Spokeshaves

[Eric Smith]

Here is a good tool for stock shaping.

[rich pierce]

I do much of my shaping with a spokeshave.  Got used to them while bowmaking.

[davebozell]

Me too.  I discovered mine while building Windsor chairs.  Used correctly, they leave a very fine surface.

[WadePatton]

Yup.

If you can manage a plane and maintain the iron, spoke-shaving is just the short-soled version best for contours, rather than flats.

[deepcreekdale]

Check out flea markets where there is usually someone that sells old tools. I bought 3 of them a few years ago for $3.00 each, They needed some cleaning up and repair, but once sharpened properly, they work great. No deep wood trauma like you get with rasps either. One of the ones I got cheap is fairly large, about 12 inches across with about a 4 to 5 inch sole/blade. It will work down a stock blank pronto.

[conquerordie]

I have never used a spokeshave while stocking a gun. In which areas do you use them? I watched the video, for you guys who use these, do you have one edge cutting deeper like shown in the video? I also watched his video for sharpening these spokeshave. Just finished sharpening mine. Cut nicely on scrap walnut and maple. Can't wait to try on my next stock. Thanks for the help and link!
Greg

[WadePatton]

I was really unsatisfied with my first spokeshave.  It's the sort with "manual" adjustment. It's an old and fair copy of a Stanley, but just wouldn't "do right" at first.

Then I got a double-screw adjustable type, and LOVE it. With the screw-adjustable, I find it very easy to adjust cut to suit the present needs.  With the other "slow adjusting" type, I do keep the iron set deeper on one side than the other in order to avoid making iron adjustments. 

One cannot know exactly which cutting tools he/she likes the best without trying them. Some tools are cheaper to try than others. Everybody has his/her own feel and performance needs/expectations.  I prefer cutting tools that I can sharpen-because each and every one of them without exception-sucks when not sharp.  Spokeshaves, for me, work like draw-knives but with more control.

[PPatch]

I was just using two shaves to aid in tapering a couple of RR's. They did fine roughing out the shape but I resorted to Tom Curran's RR scraper to work the hickory on down. Cheers to you Tom for a very good tool.

https://thosmachine.wordpress.com/

shameless plug by: dave

[davebozell]

I should qualify my comment that I made above.  I much prefer wood spokeshave over the cast metal versions.  The nearly parallel blade in a wooden spokeshave leaves a superior surface in my opinion.  The metal ones I have used were prone to "chatter" if I wasn't very careful.

[deepcreekdale]

They definitely take some practice to get the hang of. What worked for me was keeping a fairly light touch while cutting. When  I first started using them I tried to apply pressure with the tool into the wood, it would chatter badly. Using long light strokes, and not gripping the handle so hard it started to work. I use them a lot now, much faster and cleaner than rasps. I do angle the blade slightly so it cuts a little shallower on one side which I find useful for extremely curly maple.

[P.W.Berkuta]

I LOVE spokeshaves  and have 4 of them. One is a teeny one that I can get into small places. I bought it at a hobby store. Getting the iron SHARP and positioning it in the handle is the key to the spokeshave working to it's optimal performance.

[conquerordie]

Man is it wrong that I'm getting excited about using a spokeshave?
Greg

[Nordnecker]

I think I have 4 wooden spokeshaves and at least that many metal ones. I much prefer the wooden ones. My favorite one has a beechwood body and a blade made by James Bee, who (I read somewhere) was an English maker of edge tools in the late 1700's. It is only a friction fit, no adjustment knobs for the blade and the tangs are reinforced with a couple of lathe nails. It ain't real pretty but it is rock solid. It bogles the mind to think of how many projects this tool could have been used on. Heck, it could have belonged to one of the great rifle builders of the golden age.

[mustanggt]

Do you guys think that a concave spokeshave would be of help shaping the forearm especially?

[davec2]

I have used large spokeshaves to remove a lot of wood fast, but this is the one I used most often.  It is a cheap, die cast item that came in a set of Xacto knives.....and it works better than some very expensive spokeshaves I have.

[rich pierce]

Haven't tried this one yet. It is the largest I've seen.

[Hungry Horse]

 I was reluctant to mention that I use the cheap little spoke shave from an Exacto knife set, but since it's already been mentioned I have to admit I use it a lot. It takes off wood in nice little curls and doesn't leave abrasion marks like a rasp. It also gets into pretty tight places, unlike a small plane. I literally wore the first one out, and was lucky enough to find another one at a yard sale.

  Hungry Horse

[Ray Settanta]

I see your 15" and raise 1" 

[WadePatton]

That is the other wonderful thing about spokeshaves.

Once a fellow (or fellowette) gets a feel for their utility and understands their nature, he/she can make one or a dozen to fit their own needs most perfectly-whether longrifles, bows, boats, or other bits of wooden things are being made.

[Acer Saccharum]

Spokeshaves aren't just for spokes anymore.

[P.W.Berkuta]

I was reluctant to mention that I use the cheap little spoke shave from an Exacto knife set, but since it's already been mentioned I have to admit I use it a lot. It takes off wood in nice little curls and doesn't leave abrasion marks like a rasp. It also gets into pretty tight places, unlike a small plane. I literally wore the first one out, and was lucky enough to find another one at a yard sale.

  Hungry Horse

Me three -- I have one also and love it I also bought a spare.  When I am in the heat of the battle in stead of sharpening the blade I just pick up the "new" one. I will then sharpen both blades after I am finished for the day so I am ready to go the next time.