts of wood. The shave just below the ruler is a Wood Joy Livingston that has a blade height and mouth adjustment, which makes it very versatile. The bottom shave is for considerably more refined work than the top two. The "shave" at the top or left side is a travisher for working the recessed areas in chair seats. The curved metal shave on the opposite side is a cobblers shave, which also works well in the deeper recessed areas in seats.

[Mark Fisher]

Years ago, my Dad bought me a Conover spokeshave which is a very traditional low angle shave with some nice adjustment features. It may be my ineptitude, but I have a terrible time getting it to cut decently. I'm signed up for a chair class in August and asked the instructor what to buy and he suggested the Boggs shave with the curved bottom and one with a straight bottom. I went to a LN event and tried both and didn't bother getting the flat soled one. The curved one is so easy to use on curves or flats. It is also very, very easy to adjust.....which I would have never guessed looking at it. Maybe I'll get to the class and decide to add to my collection, but the curved bottom Boggs shave may be the only one I'll ever need.

[Adam Stevens2]

Thanks for all the feedback guys. I must say that I am becoming familiar with the Woodjoy site, but the number of choices is a tad overwhelming. I guess I need to think about what sort of work I want one for. Right now it's more for shaping small curves in boxes or similar, I don't think I am quite ready to tackle chair-making. I'm also wondering if I shouldn't look at rasps...somebody keep my wallet safe!

[Mike Holbrook]

If you want to get serious with a spokeshave one of these may help:
DumbHead.jpg

This was originally a shave made by Tom Donahey. I rebuilt it to incorporate features Peter Galbert outlines in his book "Chairmaker's Notebook". Next it will get rubber or leather pads on the jaws. Then the swing arm will be rebuilt to incorporate Pete's fast adjustment system. I tried to make most of the parts replaceable, just in case I decide something else needs to be tweaked.

[Allen Hunt]

I emailed Woodjoy for a recommendation for a good all around spokeshave and the owner recommended the 85. The 85 has an adjustable mouth. I bought one and I am impressed with the quality of the tool, but I haven't used it as I just received it. Garrett Hack likes likes the Stanley 53 for its adjust-ability, but I've read that a little file work to flatten the bed of the iron goes a long way in making a 53 work as intended. There is a blog post showing pictures of this tuning process somewhere on the web.

[lowell holmes]

Thanks for all the feedback guys. I must say that I am becoming familiar with the Woodjoy site, but the number of choices is a tad overwhelming. I guess I need to think about what sort of work I want one for. Right now it's more for shaping small curves in boxes or similar, I don't think I am quite ready to tackle chair-making. I'm also wondering if I shouldn't look at rasps...somebody keep my wallet safe!

I've built several rocking chairs. Google "Brazos Rocker". I use spoke shaves. Some may shape with rasps, but I detest them. (I have three of them)
A good rasp costs as much as a spoke shave any way.