advice needed for round bottom spokeshave

[Zahid Naqvi]

I am looking at acquiring a round bottom spokeshave. As always the budget is at the bottom feeder level. Here are the choices I have uncovered so far, please let me know if there is anything else I should be looking at.

1. The Kunz at $17.78
2. The contour planes from Lee Valley at $21.50 a pair.

I don't have any specific projects in mind, just general purpose trimming and shaping. Several times I needed to cut a concave shape and it turned out almost impossible with a flat bottom spokeshave.

[Jeff Horton]

I am in need of one too. I prefer the old ones myself. But from what I have read on Kunz, their stuff is not typically high quality. Usually said to be just a level above junk honestly. But I have never owned one! Just what I read.

[Mark Singer]

My favorite inexpensive shave and well worth the price is the Lee Valley low angle...the shave acts as a flat bottom and a round bottom since the fence flips over ,....this is truly versitile and very useable....the ones mentioned especially the Kunz ...I don't put in this category...not even close!

http://www.leevalley.com/images/item.../05p3201sb.jpg

[Doug Shepard]

There's these too
http://www.highlandwoodworking.com/i...OD&ProdID=6970
For the money, the Anants are pretty decent. I picked up one of their #8's before the LV BU-Jointer came out. I can't really find much to complain about.

[David Wilson]

I picked up a pair of spokeshaves ( 1 flat, 1 round ) from Harbor Freight for $10.00. Needed the curved one for cleaning up the inside of my Kayak project and it worked fine on Cedar.

[Zahid Naqvi]

My favorite inexpensive shave and well worth the price is the Lee Valley low angle...the shave acts as a lat bottom and a round bottom since the fence flips over ,....this is truly versitile and very useable....the ones mentioned especially the Kunz ...I don't put in this category...not even close!

http://www.leevalley.com/images/item.../05p3201sb.jpg

Considering some similarities in design, how easy or difficult is it to modify the Veritas hardware kit for a wooden spokeshave into a round bottom one by making a rounded wear plate. That way I can convert the same spoke shave from flat to round by swapping the wear plates.

[Derek Cohen]

Zahid

I agree totally with Mark in recommending the Veritas LA spokeshave. This is essentially a modern version of the traditional LA woodie. It has an interchangeable base that converts between flat and round bottom, a 1/8" thick A2 blade, and is fairly indestructable (cast aluminium, I believe). Why do you want to reinvent one?

Regards from Perth

Derek

[James Mittlefehldt]

I have the LV low angle spokeshave and like Deidre had trouble getting it working right, I don't know if she did yet or not. I finally did and it is a joy to use, so if you do get one pay close attention to the instructions.

[Steve Wargo]

I'll mimic what the others have said about the Lee Valley Low Angle Spoke shave... Excellent tool, especially when you consider the reasonable cost. The only complaint I have with it is the metal handles are sometime uncomfortabe when using it for prolonged periods of shaping. Good luck.

[Zahid Naqvi]

Zahid

Why do you want to reinvent one?

Regards from Perth

Derek

For starters because it's half the price (yes some of us have a tool budget ), besides I am a tinkerer the kit provides an opportunity to indulge.

Looks like the Veritas low angle is gathering momentum.

[Alice Frampton]

How concave a shape d'you think you'll be needing to shave? The Veritas Low Angle is a good shave, but the generous front to back size of the iron means it doesn't cope with anything but the gentler concave curves, IME.

As far as the kit goes, I've made one up as a round bottomed shave but not interchangable to flat bottomed. But then you seem to already have a flat one, yes? So maybe you're not wedded to that as an option. Anyway, should it be helpful, it's here.

Cheers, Alf

[Alan DuBoff]

I am in need of one too. I prefer the old ones myself. But from what I have read on Kunz, their stuff is not typically high quality. Usually said to be just a level above junk honestly. But I have never owned one! Just what I read.

I've read that also, but I picked up a 79 copy which I think is ok. I still need to sharpen the blades, but I think this will work fine. Time will tell how it works out, but with a little fettlin' I think this will be a fine little plane.

[Zahid Naqvi]

As far as the kit goes, I've made one up as a round bottomed shave but not interchangable to flat bottomed. But then you seem to already have a flat one, yes? So maybe you're not wedded to that as an option. Anyway, should it be helpful, it's here.

Cheers, Alf

Yes and yes. Yes I have a flat spoke shave and yes I was looking at the same instructions you posted at a few sites . As I posted earlier nothing specific in mind, recently I had to shape the handle of a mallet and the need for a round bottom was felt.
Great set of instructions btw.

[Ian Gillis]

Hi

Alf at The Cornish Workshop has a step-by-step on making both flat and round-bottomed spokeshaves from the Lee Valley kit. You'll need to refer to the flat bottom instructions because the round spokeshave instructions show only the variations.

Find it here: http://tinyurl.com/m4uun

[Deirdre Saoirse Moen]

Ahh, spokeshaves. I'd avoid Kunz and Anant.

I don't care for the Lee Valley low-angle one -- yet. I haven't given up on it, though.

I don't suppose it'll shock anyone to know that 2 of my 4 are Lie-Nielsen. The other is a Stanley 55.

Of the OP's listed choices, I'd pick the LV.