Large spokeshave?

[Rob Luter]

I’m working with a big live edge walnut slab and will be doing a fair bit of edge contouring. I could use a larger scale spokeshave, but Lee Valley has discontinued theirs. Any Creekers know of a source? I have the Boggs shaves from LN but those are really better suited to finer work.

[Tony Wilkins]

Does it have to be a spokeshave. If you want something for more bulk removal, how about a small drawknife like Tools for working wood sells?

[Jim Koepke]

Have you tried > http://www.ncworkshops.com/products.html <?

jtk

-- No affiliation, Dr. Google search > wooden spokeshave <

[Mike Henderson]

How big of a one are you looking for. I have a wooden one that I never really use.

Mike

[Edward Weber]

Veritas has one, I don't know if it's the size you need. If it's not large enough I would also suggest a draw knife.
https://www.leevalley.com/en-us/shop/tools/hand-tools/spokeshaves/62800-veritas-large-spokeshave

[Tony Wilkins]

Veritas has one, I don't know if it's the size you need. If it's not large enough I would also suggest a draw knife.
https://www.leevalley.com/en-us/shop/tools/hand-tools/spokeshaves/62800-veritas-large-spokeshave
As he said, it’s discontinued.

[steven c newman]

I have a 6" drawknife the OP can have, IF he wants.

[Rob Luter]

Thanks for all the replies. I have a couple of drawknives, but was looking for something with a little better control on depth of cut. The live edge is already bark free and just needs smoothing/reshaping. The problem is that with it being an 8/4 slab the live edge is about 3 1/2" wide. With the length of the slab I'm looking at about three square feet of live edge. Smoothing all that with my Boggs shaves is doable, but would be much like smoothing a small table top with a block plane. If I can't find anything I'll try a scraper followed by select shave work and sanding.

[Philip Glover]

Rob,
You may try a Kunz no. 56 cooper spokeshave. I think it has a 2-1/2" wide blade.

Regards,
Phil

[Rafael Herrera]

You could make your own, or buy a vintage wooden one on ebay.

https://www.leevalley.com/en-us/shop/tools/hand-tools/spokeshaves/115597-hock-blades-for-wooden-spokeshaves?item=19P2186

[Edward Weber]

As he said, it’s discontinued.

Sorry, I didn't notice that you couldn't add it to cart. They need to remove it from the site IMO

[Richard Coers]

Use any spoke shave with a little crown in the blade. Pulling a 2" wide curl is a real task.

[Warren Mickley]

Use any spoke shave with a little crown in the blade. Pulling a 2" wide curl is a real task.

I agree. I do the same thing for wide surfaces. A wider spokeshave would be clumsy

[Peter Mich]

Rob,

This Woodjoy Deluxe Shave is available for $75,plus shipping

Peter

510298510297510299
https://sawmillcreek.org/blob:https://sawmillcreek.org/aa6bd06c-04d1-433e-bde0-76e96d559b99


https://sawmillcreek.org/blob:https://sawmillcreek.org/1176a54a-92f2-4480-8c8f-08cd6d805d95



https://sawmillcreek.org/blob:https://sawmillcreek.org/e1bac287-3ba0-4f86-a4ea-271d0e485f1f

[Chuck Hill]

Vic Tesolin just started selling tools from Melbourne Tool Company, they have a large shave, about a foot across:
https://ca.melbournetool.com/melbourne-tool-company-flat-sole-spokeshave/#product-description

[Rob Luter]

These look pretty solid. I caught a YouTube review from down under that suggests they’re of decent quality. The price sure is fair.

@Derek Cohen (https://sawmillcreek.org/member.php?2150-Derek-Cohen) - any opinion on these?

[Doug Trembath]

Thanks for all the replies. I have a couple of drawknives, but was looking for something with a little better control on depth of cut. The live edge is already bark free and just needs smoothing/reshaping. The problem is that with it being an 8/4 slab the live edge is about 3 1/2" wide. With the length of the slab I'm looking at about three square feet of live edge. Smoothing all that with my Boggs shaves is doable, but would be much like smoothing a small table top with a block plane. If I can't find anything I'll try a scraper followed by select shave work and sanding.

I took a different approach with my desk slab some years ago. I looked at the curves and sweeps of the live edge, after bark removal, and carved a series of sweeps and returns that tied the entire edge together and became a design element that folks have universally complimented me on. I'm in the process of refinishing the desk. Maybe a pic would help you understand my poor description... It really did fancy up my desk, though... Been a while since I posted a pic, may be a challenge...

[John Keeton]

The blade on the Melbourne shave is not significantly wider than other shaves.

[Rob Luter]

I took a different approach with my desk slab some years ago. I looked at the curves and sweeps of the live edge, after bark removal, and carved a series of sweeps and returns that tied the entire edge together and became a design element that folks have universally complimented me on. I'm in the process of refinishing the desk. Maybe a pic would help you understand my poor description... It really did fancy up my desk, though... Been a while since I posted a pic, may be a challenge...

I'd love to see it.

[Jim Koepke]

I'd love to see it.

+1 on that.

jtk

[Rob Luter]

The blade on the Melbourne shave is not significantly wider than other shaves.

I do like the broadly spaced grips though. Something with gull wing handles would be OK too. I’ve had half a dozen Stanley versions and they all performed poorly despite extreme fettling. I really think the thicker blade is the key. I tried thicker blades on my Stanleys but they just weren’t set up to use them.

[Jim Koepke]

I do like the broadly spaced grips though. Something with gull wing handles would be OK too. I’ve had half a dozen Stanley versions and they all performed poorly despite extreme fettling. I really think the thicker blade is the key. I tried thicker blades on my Stanleys but they just weren’t set up to use them.

That is interesting, I have a few old Stanley shaves and all work quite well. They are a little tricky to get the blade set. Learning how and where to tap - tap - tap is the biggest challenge.

510570

Either a small mallet with a dense hardwood head or a smaller brass headed hammer will do the tapping just fine.

Of my Stanley spoke shave my #63 is my go to. The #51s are nice, but the straight handles of the #52 and the lighter weight has me preferring that for a flat sole shave most of the time.

If you don't mind a little work you might be able to find a wide wooden spoke shave.

Mine cost me $10 and a little work > https://sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?269044 < it is still working fine.

jtk

[John Keeton]

I agree with Jim regarding the Stanley shaves. My workhorse shaves are two 52s - one set for a lighter cut (still heavier than my Boggs) and the other a slightly heavier cut. Both have the LV PM-V11 replacement blades and the mouths eased slightly to provide clearance. The lighter cutting shave is painted gray and the heavier black. I much prefer the straight handles to the gull wing handles. The straight handles are more in line with the center of gravity and make the shave more controllable. I also have the flat and round Boggs as well as the small bronze LN flat and round. When I am working on a chair all six shaves are on the bench!

[John Kananis]

Imho, there's nothing wrong with using a draw knife for larger work - then cleaning up with the shave. You have much better control than you expect, just use the blade itself as you would the sole of a shave or plane and work along the edge without lifting the knife (much).

[John Keeton]

In building Windsor chairs I use drawknives and spokeshaves a lot, and for working on a walnut live edge slab I wouldn't use a drawknife. The undulating grain structure of a live edge would make using a drawknife problematic. A drawknife is intended to work with the grain of the wood, whereas a spokeshave will adapt to changing grain so long as one has a very sharp blade and remains alert as to the feel of the cut.

I would add that I don't necessarily see the need for a wide bladed spokeshave. I think Rob will find that a standard spokeshave will do fine and will actually lend itself to a more artistic contouring of the edge.

[Cameron Wood]

If you've shaped the live edge with a spokeshave or drawknife, it's not really live edge anymore, seems like...

[Eric Brown]

Sent PM I have one you might be interested in.

[Eric Brown]

Here are pictures of the bronze plane I have that might interest you. It is 14" across, just over 2lbs. The blade is 2 1/16" wide, .080 thick. It is mounted bevel up. (It won't go bevel down!)
The blade reaches both sides of the rabbet area. The sole is flat, with 1" before the blade and 1 1/2" after. Low angle between 20 & 25 degrees. There are no markings. Probably made by patternmaker.

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