Spokeshave advice

[Greg Becker]

I am indebted to members of Neanderthal Haven for the great advice on planing so would like some further advice in my transformation from Homo Sapiens Mechanicus to Neanderthal Planus Adictus.

I have a Grizley Spokeshave that despite tuning and honing is still unusable. I was as Woodcraft today and was able to try out a Woodriver Spokeshave that was pure pleasure to use. I guess it's a Low Angle version as the blade is actually the sole of the plane. I was all set to purchase one until I took it apart and saw that the blade has two protruding bolts that are what holds the blade in the body. As I have now learned the benefit of 8000 grit honing for performance (something that does no good in the Grizley but is miraculous in my Veritas planes) I asked the salesman how I could sharpen the Woodriver blade as the bevel is located between the two threaded rods. After he informed me that flattening and honing the back is all I'd need to do (!!!) I decided to come home without one and look at the Veritas.

The Veritas looks very similar so my question is: does the Veritas have threaded rods attached to the blade, and, does anyone have any idea if such a configuration can be honed?

[john brenton]

Bummer. I would say post some pics so people can see what's doin', and if there is no fix send that POS back.



I am indebted to members of Neanderthal Haven for the great advice on planing so would like some further advice in my transformation from Homo Sapiens Mechanicus to Neanderthal Planus Adictus.

I have a Grizley Spokeshave that despite tuning and honing is still unusable. I was as Woodcraft today and was able to try out a Woodriver Spokeshave that was pure pleasure to use. I guess it's a Low Angle version as the blade is actually the sole of the plane. I was all set to purchase one until I took it apart and saw that the blade has two protruding bolts that are what holds the blade in the body. As I have now learned the benefit of 8000 grit honing for performance (something that does no good in the Grizley but is miraculous in my Veritas planes) I asked the salesman how I could sharpen the Woodriver blade as the bevel is located between the two threaded rods. After he informed me that flattening and honing the back is all I'd need to do (!!!) I decided to come home without one and look at the Veritas.

The Veritas looks very similar so my question is: does the Veritas have threaded rods attached to the blade, and, does anyone have any idea if such a configuration can be honed?

[Bill Houghton]

If you mean the black-anodized aluminum-body Lee Valley shave (http://www.leevalley.com/us/wood/page.aspx?p=44834&cat=1,50230&ap=1), the flat blade is clamped into the body with separate bolts, so you can sharpen it without the bolts interfering. I have found that this does have one disadvantage: you can, if you're shaving vigorously, drive the blade right out of the shave.

If you mean the wood-body shave kits (http://www.leevalley.com/us/wood/page.aspx?p=49710&cat=1,50230&ap=1), it's not clear to me. They look to be threaded into the blade, and thus removable; you'd have to check with Lee Valley (whose staff are, by the way, responsive and knowledgeable).

The traditional low-angle shave had fixed tangs, similar to the Wood River shave you looked at. Honing included honing the bevel for sure, something done with the edge of a stone fitting in between the tangs. This is not, in other words, a radical new design that the old guys never would have adopted; and it sounds like the Woodcraft salesman was talking through his hat. If the Wood River shave is otherwise right, you could make yourself a sandpaper hone from a chunk of hardwood, just wide enough for the blade, and sharpen that way.

Editorial comment: Woodcraft has copied many of the features of the Lee Valley shave, down to its looks; this isn't the first design steal they've done, and, for that reason, I wouldn't buy a Wood River tool and, in fact, am reluctant to go to Woodcraft although it's the only handtool store in my county.

[Greg Becker]

After posting this it occurred to me that one of the great things about LV is that they 1) have instructions on their planes and 2) they post them online.

I took a look and the Veritas LA metal spokeshave does not have the threaded posts on the blade like the Woodriver.

I also saw a great idea for a holder for sharpening small blades in the LV instructions - something I wish I had seen yesterday as I sharpened a couple of tiny blades using my fingertips!

I don't like the idea of the Woodriver blade so my question now is: How bad is the slippage problem with the Veritas LA metal spokeshave?

[James Owen]

Greg,

The rods are threaded at both ends, and come out of the iron, specifically so that it is easy to sharpen it.

Too bad the Woodcraft employee there didn't know his tools better.....

[Joe Cunningham]

I just got the LA spokeshave from Veritas and it works great. It is held by friction with little tabs on the ends of the blade (they recommend you scuff the tabs w/ 60 grit).

I just used it on a qtr sawn hard maple guitar neck and didn't notice any slippage (I didn't get a chance to scuff it as LV suggests). I just gave it a light honing on my shaptons and it cut awesome. First time using a spokeshave and I quickly got the neck into good shape--much quicker than my classmates who only had the rasps from the ww'ing school.

[Greg Becker]

Greg,

The rods are threaded at both ends, and come out of the iron, specifically so that it is easy to sharpen it.

Too bad the Woodcraft employee there didn't know his tools better.....

Yes, it was too bad as they were 15% off today! In any case I think I might go with the LV as I also want a LA block plane and I am very pleased with my other Veritas models

[Nelson Howe]

I have the Lee Valley spokeshave, and have been very happy with it. It is a bit finicky to set the blade, but I suspect it is no more so than any other spokeshave would be. I haven't had trouble with slippage.

In addition to the performance of the blade, I can recommend their service. I thought I had a bad blade, because the edge got ragged in use much quicker than it should have. They shipped me a new one right away without a quibble. I'm a bit embarassed to admit that I later realized the blade went ragged because I was shaping bent laminated legs that had been glued up with urea formaldehyde glue, which is hard on any edge.

Great tool, great company.

Nelson

[Pam Niedermayer]

And for your next questions, you may want to take a look at the Brian Boggs dvd on spokeshaves, available at LN. :)

Pam

[Greg Becker]

And for your next questions, you may want to take a look at the Brian Boggs dvd on spokeshaves, available at LN. :)

Pam

I went to the LN site and did not find any video links. Is this a DVD for purchase?

[lowell holmes]

I have two LV spokeshaves and a wooden one from Traditional Woodworker. I would hate to be without any of them.
Traditional Woodworker also has a cigar shave to offer.

[Pam Niedermayer]

I went to the LN site and did not find any video links. Is this a DVD for purchase?

Yes, it is a dvd for sale.

Pam

[Eric Brown]

Woodjoy also makes some good spokeshaves.
http://www.woodjoytools.com/page1/page1.html

Mostly wood, but refined designs. Look closely.

Eric

[Phillip Ngan]

The Veritas Low Angle spokeshave kit has a blade into which the posts screw. Unscrewing the posts then allows you to sharpen the blade.

[Russell Sansom]

I thought the spokeshave advice in Ron Hocks book "The Perfect Edge" was comprehensive and credible.

[Greg Becker]

I thought the spokeshave advice in Ron Hocks book "The Perfect Edge" was comprehensive and credible.

That's good to know. I'm not yet to that chapter as I keep switching between that book and the "Hand Plane Book" by Garrett Hack and John S Sheldon. Both are wonderful books but the Hack book could have used more space on technique and less on obscure planes (based on my desire to be a user rather than a collector).

[Bill Houghton]

That's good to know. I'm not yet to that chapter as I keep switching between that book and the "Hand Plane Book" by Garrett Hack and John S Sheldon. Both are wonderful books but the Hack book could have used more space on technique and less on obscure planes (based on my desire to be a user rather than a collector).

You want "Planecraft," by Hampton and Clifford, $14 (as of this date) from Woodcraft or, about half the price (!), from half.com or one of the other online booksellers. British, which requires you to learn early-20th-century British English, and limited to techniques with the tools that Record made, but still the best single book I've ever found on planing technique.