Good Spokeshave?

[paulskirocks]

I am thinking it's time for a spokeshave... Any recommendations?

[PlutoLex]

I don't have any really nice ones, but if I were going to buy one I'd check Lee Valley - http://www.leevalley.com/wood/page.a...&cat=1&p=50230 and Lie-Nielsen - http://www.lie-nielsen.com/catalog.php?cat=514

If you want to stay on a budget an older Stanley on eBay with a Hock blade should make a good user.

[tgfmike]

Awesome name for an alt rock band.

[vtcyclist]

Dave's Shaves are very good. He is in New Hampshire. We found out about Dave's when my wife attended a chair making class at the Windsor Institute, also in NH. No affiliation.

http://www.ncworkshops.com/

[Picton]

I've got an el-cheapo modern Stanley with a curved sole and an el-cheapo Record with a flat one (c. 1980s, rescued from my high school's discontinued shop program). I won't say they work as flawlessly as a higher-end Lie-Nielson, but they work plenty flawlessly enough. The key is that, like all shaves and handplanes, they've gotta be tuned up before use. Many people have such trouble with spokeshaves at first that they give up right away; they're quirky tools with a finicky nature.

Fine Woodworking did a tool test a couple years ago; as I recall, they recommended the shave made my Anant as their best value. It costs, I think, around twenty bucks new. Their point (and mine) is that an inexpensive shave, well-tuned-up, can give results as acceptable as an expensive one.

[jefrs]

You need two, flat and curved. For convex and concave.

Mine are Record and Stanley, with fine adjusters but nothing special. You do need to take them apart and reassemble, not to mention sharpen.

[PlutoLex]

Originally Posted by Picton

Their point (and mine) is that an inexpensive shave, well-tuned-up, can give results as acceptable as an expensive one.

True. But if you want one that works right out of the box it would be hard to beat LV or LN. My bench planes are all old Stanley's that I've tuned up and they work perfectly fine (especially the ones with Hock blades). I have a few Veritas (Lee Valley) and Lie-Nielsen planes and not only do they work flawlessly, they are a joy to use. There is just something about using a really nice tool that makes the 'work' even more enjoyable. If I ever win the Lotto the Stanley's are history.

[telex]

I have this amazing tool:

and this for rougher cuts-

[paulskirocks]

Originally Posted by telex

I have this amazing tool:

and this for rougher cuts-

Brand? Model?

[paulskirocks]

OK, figured it out by the link address...

[ringosoft]

^ The top one is the Lie-Nielsen I believe. Bottom looks like a Kunz, which is an inexpensive modern brand.

I have a modern Stanley. It works well.

[PlutoLex]

A woodworker that I respect once said that the Stanley 53 was one of their best. I bought one on eBay ($12 IIRC) a while back but it is missing the throat adjustment screw and it's a weird thread. So, I haven't used it yet.

I also have a Grizzly one. I had to put a bit of effort into flattening the sole and the back of the blade. I haven't used it enough to say whether the blade is good enough or if I will pick up a replacement.

btw, Dave's shaves (http://www.ncworkshops.com/) are a different tool - a low angle spokeshave. I have not used them, but some people love them. It is a different skill though. Just something to be aware of.

[Picton]

I've used a Kunz like the one pictured above; it's fine. It's virtually identical to the classic Stanley all the rest of the el cheapos are based on.

With many hand tools, technique is as important as quality; they're just like guitars. Just as Clapton could pick up a Squier Affinity and make it sound just fine, a substandard woodworker with a Lie-Nielsen handplane, chisel, or spokeshave is still substandard.

Just my $.02.

[jefrs]

Originally Posted by PlutoLex

A woodworker that I respect once said that the Stanley 53 was one of their best. I bought one on eBay ($12 IIRC) a while back but it is missing the throat adjustment screw and it's a weird thread.<snip>

My No.51 is similarly challenged, I believe the thread to be 2BA, which should be close enough to metric to make no odds. Try 4mm.

[Codger]

This isn’t a spoke shave, but if you’re thinking about a spoke shave, consider a Nicholson Pattern Maker’s Rasp. I know, as soon anyone hears the word “rasp” they dismiss it as a piece of crap, but this is a really fine tool. They come as #49 and #50. The #50 is finer, I like the #49. It cuts faster and if you ease up, it still leaves a fine enough surface to move onto sandpaper. This is a good price on them:
http://www.jamestowndistributors.com...t.do?pid=2778#

[Picton]

Nothing against rasps; they're unbeatable for neck shaping.

I thought of this thread today; I was using my spokeshaves to smooth my archtop back. Roughed with a gouge and a scrub plane, followed with the shaves and a cabinet scraper, and done. Ninety enjoyable minutes.

It did, though, reinforce what I said earlier: finicky tools, spokeshaves. Once they're dialed in, though, everything's fine.

[PlutoLex]

Originally Posted by jefrs

My No.51 is similarly challenged, I believe the thread to be 2BA, which should be close enough to metric to make no odds. Try 4mm.

Thanks, I'll try that.