Toy Shaving Horse

[harry strasil]

Toy Shaving Horse is as good a description as any I guess. This is my demo shaving horse that is stored in my trailer, again space limited its size to a little over 4 foot long, but it is fully functional and serves its purpose well.

It was Hewn from a small walnut log left after the loggers got done in a friends timber. Hewn to square with a broad axe and then adzed smooth and the top then planed.

The main parts will dissasemble easily as there are no screws, bolts nails or glue used to assemble it.

An Assembled view.


Disassembled and laid out on the ground.

[harry strasil]

I wonder when Tyler the picture policeman is going to start complaining about too many pictures.

[Larry Cooke]

I wonder when Tyler the picture policeman is going to start complaining about too many pictures.

I hope he never does. I've been meaning to tell you that I really enjoy your posts and pictures. I think it's neat to see these tools, granted I'm not as versed in there uses as you are, but seeing them and knowing a little about them helps in my quest to learn some of the neander ways.

Thanks for all of your posts JR!

Larry

[Ken Werner]

very very nice work there Harry

Ken

[Frank Fusco]

Very neat. Be careful using it. My half-brother had a terrible accident using one.

(like you've never heard that old Roy Underhill joke)

[Marc Waldbillig]

Harry,

May I add a pic of mine. I found fun to make in a few hours. I don't know if the description of toy shaving horse is correct for my version, maybe more something like ugly shaving duck on three unequal feet

Each time I see one of your tools, I have to drool, because of simplicity and functionality of them. This spring I learned alot of drawknives, froes, axes and spruce work for the farm and I had the slight impression how close one can be to our grandfathers. Everytime I see your tools I'm having a slight déjà-vu of the past and am envying how close to nature.

Thanks, Harry

Regards, Marc

[Deirdre Saoirse Moen]

Thanks for reminding me that shaving horses don't have to be super-complex. I'm building a Boggs-style horse, and was sweating some of the details. For example, I was wondering if I made an alteration if it'd be strong enough, and I think the answer is yes.

[harry strasil]

Nice job Marc, remember don't make Tyler mad Dierdre, pictures, pictures. LOL

It doesn't have to fancy to work well, just practical, Its amazing what fine woodworking came out of simple shops with a minimum of tools in the past.

I have seen craftsmen from the north of Europe build a log cabin with nothing more than an axe, and an excellent job he did. Our own pioneers from early on in the east to the southwest lots of times had only an axe and a knife and made what would today be called primitive furniture. Of the few existing pieces that survive that I have seen, I marvel at the ingenuity they used. Wonder what a Normite would do with just an axe. LOL No offense intended.

But I do thoroughly enjoy it when Normites come up to my display when I am demoing, Boy do I have fun.

[Deirdre Saoirse Moen]

Okay, just to please Tyler here's my progress so far.

Last Saturday, we had a barbeque, so I decided it was time to saw the 8/4 hickory I'd bought the day before down to size. Fortunately for me, it just needed one cut, really.

I started the cut (and managed to keep it pretty straight, even though this was the first time I'd used this frame saw), but other people were not so successful. The saw needs tuning, but the length wasn't super-critical, so I didn't worry about it too much.



Then on Tuesday, I took it to the class I have (where I can use the occasional power tool) and used their jointer (I'd meant to pack a #7 or #8, but I'd left them on the bench at home) just so I could clean them up enough to get straight marking lines. One bottom was bowed and one was cupped. I'll finish it up with a hand plane.

After that, I used the bandsaw for the shaping, because the frame saw was driving me nuts -- I haven't had a chance to try to tune it yet.



Okay, I flipped the pictures, but you knew that.

Anyhow, that's probably all the power tools I'll use on it, except MAYBE a drill press. I have a brace, but I'm still not good enough with it yet, so I may chicken out on that part.

Oh, here's a pic of the overall look since it's quite different than the previous type:

[harry strasil]

Dierdre, I take it you were using a narrow bladed bow saw from the looks of the cut.

[Deirdre Saoirse Moen]

Probably too narrow for the type of cut, yes. Also, the fact that the saw was really too long for this type of cut (I'd have preferred a shorter blade and a deeper length from blade to crossframe).

Why did I have to part with my beloved old bowsaw? It was the right length and depth for nearly everything. ::sigh::

It was also set up so that it'd lock in at three angles, so it didn't twist. This one kept twisting despite the rather high tension.

[harry strasil]

Jr's rule #1, Never get rid of an old tool that worked well for something newer or supposedly better, Old Friends are hard to live without.

[Deirdre Saoirse Moen]

Well, in this case, I haven't owned any sort of bow saw for 10 years. When I left Vermont, I packed one carload of stuff and was going to hire a mover to move everything else out one month later. Little did I know my roommates were going to steal the remainder of my belongings and I'd never see them again.

[Ken Werner]

Here's my ol' horse. Made of a black walnut log the road crew cut to clear the side of the road several years ago.

I used Roy Underhill's plans from one of his Woodwright's books.

As you can see, it lives outside year-round.

Ken

[harry strasil]

Nice Ken, by the pile of shavings it evidently is not a yard ornament.