Spokeshave Questions

[Bob Johnson2]

Did some work on a kayak paddle today and went to use a couple spokeshaves that I have a couple questions on. Th e green round shave, which admittedly is anyting but the best unit around, chatters and bucks like a mule.I just went through and sharpened all my shaves so that's not the problem and I tried adjusting it every which way. Other then trying to figure out what I'm doing wrong with it can someone tell me if the bevel goes up or down on shaves?
On the silver convex shave I'm wondering how you can sharpen the curved blade? I tried it with a couple small diamond plates (more like sticks then plates) I have but it didn't come out too well, is there a way of doing it without power tools?

[Dennis McDonaugh]

Bob, the bevel goes down on a spokshave. If you are sure its sharp, and the bottom is fairly flat, then you are probably trying to take too big a bite. Adjust it for a very light cut and see if it still chatters.

I sharpen convex and concave spokeshaves with dry sandpaper. The procedure is the same for both. I start at 500 and go through 1000, 1500 and 2000. That's as high as I have to go and they cut nicely when I'm done.

Wrap sandpaper around a large dowel for the concave shaves. I use a 3/4 inch dowel on the 1" chair devil and a 1" dowel on my Stanley 55 which has a radius of 1 1/2 inches.

I shaped a three inch long piece of maple that approximates the curve of the convex shave and wrap the paper around it. I clamp the blade in a vice because I find its easier to maintain the bevel angle that way.