Spokeshaves

Spokeshaves

Medium Spokeshave

• Wood: Hard Maple
• Overall Length: 9″
• Blade Length: 2.75″

While the traditional spokeshave shape is attractive, it is time consuming to make, and not particularly ergonomic. Past students will remember being encouraged not to grip the handles of their spokeshaves with their fists, but to use their fingertips to hold the tool nearer to the centre.

The new design, made at The Windsor Workshop, encourages this approach by eliminating the distinct handles, making it easier to pull and push using the fingertips. The tool has a Ron Hock (A2 steel) blade with threaded posts, which can be tightened with the knurled brass knobs on top of the tool.

Micro-adjustment of the blade can be easily made (without removing the blade) with an Allen key by moving the two grub screws adjacent to the brass knobs in and out. Once set at the chosen position the blade is pulled up onto the grub screws with the knurled knobs.

This is a superior tool that will give just as good results on end-grain elm, as on green oak. If you wish to try one, see me at a show (or come on a course!).

Shavings, as with the travisher, are expelled through a slot in the top of the tool, leaving the back entire, and comfortable for the fingers when pushing and pulling.

The tool is made with a great depth of adjustment, allowing for the nose (in front of the blade) to be planed flat (or round) many times over its life. The hard maple wears very well and I have to adjust the nose perhaps twice a year, and that is on tools being used hard every week.

Price: £69.95 (incl. vat) plus £3.95 p&p

FISHTAIL SPOKE SHAVE

‘Fish-tail’ Spokeshave (small)

• Wood: Hard Maple
• Overall Length: 7.5″
• Blade Length: 1.5″

Based on the same general design as the Medium Spokeshave, this little tool can do almost everything its larger brother can, but it excels at taking fine cuts to create accurate shapes.

The Ron Hock blade is micro-adjustable with an Allen key, and there is no need to remove the blade as in some shaves.

The tool is made with almost 1/4″ of depth adjustment. This means that the nose can be planed flat many times before running out of adjustment. This should only be an occasional operation as the hard maple is very hard-wearing. Even with regular use, the tool will last for many years.

Price: £59.95 plus £3.95 p&p