Kunz #65 Chamfer Spokeshave

[Eric Brown]

Always wondering about "cheap" new tools, I found this used, green, Kunz chamfer spokeshave at a discount. Looking it over I noticed the blade was in backwards and the red clamping plate wasn't even touching the right side of the body.
Looking closer I saw where the fences had a large gap with the body. This large gap resulted in the thumbscrews only having about three threads engaged in the fences.

Kunz Recieved Top.jpg

Kunz Recieved Bottom.jpg

Kunz Recieved Side.jpg

First, I made a new clamping plate out of O1 steel, 1/8" thick that actually fits the body. Interesting, but the screw is offset from the body, to the left. Made the new plate with an offset hole.

Then I modified the fences by removing some material so they sit closer to the body.



Then I stripped off the green paint.

Kunz Stripped Top.jpg

Kunz Stripped Bottom.jpg

Then I nickel plated.

Kunz Plated Top.jpg

Kunz Plated Bottom.jpg

Kunz Plated Side.jpg

[Eric Brown]

Additional photos.

Kunz Recieved Apart.jpg

Kunz Fence Modification.jpg

[Jim Koepke]

Looks good, but it is a lot of work to get a usable tool.

jtk

[Eric Brown]

Looks good, but it is a lot of work to get a usable tool.

jtk

Yes, it is too much work to make usable. Still, I had to try.

[Jim Koepke]

Still, I had to try.

That force is strong in many of us.

jtk

[Mark Gibney]

You enjoyed improving the tool and I enjoyed the story.
Hopefully now you enjoy using it on occasion.

But I kinda liked the green color!

[Eric Brown]

You enjoyed improving the tool and I enjoyed the story.
Hopefully now you enjoy using it on occasion.

But I kinda liked the green color!

I probably will end up selling it. There are other shaves I have that I much prefer to using. As for the green, well, just not my favorite tool color. My father used to paint his personal tools red, company tools blue. His father used chartreuse green. Almost all the tools made before 1900 were either black or nickel plated. Problem with nickel plating is that it will magnify any defects, like scratches. Takes a lot of prep work before plating for best results. Paint can cover up a lot of defects.

[Tony Zaffuto]

Had one, put a lot of work into getting it to work, including re-working some parts. Finally sold it and bought a Stanley 65. There is absolutely no comparison between the Kunz and the vintage Stanley.

[Eric Brown]

Had one, put a lot of work into getting it to work, including re-working some parts. Finally sold it and bought a Stanley 65. There is absolutely no comparison between the Kunz and the vintage Stanley.

Yes, I agree it's more trouble than it's worth. My choice would be the adjustable Preston. Tighter radius and adjustable blade. Good fences too. If you every buy a Preston look at the blade length. Some are really short.

[Jim Koepke]

Problem with nickel plating is that it will magnify any defects, like scratches. Takes a lot of prep work before plating for best results. Paint can cover up a lot of defects.

Do you give them a copper coat before the nickel? We used to do that before plating nickel or gold in a circuit board shop I worked in for a while.

jtk

[Eric Brown]

Do you give them a copper coat before the nickel? We used to do that before plating nickel or gold in a circuit board shop I worked in for a while.

jtk

Typically no. The copper is less expensive and there are times when you can build up a layer and then sand it down to fill in scratches and pits. You can also solder the copper to fill in big spots before nickel plating. On the old tools we are using I haven't seen any evidence that copper first helps prevent nickel delamination. Typically the delamination happens where the plating is damaged and rust forms under it. I'm guessing the copper on your circuit boards would start to corrode without the nickel. This would provide a clean surface for the gold. While I have the equipment to do gold or silver I don't have the chemicals. Can't afford them either.