advice needed for round bottom spokeshave

[Zahid Naqvi]

I am looking at acquiring a round bottom spokeshave. As always the budget is at the bottom feeder level. Here are the choices I have uncovered so far, please let me know if there is anything else I should be looking at.

1. The Kunz (http://www.toolsforworkingwood.com/Merchant/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Store_Code=toolshop&Product_Code=EE-580-10.XX&Category_Code=) at $17.78
2. The contour planes (http://www.leevalley.com/wood/page.aspx?c=2&p=46321&cat=1,50230&ap=1) from Lee Valley at $21.50 a pair.

I don't have any specific projects in mind, just general purpose trimming and shaping. Several times I needed to cut a concave shape and it turned out almost impossible with a flat bottom spokeshave.

[Jeff Horton]

I am in need of one too. I prefer the old ones myself. But from what I have read on Kunz, their stuff is not typically high quality. Usually said to be just a level above junk honestly. But I have never owned one! Just what I read.

[Mark Singer]

My favorite inexpensive shave and well worth the price is the Lee Valley low angle...the shave acts as a flat bottom and a round bottom since the fence flips over ,....this is truly versitile and very useable....the ones mentioned especially the Kunz ...I don't put in this category...not even close!

http://www.leevalley.com/images/item/woodworking/sandingshaping/05p3201sb.jpg

[Doug Shepard]

There's these too
http://www.highlandwoodworking.com/index.asp?PageAction=VIEWPROD&ProdID=6970
For the money, the Anants are pretty decent. I picked up one of their #8's before the LV BU-Jointer came out. I can't really find much to complain about.

[David Wilson]

I picked up a pair of spokeshaves ( 1 flat, 1 round ) from Harbor Freight for $10.00. Needed the curved one for cleaning up the inside of my Kayak project and it worked fine on Cedar.

[Zahid Naqvi]

My favorite inexpensive shave and well worth the price is the Lee Valley low angle...the shave acts as a lat bottom and a round bottom since the fence flips over ,....this is truly versitile and very useable....the ones mentioned especially the Kunz ...I don't put in this category...not even close!

http://www.leevalley.com/images/item/woodworking/sandingshaping/05p3201sb.jpg

Considering some similarities in design, how easy or difficult is it to modify the Veritas hardware kit for a wooden spokeshave (http://www.leevalley.com/wood/page.aspx?c=2&p=49710&cat=1,50230&ap=1) into a round bottom one by making a rounded wear plate. That way I can convert the same spoke shave from flat to round by swapping the wear plates.

[Derek Cohen]

Zahid

I agree totally with Mark in recommending the Veritas LA spokeshave. This is essentially a modern version of the traditional LA woodie. It has an interchangeable base that converts between flat and round bottom, a 1/8" thick A2 blade, and is fairly indestructable (cast aluminium, I believe). Why do you want to reinvent one?

Regards from Perth

Derek

[James Mittlefehldt]

I have the LV low angle spokeshave and like Deidre had trouble getting it working right, I don't know if she did yet or not. I finally did and it is a joy to use, so if you do get one pay close attention to the instructions.

[Steve Wargo]

I'll mimic what the others have said about the Lee Valley Low Angle Spoke shave... Excellent tool, especially when you consider the reasonable cost. The only complaint I have with it is the metal handles are sometime uncomfortabe when using it for prolonged periods of shaping. Good luck.

[Zahid Naqvi]

Zahid

Why do you want to reinvent one?

Regards from Perth

Derek

For starters because it's half the price (yes some of us have a tool budget:( ), besides I am a tinkerer the kit provides an opportunity to indulge.

Looks like the Veritas low angle is gathering momentum.

[Alice Frampton]

How concave a shape d'you think you'll be needing to shave? The Veritas Low Angle is a good shave, but the generous front to back size of the iron means it doesn't cope with anything but the gentler concave curves, IME.

As far as the kit goes, I've made one up as a round bottomed shave but not interchangable to flat bottomed. But then you seem to already have a flat one, yes? So maybe you're not wedded to that as an option. Anyway, should it be helpful, it's here (http://www.cornishworkshop.co.uk/spokeshavekit06.html).

Cheers, Alf

[Alan DuBoff]

I am in need of one too. I prefer the old ones myself. But from what I have read on Kunz, their stuff is not typically high quality. Usually said to be just a level above junk honestly. But I have never owned one! Just what I read.I've read that also, but I picked up a 79 copy which I think is ok. I still need to sharpen the blades, but I think this will work fine. Time will tell how it works out, but with a little fettlin' I think this will be a fine little plane.

[Zahid Naqvi]

As far as the kit goes, I've made one up as a round bottomed shave but not interchangable to flat bottomed. But then you seem to already have a flat one, yes? So maybe you're not wedded to that as an option. Anyway, should it be helpful, it's here (http://www.cornishworkshop.co.uk/spokeshavekit06.html).

Cheers, Alf

Yes and yes. Yes I have a flat spoke shave and yes I was looking at the same instructions you posted at a few sites :p . As I posted earlier nothing specific in mind, recently I had to shape the handle of a mallet and the need for a round bottom was felt.
Great set of instructions btw.

[Ian Gillis]

Hi

Alf at The Cornish Workshop has a step-by-step on making both flat and round-bottomed spokeshaves from the Lee Valley kit. You'll need to refer to the flat bottom instructions because the round spokeshave instructions show only the variations.

Find it here: http://tinyurl.com/m4uun

[Deirdre Saoirse Moen]

Ahh, spokeshaves. I'd avoid Kunz and Anant.

I don't care for the Lee Valley low-angle one -- yet. I haven't given up on it, though.

I don't suppose it'll shock anyone to know that 2 of my 4 are Lie-Nielsen. The other is a Stanley 55.

Of the OP's listed choices, I'd pick the LV.

[Ian Gillis]

Hmmm... I gotta remember to read ALL the replies before posting. Great website Alice, glad to know you're following along!

[Alice Frampton]

Yes and yes. Yes I have a flat spoke shave and yes I was looking at the same instructions you posted at a few sites :p .
Well if you don't tell folks... :D At least I confine myself to linking to it only in pertinent threads - it could be much, much worse. :p

Hi Ian, glad you like the site.

Cheers, Alf

[Frank Fusco]

Neanderthals buy NEW stuff? :eek: Try scrounging flea markets, antique shops and even eBay. Or check with an e-friend of mine who specializes in selling old tools. www.oldtoolshope.com (http://www.oldtoolshope.com)

[Dave Anderson NH]

Hi Zahid, I'd run, not walk, as far and fast as I could away from any Kunz shave. The fit and finish is awful and while they can be made to work, it would require a lot of tuning and a major amount of filing and shimming.

You can make a round bottom shave out of the LV Kit, but you will need a way to take the brass sole plate and bend it into a faired curve and inset it into a curved recess on the sole- not a simple operation. it can be done, but I would guess that several frustrating attempts would be required both to curve the brass and to curve the wood in the recess the brass fits into.

I have the LV curved sole shave and it performs very well and has the advantage that it comes with plastic shims which allow you to open or tighten the throat as needed. While not exactly cheap, it is a reasonable price for a very good quality tool which will outlive both you and me combined.

The final alternative is making a curved sole shave with one of the Hock irons using the instructions for a regular shave and then making modifications. This is relatively easy and the instructions are available at www.shavings.net (http://www.shavings.net) and then click on the downloadable shave instruction. I've made several of this type of shave and they all perform flawlessly.

[Zahid Naqvi]

The final alternative is making a curved sole shave with one of the Hock irons using the instructions for a regular shave and then making modifications. This is relatively easy and the instructions are available at www.shavings.net (http://www.shavings.net) and then click on the downloadable shave instruction. I've made several of this type of shave and they all perform flawlessly.

Dave, I knew you'd chime in soon. The possibility of acquiring a Hock blade for the spokeshave is intriguing, I really like the blade I got for the wooden plane. I have seen these instruction before, perhaps it's time to indulge.

[Zahid Naqvi]

Neanderthals buy NEW stuff? :eek: Try scrounging flea markets, antique shops and even eBay. Or check with an e-friend of mine who specializes in selling old tools. www.oldtoolshope.com (http://www.oldtoolshope.com)

Frank, no such luck in this neck of the woods. You friends site seems to be down.

[Steve Strickler]

Didn't look like it was mentioned here before, but the Boggs round-bottom shave from Lie Nielsen is a gem! Not "cheap" but sure is nice.

Another GREAT source (I have some) are Dave's Shaves. (google to find the page). He makes a compass shave that is a fine tool.

Chairmakers rejoice when picking up either of these! I reach for mine time and time again whether working on chairs OR casework!

[Frank Fusco]

Frank, no such luck in this neck of the woods. You friends site seems to be down.

Pity, he is (was?) a nice guy and an occasional source of hard to find stuff for me, I've referred others to him many times in the past.
Little Rock? Us Arkansans are taking over SC. That's a good thing. :)

[Zahid Naqvi]

BTW, I am going camping over at White river next week. It's a family thing so I'll probably not have time to dig you out. I really like to meet WW'ers, with you an Todd around the same area it's worth a trip one of these days.

[John Powers]

I couldn't make the Kunz round bottom work. Blade was hair shaving sharp. Kept the blade and threw the body away. I just didn't get some part of the technique.

[Jeff Horton]

Neanderthals buy NEW stuff?

My thoughts too. But I feel like I am beating a dead horse so I don't go there much anymore. Nothing against anyone here, but obvious most posters have more money than I do. I would rather spend my money on the wood and not the tools.

[Pam Niedermayer]

Zahid, you should be able to fair a curve in a handle with a flat bottomed shave, most any flat bottomed shave. I have yet to find a spokeshave I didn't like, including: Stanley 51 (or 151, can't remember), Stanley razor (84/85 boxwood), LV LA, LV round, LV concave, Japanese flat, various Prestons, etc.

I highly recommend the Boggs dvd on spokeshaves and drawknives from LN.

Pam

[Zahid Naqvi]

Zahid, you should be able to fair a curve in a handle with a flat bottomed shave, most any flat bottomed shave.


Pam, thanks for your advice. I have a flat bottom Stanley 51, I can work on large curves but it is hard to push it into tight angles. Although popular support was in the corner of the LV curved shave, but the tinkerer inside me got the best of me and I got a LV shave kit. I am going to attempt what Dave Anderson suggested (and Alice has a nice tutorial on it). If I can't create a decent curved shave out of the LV kit, I can always use it for a flat one:D

[Pam Niedermayer]

Should have mentioned that rasps and files can be used in these situations, too.

Pam

[Bob Smalser]

I am looking at acquiring a round bottom spokeshave.

Why?

What the flat-soled #151 or #51 won't do is more easily done with a rasp than a convex-soled shave, and the round spar shaves don't provide much advantage over more passes with a straight shave.


That said, a good concave shave is the cat's meow for backing out carvel planks and smoothing up scorped chair seats, and the Snell Atherton's with adjustable mouths were the best ever made.

http://pic20.picturetrail.com/VOL12/1104763/2594266/123020199.jpg

They were made for cobblers, not woodworkers, but are still the best. With they had made straight shaves....I love that adjustable mouth.