Brent VanFossen
11-28-2011, 1:20 AM
Hello, all. I'm a new member, and live in the Portland, OR area.
A few weeks ago, I bought a Stanley 151 spokeshave at an antique show. $17.50, which seemed like a fair price. It needed some care, as you can see in the before photos.
214112214113
It had some light rust and marks on the sole. The blade was dull, of course, but it also seemed to have the original mill marks on the bevel - it had never been sharpened. Worse, the bed that supports the blade was crowned in the center, and the blade would rock depending where I put pressure.
First, I flattened the back of the spokeshave blade on a diamond plate, then progressed through the waterstones. Then I worked on the spokeshave body.
To flatten the bed, I needed a thin flat tool that I could use to support some sandpaper. The blade on this spokeshave is 2 1/8 inch. I found an inexpensive Huck Brothers 2-inch plane blade for $3 that would do the trick. Being cheap, it was also thin, but very stiff - just what I needed. The bevel would help it get in deeper. It had to be flattened itself first. Then I attached 120 grit sandpaper with spray adhesive, and went to work. You can see my method below. I blunted the edge slightly to avoid damaging the spokeshave or myself.
214115214116
It would have taken a lot more work to flatten the entire area. I stopped when all the high spots were removed, and I couldn't rock it regardless of where I pushed.
214117
The sole needed work. I flattened it with diamond plate and waterstones until all the corrosion was removed and the sole was flat across its entire width and length.
214118
I hollow-ground the blade on the Jet sharpener, then put a razor edge on it using waterstones up to 8000. Here it is assembled, and you can see the mirror surface at the cutting edge.
214119
All that was left now was to put a piece of pine in the vise and make some shavings. There's really nothing much more satisfying than the feel and sound of a sharp new tool that you've restored yourself.
A few weeks ago, I bought a Stanley 151 spokeshave at an antique show. $17.50, which seemed like a fair price. It needed some care, as you can see in the before photos.
214112214113
It had some light rust and marks on the sole. The blade was dull, of course, but it also seemed to have the original mill marks on the bevel - it had never been sharpened. Worse, the bed that supports the blade was crowned in the center, and the blade would rock depending where I put pressure.
First, I flattened the back of the spokeshave blade on a diamond plate, then progressed through the waterstones. Then I worked on the spokeshave body.
To flatten the bed, I needed a thin flat tool that I could use to support some sandpaper. The blade on this spokeshave is 2 1/8 inch. I found an inexpensive Huck Brothers 2-inch plane blade for $3 that would do the trick. Being cheap, it was also thin, but very stiff - just what I needed. The bevel would help it get in deeper. It had to be flattened itself first. Then I attached 120 grit sandpaper with spray adhesive, and went to work. You can see my method below. I blunted the edge slightly to avoid damaging the spokeshave or myself.
214115214116
It would have taken a lot more work to flatten the entire area. I stopped when all the high spots were removed, and I couldn't rock it regardless of where I pushed.
214117
The sole needed work. I flattened it with diamond plate and waterstones until all the corrosion was removed and the sole was flat across its entire width and length.
214118
I hollow-ground the blade on the Jet sharpener, then put a razor edge on it using waterstones up to 8000. Here it is assembled, and you can see the mirror surface at the cutting edge.
214119
All that was left now was to put a piece of pine in the vise and make some shavings. There's really nothing much more satisfying than the feel and sound of a sharp new tool that you've restored yourself.