What sort of work are spokeshaves designed for?

[joiner_sim]

Well, what sort of work are spokeshaves designed for?

My girlfriends buying me one soon and I'm just curious as to what specific jobs it can be used for?

 

[Paul Chapman]

Mostly for curved work. You really need two - one (with a flat sole) for external curves and one (with a curved sole) for internal curves. However, there are some that can be used for both internal and external curves - like the Veritas Low Angle Spokeshave http://www.leevalley.com/wood/page.aspx ... 50230&ap=1

I have one and it's one of my favourites - works really well.

Cheers :wink:

Paul

 

[MikeG.]

JS,

without wanting to sound like a smart-arse, spokeshaves were designed for shaving spokes! There isn't so much call for wooden hand-made wheels these days, so they tend to be used for cleaning up curved work. You may have it in your drawer for months or years and never use it, but then find it indispensible for a job. A sharp spokeshave is just such an instinctive tool...........I defy anyone to take more than a few minutes to get pretty good at using one.

Get yourself a draw knife, and with a spokeshave (particularly an old wooden one), you will find that wood ceases being 2 dimensional.....all sorts of shapes and curves become possible.

Mike

 

[Lord Nibbo]

Well when I made this I could of used a spoke shave to do the chamfers,

I have in the past but that was before I'd ever heard the word "Router" I still use them though but mainly for taking the sharp edges off panels or anything I'm making.

 

[John. B]

Mike,
I don't think you sound like a smart====but JS,
before asking a question on here, do you ever think of googling the word? You would find as Mike says, they are for working on spokes.
Spokes for cart wheels, wheel barrows and so on. Normally used by a 'Wheelwright' who would make the hub then the spokes finally the rim then given to a 'Blacksmith' who would fit an iron, or latterly a steel rim.
This was then given to a 'Carter' who, (you guessed it) he made carts for the wheels.
In the old days, the very old days people would take their surnames from their 'trade' or job, sometimes from the village or town where they came from. Now I'm sounding like a smart====
A thousand apologies for prattling on.

John. B

 

[Ironballs]

Sim can I ask what spokeshave your GF is getting you and why you're getting one if you don't know what it's for and what you're going to use it on!?

Not being difficult, but I always know exactly why I need something before I buy it.

I have the flat bottomed Veritas spokeshave (not the low angle) and that is useful for all manner of curves, particularly good at finishing off the curve in a rail after you've bandsawn it. Will also be used on the guitar body and neck I'm doing. Bought a Clifton convex spokeshave for some other curved work I'm doing, where I need to finish up some tighter curves - not having a spindle moulder or big router that can take large convex bits

 

[wizer]

I have the Brian Boggs LN spokes and they are my favourite hand tool. I love using them.

 

[OPJ]

Cabriole legs!! I say that because I'm just finishing some in Brown Oak at college. :wink: 8)

One thing I cannot do with any machine is get a consistent concave curve. Yes, you could use a router/spindle moulder with a jig but, how do you form the curve on the template? I find bobbin sanders are far more difficult to use than they appear. Nothing beats the finish from a sharp spokeshave. :wink:

I'd also advise you to try and find out which model she is planning to buy you. I only own a couple of cheap Silverline ones at home (...they're not that bad... :roll: ) but, as with Record and Stanley hand planes, you may get a lot more for your money when buying second-hand. Unless you got for the dual-purpose Veritas, of course.

 

[joiner_sim]

Hi everyone,

And thanks for the many replies. I've asked the question on here rather than google because I think it's nice to hear what everyone has to say personally. The main reason of wanting one, is to just expand my hand tools kit. :lol: But after hearing the main uses being for curve work, it looks like that my new tool will be getting used quite alot! Curve work is quite common to me. Just have never used a spokeshave for it, always grabbed a bit of sandpaper and "blended" it in! Looks like my random tool selectioning will be very useful! :wink:

:tool:

Thanks for all replies,
Simon

 

[Benchwayze]

Sim,

When you come to hone a spoke-shave blade, sandwich it between an old plane iron and chip breaker. Tighten the breaker screw well.

That way you can hold it like a plane blade when you hone. You can even put that set-up into a honing guide. I think David Charlesworth illustrated a wooden holder for sharpening spokeshave blades in one of his books.

 

[OPJ]

John, that's a great idea, thanks for that! :wink:

Until now, I've been making a cut on the bandsaw and wedging the blade between that. :roll:

 

[Benchwayze]

You're welcome Olly...
I keep an old breaker and iron just for this purpose.

 

[joiner_sim]

Sorry for being stupid, but do you mean a plane iron and cap iron?

 

[woodbloke]

Sorry for being stupid, but do you mean a plane iron and cap iron?

That's what John means I think - Rob

 

[Benchwayze]

Sim,

Not the chrome Cap Iron...

I refer to the cutting iron or blade (an old one with the edge taken off) and a chip-breaker; the part with the screw that attaches to the blade. Assemble the blade and chip breaker as you would if it was going into a plane.
Then pinch the spokeshave blade between the two, so it is an extension of the plane blade. Tighten the screw right up and then sharpen the spokeshave blade as you would a plane blade. You can fit the assembly into an Eclipse type honing guide.

 

[joiner_sim]

Okay then, thanks for the tip. Although I don't have an old one to do this. Im thinking of making something that would clamp the blade in, similar to your idea, as it sounds great!

Thanks! \/

 

[Benchwayze]

\/ Welcome Sim. :lol:

 

[woodbloke]

Sim,

When you come to hone a spoke-shave blade, sandwich it between an old plane iron and chip breaker. Tighten the breaker screw well.

That way you can hold it like a plane blade when you hone. You can even put that set-up into a honing guide. I think David Charlesworth illustrated a wooden holder for sharpening spokeshave blades in one of his books.

I'm going to have a play around with that idea tonight in the 'shop as the blades on my LV shaves could do with a bit of a hone now - Rob

 

[PaulO]

I recently used mine to smooth and profile the curves on this:

Rough curves were cut using a router and trammel bar. The curve was smoothed and tilted front to back using a LN Boggs with a curved sole.

Anyone like to guess what it is for?

 

[wizer]

I'm going to have a play around with that idea tonight in the 'shop as the blades on my LV shaves could do with a bit of a hone now - Rob

Do you think you could take a pic? I've never been able to visualise that technique.