Who uses spoke shaves?

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Kevin Sjostrand
Posts: 3712
Joined: Sat Feb 09, 2008 8:06 pm
Location: Visalia, CA

Who uses spoke shaves?

Post by Kevin Sjostrand »

Up until now I've carved my necks using rasps, files, block planes, sanding blocks, etc, etc, etc. I've been wanting to get a spoke shave. After some research and looking I decided I wanted to make my own.
I bought two kits from Lee Valley to make a large and small wooden spoke shave. Pictured is the large one. The small kit has not been made yet.
I used some hard maple I had and went to it. The kit goes together pretty easily with some minor precision necessary. If you have been wanting a spoke shave, or enjoy making your own tools, this is a pretty niffty kit.
The metal work is all done for you. It works great! The blade comes usable, but I did hone it a little. It cuts like a dream, on spruce and on indian rosewood.
I have some pecan cut to use for the small kit, to come later.
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Kevin Sjostrand
Posts: 3712
Joined: Sat Feb 09, 2008 8:06 pm
Location: Visalia, CA

Re: Who uses spoke shaves?

Post by Kevin Sjostrand »

and the last
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johnnparchem
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Re: Who uses spoke shaves?

Post by johnnparchem »

I use them every time I carve a neck. A rasp will work as well but with saw dust instead of shaving. So I use the spoke shave to carve out facets where I can (in front the heel and the head stock. Where ever I can I will use the spoke shave and switch to a rasp where a spoke shave does not work.
MaineGeezer
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Re: Who uses spoke shaves?

Post by MaineGeezer »

I've got an old Stanley that I use, although it seems a bit cumbersome. The ones you made look as though they would be able to get into places the Stanley won't.

I've also got a draw knife I use. Somewhat to my surprise, it's fairly easy to control the depth of cut.
Don't believe everything you know.
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ruby@magpage.com
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Re: Who uses spoke shaves?

Post by ruby@magpage.com »

I have about 4 of the type that Kevin shows. They work differently than the conventional iron spokeshave - the blade is flat with the sole and the bevel is on top, rather than at a 45° angle. Like iron shaves, they can have a flat sole or a back-to-front curved sole for concave work. I find that if you get good at it, the curved one is the only one you need. Also you can vary the depth by having two ends of the blade at different depths - rougher and finer cuts on the same tool.

The two on the right are round sole - the small one is a Dave's Shaves version, the Purpleheart one I made from a piece of the tall ship I volunteer on. The left two are straight sole the yellow one I made from a piece of boxwood from the neighbor's yard, and the big cherry one a friend made for me. The left two are hollow ground, the right two are flat on the bottom. Love these things.

The last picture is of a chair devil. They are nothing but round scrapers and are used to round off chair spindles. I have often thought that if you had a neck profile you liked you could make a big one of these on that shape. I made this one from Jatoba from the tall ship, boxwood from the neighbor, and a piece of a an old saw

Ed
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Ed M
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