Millers Falls Spokeshave No. 1 -- Replacement blades?

[Michael Ray Smith]

Does anyone know of a source of replacement blades for Millers Falls no. 1 spokeshaves (aka cigar shaves)?

[Jonathan McCullough]

I think you would have to make it. Do you have a shave that's missing an iron, or do you have one that's in bad shape? I could provide measurements if you need them.

[Roger Davis IN]

Tim Kelly used to make replica #1 shaves and replacement blades for originals. I don't know if he still does, but his phone still comes up in some searches as 760-376-4804. Worth a try.

RD

[Michael Ray Smith]

Thanks, Jonathan. I have blades that I can get dimensions from, but making one goes a bit beyond my metalworking skills.

Thanks, Roger, I'll check it out.

Mike

[Archie England]

I'm in need of replacements for two MF cigar shaves, too. Please keep us informed of what you find out. Thanks

[george wilson]

I can make them. I have a Miller's Falls spoke shave to go by. They will be a bit of work to make,but certainly I can make them. Possibly Johnny Kleso,too. P.M. me. Got the screws that hold them in? All those parts are hardened.

[Mike Brady]

I would be in for a replacement blade too. Is there such a thing as tool steel pipe? That blade looks to be a cylindrical section and perhaps pipe could be cut, ground, and then heat treated. I'm no machinist, so I'm just throwing out ideas.

I did come up with a simple jig that allows you to put that blade in a honing guide very easily.

[george wilson]

I would have to bore out some 01 or W1 drill rod,mill them to the partially circular shape,make a mandrel to slip inside them while quenching,as they could close up some when being quenched. It is an unusually complicated blade to have to make due to being curved,but I can make them. Wether it is worth the cost is up to the user.

[Michael Ray Smith]

Mike, do you have a picture or description of the jig? And what type of honing guide? Finally, the toughest question . . . do you add a microbevel and, if so, on the inside or the outside? Most of what I've read or heard indicates either no microbevel at all or one on the outside. I've tried them various ways, and my best results are with a microbevel on the inside so that it works sort of like a bevel-up plane iron. Maybe I'm just weird, but that seems to work for me.

[Mike Brady]

Mike, do you have a picture or description of the jig? And what type of honing guide? Finally, the toughest question . . . do you add a microbevel and, if so, on the inside or the outside? Most of what I've read or heard indicates either no microbevel at all or one on the outside. I've tried them various ways, and my best results are with a microbevel on the inside so that it works sort of like a bevel-up plane iron. Maybe I'm just weird, but that seems to work for me.

I used a block of wood 1/2" thick and 1/2" wider than the cigar shave cutter. Rounded over the end grain of the block to fit the concave side of the cutter. Then, mimicking the shave itself, I attached the cutter to the rounded end of the block using two flat-head screws that mate with the bevels on each end of the cutter. Clamp the block into a cheapy eclipse-type jig at an angle that suits you, and hone the cutter through the grits of your favorite sharpening media. You can think if this set-up as honing a half-inch thick plane iron. If the screws interfere with the honing you might have to slightly relieve the screw heads with a file.

As to the type of bevel or microbevel I use, I put a microbevel on the concave side of the cutter using a piece of the 1/2 " id PVC pipe with sticky sandpaper on the outside. I went up to through 1000 grit w/d paper.


Using the above technique, my cigar shave cuts as well as my Boggs shaves and can get into some really tight radii that other shaves can't touch. The Millers Falls cutter holds an edge very well.

[Michael Ray Smith]

Mike,

Thank you. To put the microbevel on the concave side, I cut one piece of wood with a 25-degree miter and glued it to another piece of wood so two combined o vorm two planes that meet at 205 degrees (i.e., 25 degrees beyond 180). I placed a DMT sharpening card face down on one piece of wood, extending a short distance beyond the joint. I just held it in place my hand, but some sort of fastening mechanism would have made it easier. The I placed the flat part of the blade against the other face of the wood so that the inside of the blade met the sharpening card at a 25 degree angle, measured from the flat part of the outside of the blade, and honed it with 45 micron and 9 micron sharpening cards (which are the only two I happen to have). The use of the sharpening card was important because it is flat but also thin enough to fit inside the blade.

Your method would create a slightly concave microbevel, and mine would create a flat one. I'm not sure which would be better, but the microbevel is very narrow and it might not make all that much difference.

I'm going to try your jig. Thanks agaihn for sharing.