Spokeshaves fundamentals?

Re: Spokeshaves fundamentals?

Tony - Memphis


>I have a 151 and an older one (?). I also built the Lee Valley kit. The 151's are easy to find and not very expensive. I added a Hock blade and filed the area where the blade rests good and flat. That's about it and it works great. That's the one I always use. I've heard good things about the LV model, though I've not used one. As with the rest of their products, I wouldn't hesitate to buy one.

Tony - just used the 151 on some cabriole legs.

None of the above

Neal in San Jose


>I know there is an article on spokeshaves out there, but I'm at work and can't look for it just now. I'm pretty sure it is in one of David Charlesworth's books. If no one else chimes in, I'll see if I can find it tonight.

As far as Stanley shaves, all can be made to work, but the 54 or 55 would be my first choice. They have an adjustable throat feature, and will go from hogging off stock to whispy thin shavings at a turn of a screw. In my estimation, these were some of the best tools Stanley ever turned out, and I still use mine regularly. They pop up on ebay for about $25 pretty regularly.

I'd strongly recommend that you look at a Hock blade. He makes them in two sizes, and IIRC, plans for making a really slick low angle shave are printed on the wrapper they come in. This is my go-to shave, and for less that $40 and a small piece of hardwood gives remarkable performance. You can purchase ready-made ones like this with a Hock blade, but I can't find the source right now (Dave's Shaves, maybe?)

For factory shaves, I felt the LV low angle was way fussy to get to work, and I ended up trading it away. A much easier shave to tune up and get working well (for me, anyway) is the LV standard angle shave. It is very pretty, available in three (or is it four) bottom shapes and comes with plastic shims that you use to adjust the throat to accomplish the same thing a Stanley 55 does with a screw. Very high quality tools. And, don't overlook LN shaves. Also high quality, but I don't seem to use mine as much as the others I've mentioned.

No, I don't have too many spokeshaves! I just don't make enough curvey furniture.

Neal

Iron trash

jim reed @ tallahassee


>now that I have your attention, here is my experience. Iron spokeshaves can be made to work, but it takes considerable work to rehab a tool which can produce only marginal results. Most are pretty poorly made and hard to keep in adjustment. The exception is the Miller Falls cigar shave. That one is a must have in any serious woodshop. On the other hand, wooden spokeshaves are a dream and can shave little wispy curls that float in the air. Just my experience. Good luck in your quest.

Preston and 54 thumbs up

Dave Thompson


>Fascinating....Jim, I have almost the opposite view of MF cigar shaves. They are the most difficult wood working tool to sharpen, and even when sharp, I find them tricky to use. Though they are unique in their ability to perform like a carrot peeler, as brought up in the earlier thread. Though I haven't written it off entirely yet. I'll continue playing with the MF's, especially if you recommend them, Jim ;-)

I like the #54 that Neal mentioned. Though my farvorite is a large hoop, nickel plated Preston with screw depth adjustor. Not the one that LN patterned after, though I have that one too. It's a little larger and has E Preston written on the handles. Being so enamored with that Preston shave, started me along a path of collecting Preston shaves of various sizes... something easier done in the UK. Pardon the vague references, but I need my catalog to properly name them. I think they made something like 25 shaves, none of them with a model number written on it.

I can certainly see how many will have their personal favorites and how there is room for a wide variety of favorites.

enjoy,

Dave

LV low angle

John Hoffman


>Do not buy the LV low angle unless you want to work end grain or green wood. I used one in a chair making class on green wood and it was a must have. However using it on dried wood along the grain tears out. It works great on end grain green or dried.

I know if you buy old you will have to spend a significant amount of time tuning it and bedding the iron not to mention buying a replacement iron. I have the LV low angle for green wood and the LN small bronze shave for everything else.

JH

Re: LV standard angle is a sweet shave

Dave Mount


>Like everything, the best selection depends on what you're going to do and how much you have to spend. I have both vintage shaves and the Lee Valley standard angle trio. I can't imagine you being unhappy with the LV shaves -- they are spectacular tools. One of the WW rags just reviewed them and came to the same conclusion.

While they are pricier than vintage or low end new tools, I'll point out that if you buy one of those then add a Hock iron, you're up in the same dollar range (close, anyway). The LV shaves will need zero tuning and their iron is a full 1/8", even thicker than the Hock replacements.

All that said, I still use my vintage shaves for rough work and working green wood. I leave the LV shaves set for finishing cuts, something that they excel at.

The one thing you should be aware of is that the radius of the LV convex shave is noticeably bigger than a Stanley 63 or some of the other vintage shaves, and way bigger than a cigar shave. If getting into tight inside curves is something you have in mind, you may want to consider one of those.

No affiliation, but I treasure my LV shaves.

Dave

Dave Mount

NE Minnesota

Depends. It always depends. *LINK*

Bill Houghton, foggy mornings in Sebastopol, CA


>If your work is softwoods or mild hardwoods, and if you have more time than money to shop around and find an older Stanley-type spokeshave, you might be quite happy with one. Of these, I prefer the No. 51 or (my favorite) No. 52. While the 151 has those apparently nifty thumbscrews to adjust the iron, those a.n.thumbscrews can get in the way in tight spots; the 51 and 52 are lighter and more agile.

Tip if you buy a spokeshave of this type: the tendency is to grip each handle like it's a motorcycle handlebar. You actually get more control by moving your hands closer to the center of the shave, lightly gripping the body of it between thumb and first finger and wrapping your remaining fingers over the handles. I can't take credit for this - read it in a Fine Woodworking article some years back, and it improved my use of the shave immensely.

On the other hand, when I fantasize about buying a spokeshave, the LV spokeshaves of the 151 style are high on my list.


Patrick Leach's article on spokeshaves

Yep, it is Charlesworth

Neal in San Jose


>David Charlesworth's first book "furniture Making Techniques" has an excellent construction article on making a wooden spokeshave using a Hock blade., and he goes into some detail about jigs to sharpen the blade.

Buy both of his books. There was a thread a few days ago about them, and an upcoming third one.

Re: Spokeshaves fundamentals?

Derek Cohen (in Perth, Australia)


>Hi Vijay

I am far from being an expert on spokeshaves but I do love using them and will mention my favourites.

I have a few Stanleys of which two stand out. My absolute favourite spokeshave is a #53, which has an adjustable mouth. You can close this down for a finishing cut or widen it for a rank cut. With a sharp blade (a standard Sweetheart) I can go most anywhere.

The other Stanleys that I like using is the #55, which is great for round edges.

I bought the LV LA spokeshave about 18 months ago. This took a little while to get the hang of. On end grain it is terrific. On curves it is good, as long as they are not too tight.

The problem I find with curved soles is that one is having to balance the blade edge just right, otherwise all you get is chatter. I have never enjoyed using the Stanley version. I think that part of tghe problem here lies in finding a reference point since registration on a curve is difficult. A couple of weeks ago I met up with Terry Gordon (of HNT Gordon planes) and he has loaned me a couple of his new spokeshaves to play with. One is flat soled and the other is curved. These are based on a Japanese design and are quite unlike anything I have used before.

Terry gave me a tutorial on using them, especially the curved sole, and explained that the reason for the wide handles is to aid in registration. That is, they guide the angle at which you push the spokeshave. I did find this one relatively easy to use and, because it is high angle (55 degrees) it was not troubled by grain direction (as the LV LA spokeshave would be). I will be writing up my experiences later. I would like to hear from anyone here who has used them to date.

Regards from Perth

Derek

Re: Spokeshaves fundamentals?

Philip F Duffy


>The August issue of Fine WW has an extensive article on spokeshaves. It is noted that the new Stanley 151 needs some tuneup work. As soon as I purchased mine I noted that the pressure plate blocks the shavings so the whole thing plugs up very quickly. The relief would be to grind down the pressure plate at the apex of the curve thus making the throat release more effectively, but reducing the strength of the pressure plate. I suspect that the pressure plate is stronger than necessary but I have not put it to the grind stone since I am thinking of taking it back to the store.

Sharpening the cigar shave

jim reed @ tallahassee


>Sharpening a cigar shave blade is certainly a challenge. For one thing, it is small and hard to hold on to. I just got a shave with a messed up blade & will put it on the rework list and make some photos of my progress.

Re: Spokeshaves fundamentals?

Fred Krow


>Check out the older manuf. models, the pressure plate is much thinner and plated, the new models are rough castings and painted.

I have purchased an old 51 broken shave just to get a better pressure plate (cap iron). One of my e-bay purchases arrived with a cracked cap iron but the spokeshave was otherwise excellent.

Regards,

Fred Krow

Boggs Shave

Ron in Kokomo


>Oh my gosh. I do not have one of these yet............... have been out of the shop for way too long... but I did try one at Brian's shop. You can find him on Google. Incredible tool. I have many shaves, some opf wich I have made and some I have acquired as back ups ( 85 or so :) )

I do not have anything close to the Bogss shave.

Ron