Anyone here use a spokeshave?

[bigcountry]

I just got a nice tool.  Its a large 56 Kunz Spokeshave.  I thought it would be nice for some hickory staves I have.  I take a draw knife now to get thru the bark which is like steel now, and figured teh spokeshave might be handy for getting down the nice whitewood at a controlled depth.

Also going to try to use it for floor tillering. 

any more good uses for one?

[Pat B]

The only time I had any luck with a spoke shave was on yew and ERC. For those that are used to using one, a spoke shave works well...just not for me.

[TRACY]

I have an old stanley 51? that I use from time to time. I like to mix it up from time to time.

Tracy

[mole]

Just make sure you flatten the sole and sharpen the blade before you try using it.  If I lost a tool, I'd probably miss the spokeshave the most.  I just love making those two foot shavings.

John

[Canoe]

Howdy MOLE and others,

Hay, I had been using my spokeshaves quite a bit.  But, recently I had to start sharpening it myself, because the service is not currently available to me.

I used the directions from a guide book, 'Tool Sharpening', and I tried to follow a web site...

http://www3.telus.net/BrentBeach/Sharpen/sharpen.html

The instructions, on this (above) site seem a little intimidating at first, but most of it is pretty straight forward.
As prescribed, I made a fancy blade "clamp", out of wood, that allows me to hold the blade at the correct angle (25*) while I hone the the bevel face on emery that's stuck to plate glass...

Anyway, the blade seems really, really sharp, but it doesn't cut hardwood (oak) hardly at all any more - I get a lot of chatter and no good, long shavings.

Any ideas on what I should try?

All the best,
Canoe

[Badger]

I love the spokeshave on most woods, hickory included. Not so much on osage. I have been using one for several years and on hundreds of bows and have not sharpened mine yet. I think it could use a light sharpening but still works well. Steve

[AKmud]

I use one, but only in the early rough out stages.  You don't want to be anywhere near your draw weight and have it chatter and take a nice chunk out of a limb.  I've noticed that it will work considerably better one direction than the other so I don't feel it is taking material evenly off both limbs. 

[bigcountry]

I got one that is made for timberframing.  Its pretty big.  Ican't way to try it out. 

I love new tools.

[venisonburger]

My primary tool is a spokeshave, after cutting the bow to shape I use it to bring the limbs down in thickness, to bring the width to the pencil lines, all the way until I have to change to a scraper and file.
I prefer it over a draw knife.
as far as sharpening goes, all I've ever done is to rub on a sharpening stone, no oil until sharp again. The key to a spokeshave is that it's not a planer, don't adjust your blade too far out, thin cuts.
VB

[islandpiper]

Yup.......have several, and I keep them sharp.  As for digs and gouges, i'd advise setting the blade to take NO shaving, then, tap the back end lightly.....or adjust the screws...till you get a THIN THIN THIN shaving.  Then, maybe just a TINY BIT MORE.   The best shavings are paper thin, not chunky. 

piper

[adb]

I like a spokeshave for yew, but not osage.

[Ryano]

Well I'm surprised to hear how many people like these things. I have one and never could get it to work with out tearing and gouging no matter what I do. Is it just me or is mine junk?

[Diligence]

Ryano....well, you know the saying, "all good carpenters blame their tools"....lol

I've used one quite a bit for non-bowmaking.  Have always liked it, but getting the depth of cut set properly and working with the grain is really important.  I think that most folks try to take too deep of a bite...and get tear out.

Cheers,
D

[The Gopher]

I love my spokeshave, i just have the cheap kunz. you can make any spokeshave work a lot better by tuning it:

tuning:
1. flatten blade and sharpen
2. flatten cap iron
3. flatten bed
4. flatten sole
5. grind a "come to a point" bevel on the cap iron so it acts like a true chip breaker.

these are all simple and free tips that can make a cheap spokeshave act like a quality spokeshave.

there are also some things that cost a little money but can make your shave even better:
these include:
1. make a new cap iron out of 1/4" brass or steel.
2. buy a new aftermarket blade such as a Hock.
3. flatten the bed even more by forming it to the blade with a bed of epoxy.

[ballista]

 As long as youre using a straight, relativley knot free stave, its probibly the best tool ive ever seen for tapering/ tillering in my opinon. Im almsot finished with a hickory bow (ill post it) and virturally all of the work was done witha spokeshave from the 80's. again, just my two cents. -jimmy