Wooden Spokeshave recommendation

[Tony Wilkins]

The first project I'm planning to work on when I'm able to woodwork again recommends a spokeshave. I've read through my 'tool' books (Tolpin, CS' Anarchist TC, Fidgen) and decided to look at a wooden flat soled spokeshave.

I thought about getting one of the Hock kits but I already have projects lined up to start other projects so don't want to add one more. I've got it narrowed down to makers - Dave's Shaves and of to the the Woodjoy shaves. Dave's Shaves look very nice and have a lot of info on his site. The Woodjoy site has some good descriptions but the pictures are tiny; I do like that they have thicker blades and the adjustment mechanism described on the site sounds good.

So between these two, what are the pro's and con's and what would you choose?

[george wilson]

Whatever you choose,make sure it has a brass wear plate in front of the cutter. I have made several,and even ivory doesn't last too well. Not that ivory is an extremely hard material. Bone is harder,but I know from experience over the many years in the museum that metal is the only good answer. Usually brass is the metal used. Because it doesn't rust,I suppose. In the old days they didn't have stainless(except for a few natural deposits).

[Trevor Walsh]

Haven't used or seen any of those, but I have one of the LV kits and am happy with the result. I'm going to get another one and do a cigar like shave out of something different. Maybe I'll use a little piece of boxwood I have. Say George, where can somebody get boxwood without finding a pile of cuttings in a ditch?

[Ryan Baker]

I don't think you can go wring with either Dave's shaves or Woodjoy. You might consider picking up some nice used ones if you want a cheaper introduction to wooden shaves. I really enjoy using my wooden shaves. I have to agree with George though about having a brass wear plate. I am amazed how fast I have been able to wear away the sole of a wooden shave to an unusable point ... and those are shaves of boxwood, hard rosewood, etc., which you would think would hold up fairly well. I just resoled one of my rosewood shaves with brass last weekend. While it doesn't make a big difference, I prefer the set-screw adjustment style over the Lee Valley spokeshave kit type of adjustment, or the traditional style spike-in-hole.

[Mike Henderson]

The kit from Lee Valley has a superior adjustment mechanism, in my opinion. The set-screw type of adjustment that I'm familiar with has the set screw adjustment made from under the blade. I can imagine a set screw adjustment that could be made from the top of the plane but I don't know if kits are made that way. Anyway, the kits that have the adjustment under the blade are difficult to adjust - you have to remove the blade to make the adjustment. You take the blade out, make a slight adjustment, put the blade back in, then try the shave with that adjustment. It often takes several tries to get the adjustment to be acceptable. And depending on the type of adjustment screw, you'll need an Alan wrench or screwdriver at the bench to make the adjustment.

With the Lee Valley adjuster, you can make adjustment from the top of the shave without removing the blade, and no special tools are required. It's pretty much the same way you'd adjust a bench plane.

The one saving grace is that once you get a shave adjusted, you don't change it very often.

Mike

[george wilson]

The LV all metal spokeshave is likely the best out there,and if I recall,the blade can be set for straight shaving or curved shaving. It is also easier to sharpen than ordinary shaves.

[Chris Griggs]

The LV all metal spokeshave is likely the best out there,and if I recall,the blade can be set for straight shaving or curved shaving. It is also easier to sharpen than ordinary shaves.

I just got this one (http://www.leevalley.com/US/wood/page.aspx?p=44834&cat=1,50230&ap=1) that George is referring to a month or so ago. I am quite liking it. Yes, you can flip the toe around for inside radii. It doesn't do super tight inside curves but it works quite well. I got it because I was doing some inside and outside end grain curves in eastern white pine, and the angle is so low it just peels the end grain off like nobody's business.

When FWW did a review of shave a few years ago the LV won best value for low angle shaves. The Woodjoy Master shave (which also can be adjusted for both inside and outside curves) got best overall for low angle shaves. I was going to get the Woodjoy, but wasn't convinced I would get anything functionally better for the extra $50 - the LV really is a very good value. If money is not an object I'd definitely consider the Woodjoy, it seems like a phenominal tool - but again, I'm very happy with my LV. If you go with the LV just make sure you follow the directions to the rough up the part of the blade that contacts the holding mechanism - since the blade is held via clamping pressure roughing up those area is pretty important to holding it securely.

[Trevor Walsh]

Mike, FWIW, Dave's Shaves have a different adjuster mechanism, where the blade depth setting screws are accessible from the top of the tool. After first reading this thread I ran around the interned looking at tiny boxwood shaves and other shavelike things and saw DS new designs.

[Darren Brewster]

If you go with the LV just make sure you follow the directions to the rough up the part of the blade that contacts the holding mechanism - since the blade is held via clamping pressure roughing up those area is pretty important to holding it securely.
Once you did that did it help? Are you really able to hog off wood with it like a wooden shave?

[Chris Griggs]

Once you did that did it help? Are you really able to hog off wood with it like a wooden shave?

Well, yes it made a pretty big difference - making sure there is no oil on the surface helps to. As far as really hogging off wood, I can't say. I've been taking some fairly heavy shavings in pine end grain, but my gut says that trying to hog off hardwood may result in the blade shifting, but I haven't tested it. I don't think its really designed to be a heavy hogging/shaping tool. For cleaning up after a bow saw though its works great - and given how inaccurate and messy I am with a bowsaw I think that says a lot.

I 'll make a note to try hogging some harder wood and repost tonight (I'll do my best not to forget).

[Ryan Baker]

@Mike, I haven't seen ones that adjust from the bottom. That would be a pain. I have seen ones that adjust from the top or the back. I like the LV design in theory, but it doesn't seem to work as well in practice. The depth adjustment is a coarse thread, and is too sensitive to adjust. Locking down the lock knob tends to change the depth setting a significant amount if you aren't holding the depth setting well enough. With heavy cutting, the locking knob tends to work loose, which will then causes the depth adjustment to change. It's not a big problem, but it can be quite annoying.

[Chris Griggs]

I 'll make a note to try hogging some harder wood and repost tonight (I'll do my best not to forget).

Okay, just went and hogged some white oak and walnut - 1/64-1/32" shavings - and didn't get any blade movement. So yes roughing up the blade does make a very big difference. Thinking back now I feel like when I first roughed it up when I got it, I did try hogging some hardwood and got slippage. I think maybe I didn't initially get all the lube off or maybe didn't rough it up enough initially, because now its not moving at all even on very thick shaving. I do tighten down the locking knobs pretty hard, but I'm not cranking them down like crazy or anything - the key really is to make sure the contact area's on the blade is roughed up and lubricant free. Again, I've been very happy with this tool.

[Darren Brewster]

Thanks for that Chris.

[Chris Griggs]

Thanks for that Chris.

No problem. If you get it hopefully you'll have the same experience - and if not, well remember one of the great things about LV (and LN, TFWW, etc...) is you can always send it back if it doesn't meet your needs.

[Tony Wilkins]

Here's a back to the basic question. I haven't tried either type of spokeshave (wooden or metal). Besides the obvious, what's the difference in how they work?

[seth lowden]

Regarding the metal low angle LV shaves: it is possible to blow the blade right out of it when going to town on heavy shaving. It is a good value. If you work green wood, it will not swell like a wood shave, which may change adjustment with changes in moisture content. FWIW

[Archie England]

My vintage wood shaves are low-angle and take super thin wisps everywhere. My 4" blade hogs off the wood, nearly like a draw knife. My vintage metal shaves have higher angles and work just great; but, they don't work so well on end grain. I find both to necessary, depending on what my needs are. As for adjustment, the metal shaves are much easier to adjust but even then, it depends on the make. My LN Boggs is a tad finicky to set but once set is fantastic--though it only wants thin shavings--never hoggy ones.

[Steve Branam]

If you're interested in trying some vintage wooden ones, with or without wear plates, watch this video by chairmaker Peter Galbert: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KJHSPSxfrTc. He's actually talking about wooden travishers, but halfway through he uses a wooden spokeshave to demonstrate the technique for controlling the depth of cut. My favorite spokeshave is my LN Boggs shave, but watching this video totally transformed my old wooden ones. You can go light or hog off giant chunks with them, no adjustment required. It's all in the handling.

[David Keller NC]

Say George, where can somebody get boxwood without finding a pile of cuttings in a ditch?

Trevor - I didn't see an answer to this question in the thread. You can get boxwood from a few sources. The most readily available is a company in Turkey called Octopus: http://www.octopus.com.tr/store/
They sell many different grades and sizes, but don't be shocked - boxwood is very expensive (more expensive than ebony).

Tropical Exotic Hardwoods of Latin America sometimes has English boxwood in stock: http://www.anexotichardwood.com/pricelist.html

And, Gilmer Wood Company occasionally has English or French boxwood: https://www.gilmerwood.com/

[george wilson]

Actually,rosewood makes a poor wearing throat repair in a wooden plane. Done that!! Try lignum vitae,or inlet brass. My boxwood shaves wore quickly like Ryan's. Ivory is too soft for wear plates as I mentioned. Just as well with the cost through the roof!! Brass wear plate is a must.

Pinnacle just introduced a stainless steel spoke shave,but the LV still can be set for straight or curved cuts.