Wood River Spoke Shave

[Joe Tilson]

What do you folks think of the Wood River spokeshave? Woodcraft has it on sale right now for $40, so I thought to ask your opinions.
Thanks,
Joe

[Jim Koepke]

Maybe this will help:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0OjGcoAMMCU

I kind of like my old Stanley spokeshaves. Paid from $10 to $25 for them.

jtk

[Daniel Rode]

I can't speak to the WoodRiver as I haven't used one. I have a vintage Stanley #151. When I was looking for it, many were selling on the auction site for $30-$50 but if you're patient, you can get them for much less. I paid $15 shipped for mine.

The wood river is a somewhat different design. I'd want to try one out before I'd spend $40 on it.

[Dave Anderson NH]

I sure hope that shave is being made and private labeled for Woodcraft by LeeValley/Veritas. It is almost an exact copy of the one Lee
Valley came out with some time well over 15 years ago. If not, it is the continuation of a disturbing trend. Comments Rob Lee?

[Joe Tilson]

Jim and Daniel,
Thanks for the info.
I will continue to look and see if one can be found for $10 to $25 dollars,
but that's hard to find around here. The bay has folks around here
jacking prices up. We have been quoted $40 to $60 ea.

[Richard Hutchings]

I'm surprised nobody uses one on this forum. I have one but I don't have anything to compare it with. It works fine. It's a pretty simple tool and I personally can't see any reason to spend more on one and an old one for less is even better. I have an old double spoke-shave ( concave on one end and flat on the other) that's a bit rusty and needs some fettling. I'll bet it's going to be very nice as well.

[Derek Cohen]

I agree with Dave's comments - the question is this spokeshave significant different from the Lee Valley version to stand on its own, or is it an unlicensed copy?

see: http://www.leevalley.com/US/wood/page.aspx?p=44834&cat=1,50230&ap=1

Regards from Perth

Derek

[Jim Koepke]

I agree with Dave's comments - the question is this spokeshave significant different from the Lee Valley version to stand on its own, or is it an unlicensed copy?

see: http://www.leevalley.com/US/wood/page.aspx?p=44834&cat=1,50230&ap=1

Regards from Perth

Derek

The write up at Lee Valley mentions being able to flip the shoe for a round bottom shave. The Wood River only mentions an adjustable shoe. If it is an unlicensed copy, they did a poor job of it.

jtk

[Simon MacGowen]

The write up at Lee Valley mentions being able to flip the shoe for a round bottom shave. The Wood River only mentions an adjustable shoe. If it is an unlicensed copy, they did a poor job of it.

jtk

Perhaps that was their intention so they couldn't be accused of copying? I would be surprised if WC didn't have legal advice before making something that is protected by patent or what not. Their planes look a lot like the Lie Nielsen's but that doesnt seem to have got them into any troubles. Of course, legally right is not necessarily the same as ethically right.

Simon

[Bill Houghton]

Yes, but Lie-Nielsen's planes are close to direct copies of (maybe very close to direct copies of) products from Stanley (for the bedrock-style bench planes) and Preston (for the rabbet planes). The low angle spokeshave is, from what I can see, a moderately direct copy of Lee Valley's spokeshave.

I don't know if Lee Valley was copying from an earlier shave; perhaps they were, and so there's no patent issue.

But your question was about use. I've made limited use of this spokeshave since receiving it as a gift some years back. Since I graduated from work in 2006, I've been very occupied doing house refurbishment (kitchen, two bathrooms, and a family room [that was modified, badly, from a porch after World War II], with a year and a half of consulting work thrown in to fund some of the remodeling). Carpentry doesn't call for much spokeshave work. So I haven't had much occasion to use it. What I did learn, in my limited uses of it, is that it's dynamite on end grain, but a regular old bevel-down (think Stanley 51/52) shave is just fine on long grain. The blade, though, is clamped in just by pressure from the clamping bolts, and I've had it come out in use. I've got, on my wishlist, one of Lee Valley's wood spokeshave kits, which look like a superior tool: http://www.leevalley.com/us/wood/page.aspx?p=49710&cat=1,50230&ap=1. The Woodcraft does appear to be better than the Lee Valley in this area: their ad copy says the clamping bolts are threaded into the blade. What's not so clearly indicated is how the blade adjustment works. On the LV shave, you can move the blade back and forth as well as moving the toe piece up and down. It looks like all adjustment on the Woodcraft is done by moving the toe up and down. Not sure how this would work in practice; not saying it wouldn't, just don't know.

[Dave Lehnert]

How long is a patent good for, 20 years?

[Daniel Rode]

Yes, 20 years.

How long is a patent good for, 20 years?

Just because the WR spokeshave resembles the Veritas doesn't mean that Woodcraft copied or licensed the Veritas design. It's entirely possible that they appear similar because they are based on older designs that cannot be patented. It's also possible that the designs are similar but differ in the patented areas. There's been many, many spokeshaves made over the centuries, coming up with an original patentable idea is not easy.

[Mike Brady]

We're scratching an old wound here. Let it be. If you feel strongly about the copying issue don't support the counterfeiters.

[Andras Erci]

Hello, I have the Veritas Low Angle Spokeshave. Took me a little while to "master" it and now that's the one I reach for first, even though I have a few other various types, including old wood ones. If anyone has both would you please give a comparison? Thank you

[Keegan Shields]

Derek,

I have both and they are definitely different. The Woodriver version is heavier and larger. I prefer the fit and finish of the Veritas version (not surprise given the price difference)

It does look like Woodriver planes come from the same factory as Luban and other regional brands.

Anyone have any pointers on getting good results from LA spokeshaves? I find the high angle LN/ vintage Stanley 51 versions I have are easier to use for a rookie.