My new toy - Justin Avery Inshave

[John Keeton]

I have been on "the list" for this tool for nearly 6 months, but today it finally arrived. Not cheap at $299 shipped, but it is a thing of beauty! Light in weight, very nice walnut handles, a pleasing and I believe very functional blade profile, and it just plain feels good in the hand!

I previously had the Two Cherries inshave and it worked well. The profile of that inshave is similar to the Avery profile, though the edges of the Two Cherries blade are a tighter radius and it is a heavier tool. A radius profile on the edge of the blade is helpful in getting a clean cut along the gutter edge, and that area has a somewhat sharper curve than other areas on the seat. When I was notified of the shipping on the Avery I sold the Two Cherries inshave.

I also have the Barr scorp and use it a lot on my chairs. The Barr is very functional and does a great job, but the scorp "radius" profile does leave a lot of tool marks. I remove most of those with my travisher, but on the flatter portions of a Windsor seat (leg areas and the very center of the butt area) I think this inshave will shine. With 8 Windsor dining chairs on my current "to do" list for my lovely wife, it is sure to get a lot of mileage in the next few months!

[Dave Anderson NH]

I'll try to remember to take a picture of it, but it looks identical to a Genuine Forgery scorp made by the late Ray Larsen which I bought 20+ years ago.

[John Keeton]

Apparently, Avery is replicating an inshave used by Dave Sawyer. Sawyer was the mentor for Curtis Buchanan and others. I suppose there are many similar inshaves around from days gone by. However, most all of the ones on eBay are unsuitable for chair work. Pete Galbert recommends an inshave over a scorp. I think there is a place for both. I have no intention of getting rid of my Barr. It has seen me through 15 Windsors so far.

I did a search for the Genuine Forgery scorp and the couple of pics I saw were much more round or radius than the inshave. I suppose Larsen could have made different styles.

[Tom M King]

John, it looks like it has a slightly fancier edge guard than your effective ones too.

[Sam E Miller]

I concur completely. I received mine about 6 months ago and it is one of the most delightfully balanced tools I’ve ever had the pleasure of using.
Sam

[Paul Saffold]

That looks like a really nice tool. I have the Barr and while I think the steel is superb, I wish the bevel was on the outside. It's like trying to make a scooping cut with a bevel up draw knife. I have the 2 cherries and tuned it up with Peter Galbert's jig described in his book, but haven't had a chance to use it yet.

[John Keeton]

Paul, on my Barr it is more on a knife edge - beveled on both sides, but I did a small “micro bevel” on the outside and that made a huge difference.

[Paul Saffold]

Thanks John, I'll give that a try.