Spokeshaves

[Luke Dupont]

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.

Spoke shaves are far quicker in general. I see the rasp as a tool to go into localized areas and work, whereas the spokeshave can take broad strokes over large areas, but can't always get into certain nooks and crannies (where a rasp then becomes useful). A scraper can also do a surprising amount of shaping, though. And for rough shaping, a drawknife, or even a hatchet is wonderful to have.

I would spring for the spokeshave first, though. It's generally more useful, and less easily replicated (ie, you can use coarse sandpaper wrapped around something in liu of a rasp).

[lowell holmes]

[QUOTE=Luke Dupont;2578262]

I would spring for the spokeshave first, though. It's generally more useful, and less easily replicated

I suggest item A first. It's the model that sold me on their spoke shaves.

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

[lowell holmes]

Also, I use a sharp bench chisel instead of a rasp for the corners and such that can't be reached with a spoke shave.

[Luke Dupont]

Also, I use a sharp bench chisel instead of a rasp for the corners and such that can't be reached with a spoke shave.

That's a good point. I usually use a chisel too.

To be honest, I kind of share your hatred for rasps. I much prefer cutting tools. They're both quicker and more versatile. I used to try doing far too much of my shaping with rasps and files when I first started woodworking, whereas now, I do almost all of the work with a cutting tool of some description; namely chisels and spokeshaves. A rasp is pretty handy when shaping endgrain, though; which is probably the place I use it the most.

[Mike Holbrook]

You might want to consider Iwasaki "carving files". Carving files is in quotes because Highland Woodworking use to list these tools as rasps, but apparently gave them their own designation sometime fairly recently. They are more of a float than a rasp. They have long curved edges instead of individually made random teeth like the expensive rasps have. They work more like a plane, chisel or scraper than a rasp.

The long edges remove wood in more of a shaving like configuration than the sawdust like residue left by most rasps. Sort of like using a bunch of small scrapers all at once. The curved edges are hardened, like Japanese saw teeth often are. The edges stay sharp for a long time. I have used mine for years and they still seem to work about the same. They are available in all sorts of shapes and sizes at a fraction of the cost of the expensive rasps. I have an assortment of sizes and shapes and use them all the time. Planes and other cutting tools leave surfaces with sharp edges that these small float like tools are very good at dulling and shaping into more precise or rounded shapes.

[Tony Shea]

My favorite spokeshave is the LN small bronze round sole. I have a lot of Stanley's a LN flat bottomed Boggs, a LV curved sole, the LN flat and curved sole small bronze spokeshaves. The one I reach for the most is the curved sole bronze LN. This handles all the heavier cuts as well as most of the fine cuts. Oddly enough I am so comfortable handling this shave I tend to use it on flat surfaces just as much as curved surfaces. Something about it is just so nice in use. I highly recommend these little LN spokeshaves. That is not to say the LN Boggs isn't a real beauty and handles fine cuts like no other shave I own.

[allen long]

Speaking of the small LN bronze spokeshave, does anyone know how the LV small Preston reproduction compares? My son bought me the LV version, and no amount of fettling seams to yield decent results. Can't get it to not chatter. I have a miller's falls cigar shave that I was able to rehab and it works great! I would have thought it would have been the most difficult shave to sharpen and adjust. I can also vouch for the Veritas full size shaves as excellent and easy to set up. I tried the low angle LV and never got the hang of it. That was when I was just diving into the hand tool rabbit hole and did not have a clue at proper sharpening. It might be different now. However, I still cannot get the small LV shave to work well (could be operator error )

[Derek Cohen]

Hi Allen

I wrote a review of the LV small round spokeshave here ..

http://www.inthewoodshop.com/ToolRev...pokeshave.html

Regards from Perth

Derek

[Jim Koepke]

Hi Allen

I wrote a review of the LV small round spokeshave here ..

http://www.inthewoodshop.com/ToolRev...pokeshave.html

Regards from Perth

Derek

My recollection is we both purchased one of these at about the same time. Mine needed a little fettling of the bedding. Shavings would clog under the blade and interfere with its use. With a touch of fettling it has performed very well. Last time the blade needed sharpening a bit more filing was done on the high spots of the bed. It has improved a bit more. The blade holds an edge well enough that it will be awhile before the next time any more adjustments are attempted.

My Stanley #63 seems to be a little more adept in the tighter curves.

I have been looking at it with your fettling in mind. I was thinking a touch of metal could be removed to make it able to work in tighter curves.

jtk

[Derek Cohen]

Hi Jim

Mine also chattered and required fettling. The bed was not co-planer. The fix was straight forward, and I demonstrated this in the article. The spokeshave turned into a good user for tight curves. Nevertheless, this is not a beginner's spokeshave.

Regards from Perth

Derek

[lowell holmes]

Actually, spoke shaves are kind of like rabbits. They have a way of rapidly multiplying. I have two of these and use them often.
I don't know where to get them, i've had mine for years. I think Lee Valley had them.

[allen long]

Many thanks Jim & Derek. I'll take another look. My issue is I believe I already followed Derek's advice on the fettling (but I may have missed something). When I first received the shave, I immediately saw the same issues to resolve before reading Derek's most excellent review. So, it may just be operator error on my part.

The big thing that surprised me was that I was able to master the rehab and use of the cigar shave but not this bad boy.

Many Kind Regards . . . . Allen

[lowell holmes]

Mine worked right out of the box, properly set it takes fine translucent shavings with no chatter.

[Adam Stevens2]

I would spring for the spokeshave first, though. It's generally more useful, and less easily replicated

I suggest item A first. It's the model that sold me on their spoke shaves.

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

I ordered this yesterday. Excited to give it a run in a few days, I already have plans for it.

[lowell holmes]

This shave works when you take almost translucent shavings. Sharpen it when you get, play with it until you get the feal for it. You may need to rotate the shave a bit if the shavings are not coming off to suit you.
It is a round bottom. I haven't found that to be an issue. Rotate and cant until you find the sweet spot. After that, it's entertaining to use.

I sometimes build rocking chairs and I use it more than I thought I would. I have several shaves I use.