spoke shave use

[Jim Dunn]

I purchased a Kuntz spoke shave with a rounded bottom. Sharpened the blade scare sharp. Flattened the back of the blade, tuned it up as best as I understand. Now on to the problem.

Any cut over about 1/32 of an inch and the blade chatters like crazy. I've tried pushing and pulling the darn thing and finally just gave up. What I was trying to do was just radius a corner on a saddle for a rocking horse. I had just small cuts to make and as the blade got deeper into the wood----chatter.

Any help with understanding the use of this thing would be helpful. (Before I mark it up to a hand tool I need to just hang up and admire:eek:.

[Glenn Madsen]

You know, at times I had the same problem with the LN Low Angle shave. And I don't know that I worked it out. But in a fit of feeling flush in the tool budget, I bought the flat and round bottom shaves from LV with the wooden handles, and got those to work.

Some one who understands the geometry and use of shaves will be able to explain it. I found that having several of them sharp and ready meant that I often could get one of them to work on what I was trying to do. Kinda like having a dozen handplanes ready to go for a variety of opportunities.

I will tell you that my experience with Kunz has been pretty much bad to negative, but maybe that's just me.

Good luck with this.

[Tim Sproul]

Any cut over about 1/32 of an inch and the blade chatters like crazy.

Are you trying to take 1/32 and thicker shavings with a spokeshave? If so, that is a large part of your problem. You want a drawknife to rough out, not a spokeshave. A spokeshave is best used for finish work, similar to a smoothing plane.

As the previous poster alluded to, spokeshaves require a lot more technique to get working well compared to bench planes. Spokeshaves have very small soles so can be tipped easily. In addition, most spokeshaves need to have blade depth set with small taps from a hammer, similar to how you'd set an iron in a wooden plane. You can also use Charlesworth's 'trick' for determining depth of cut setting and centeredness of the cutter on the sole - run a small thin bit of stock (scraps of poplar or maple work great) on the sole to feel where the cutter is.

[Bob Barkto]

The other posts are probably more helpful, but...
Kunz can be pretty heavy handed with their enamel. Check that the area where the blade seats is flat and free from globs of paint.
I had one that chattered no matter what I did and I discovered the blade would not seat well because of the paint. Once I cleaned it up the shave became usable.

[Jim Dunn]

Thanks for the replies fellows. I'll find some usable scraps and try again.

[Derek Cohen]

Jim

There is no way to break this to you gently ... the Kunz is a POS. I have the Stanley from which is springs. I can get it to work, sometimes reasonably, mostly poorly.

I recently reviewed the HNT Gordon spokeshaves. In this I detailed (via an interview with Terry Gordon) the design issues that contribute to good performance, especially with round-bottomed spokeshaves.

http://www.wkfinetools.com/contrib/dCohen/z_art/HNTspokeshave/hntSpokeS1.asp

Regards from Perth

Derek

[Jim Dunn]

Derek

Thanks for the reply. I figured for the price they weren't very good but as I needed something to smooth round spindles I thought I'd bite. That said the area I'm using it in is so small that a large spoke shave wouldn't fit. I could remove the saddle halves for more room but I'm fitting/blending while mounted.

If the neander bug bites I'll look into better spoke shaves and such.

What's your take on the #80 Stanley scraper? I just bought one of these and need to tune it as well. Or should I return it?

[Jesse Cloud]

Hey Jim,
When the bug bites, take an LN Boggs spokeshave for a spin. The blade is set with a friction fit and you raise and lower it with gentle taps of the handle onto your bench. I agree with the advice above about needing to take small bites, but once you get the zen of it, its a really fun tool to use!

[Jim Dunn]

Thanks Jesse but as to the Zen thing we're Baptists:)

I will be looking at some neander type tools for my Xmas stocking stuffers.

[Phillip Pattee]

Jim,
The stanley #80 scraper is a good tool. I have a vintage one from the sweetheart era and it works great. I don't believe the quality of this simple tool has suffered the way bailey planes has. You can also get a nice Hock replacement blade for it. It sharpens a little differently than a regular cabinet scraper. There are good instructions for sharpening at Highland Hardware in the woodworking library online http://www.highlandwoodworking.com/index.asp?PageAction=Custom&ID=106
Once you get it sharp, you can set the depth by placing a piece of notebook paper under the front of the bed, slide the blade in, and tighten it down. You should be able to take fine shavings with it.

[Jim Dunn]

Thanks Phillip. I was sweating that $30 special at rocler:) Especially since that's where the Kuntz spoke shave came from.

[STEVEN LEWIS]

Hi,
Would like to add to the other posts, that as long as you have gone through the 'tune up' procedures already described, you should be on your way to nice shavings. Just wanted to add that it is essential that you shave 'downhill',i.e. with the grain. This may mean having to change direction frequently on gnarly grain and if you are cleaning up curves that have a form like the shape of an ' S'. It is also usefull to have the iron cocked in the mouth so that you can take a fine shaving from one side, and a heavier cut with the other side. But the spokeshave is really a finishing tool. I havent used the Kuntz model but a well tuned Stanly or Record 151 type can be a fine tool, even without the aftermarket blade modification. In this case the other tune up that really will make a difference is to make a proper cap iron, one that acts as a proper chip breaker , and is heavey enough (quater inch brass plate) to dampen down all chatter. Finally, if you do get round to using a Stan-cord type, I find that turing a small burr on the modified cap iron really helps in preventing choking of the mouth,
Good luck, Steve

[Jim Dunn]

I had noticed that the spoke shave throat wanted to choke up with chips. Secondly the cap iron, if you want to call it that, seems to want to place itself right at the edge of the blade. Raising it up and it doesn't seem to hold the blade as well. This particular type of shave uses individual adjuster, small nuts, on each side of the top of the blade for depth adjustment. Over all I'm not impressed with it but thought I'd give it a go. It was good practice to tune it up. Now I don't feel so nervous to tackle the Stanley 80:).