Official Luthiers Forum!

Hi

I am new to building and have yet to start my first project. I am currently tooling up, I was wondering if a Spoke Shave is one of the tool of choice for shaping the neck? if so are they curved or flat ?

John

Flat.

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Laurent Brondel
West Paris, Maine - USA
http://www.laurentbrondel.com/

Welcome to the OLF, John.

I use a flat Stanley 151 that's a great tool, but I would like to try one with a crescent-shaped iron and sole.

Pat

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formerly known around here as burbank
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http://www.patfosterguitars.com

I second the "flat" comment.

I have spent many fruitless hours tuning and trying to get a curved sole spokeshave to cut cleanly.

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"Building guitars looks hard, but it's actually much harder than it looks." Tom Buck

Flat spoke one of my most used tools for neck carving...!

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A person who has never made a mistake has never made anything!!!

I have 5 different spokeshaves, but the one I like best is a light-duty round bottom kunz(cheap german brand) that goes for 13.99 at the highland hardware now- it was about 6 bucks when i bought it(yes I am old). It is sort of a pain to adjust that first time but I like it better than all the others. It is just the right size and the round sole lets you get up close to the curve. I would not leave home without it. Try it.

I made the mistake of buying an inexpensive (cheap) spoke shave and I hated it. I took it back to the store and ended up using my LN Model Makers Plane. It worked great! I'll likely continue to use it and not bother with buying a spoke shave. At least for a while (or longer...).

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Steve Sollod (pronounced sorta like "Solid")
www.swiftcreekguitars.com

For a great selection of low-angle shaves- some of which can work in pretty tight turns, google "Dave's Shaves"

Steve

I have the Veritas low angle as well as the flat spokeshave with the Bubinga handles. They both work great, but my favorite is the one I built out of Lignum using the veritas spokeshave hardware kit. A real pleasure to use. I do agree with Todd on the rasp before shave though if you're on a budget.

Someone here pointed me to this small drawknife from Japan Woodworker. The cost is $47.95 and it works great.

http://www.japanwoodworker.com/product. ... t_id=13217


They also have a curved version ($51.20)

http://www.japanwoodworker.com/product. ... t_id=13217

Around here spoke shaves tend to show up on a regular basis at flea markets etc and at a low price.I've acquired 3 that way and I think the highest price was 8 bucks.

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A person who has never made a mistake has never made anything!!!

I used a cheapy, new stanley curved bottom metal shave for my first neck (just finished) and I had to put HOURS of time tuning it up so it would even cut.

Then I bought a kit from Lee Valley (a Veritas spoke shave kit) and built my own w/ a flat sole and it is amazing - SOOOOO smooth to use and can take shavings as thin as a smoothing plane (~.001-.002") if you do it right. It takes time, but I would highly recommend spending the $40 for a nice Veritas kit

If the Veritas kit looks promising, you might want to check out ALF's pages on building one. Lots of good information there. http://www.cornishworkshop.co.uk/spokeshavekit.html

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Aoibeann

I have a few spokeshaves and my favorite by far is an applewood 11" Bagshaw & Field shave with a 2" blade. I got mine on ebay for under $15. I wouldn't bother with metal shaves - you'll love the feel of the wood shave in your hand. If you buy one, I'd recommend not spending more than $20-25 on one in good shape and get one with the brass wear strip and with durable wood (any fruitwood, boxwood, rosewood, ect). I just checked ebay - out of the 8 or so, none look good or they want big $$.

If you like making tools, the Veritas kit that Darrel talks about may be your best bet. I'm going to get one to build - they look nice.






Good luck-

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John Lewis
Wannabe builder owned by 2 crazy dachshunds

What John said!
I've got a bunch. The metal ones are crap. The most effective & satisfying to use by far is one not unlike Johns, but curved bottom (maybe 12"R). Tangs only. Gotta be 100 yrs old. Used it on Windsor chairs, guitar necks, etc. A good one is a joy....a bad one makes you want to rip your own head off!

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Dave
Milton, ON

I'm going to try to find one of those nice wood spoke shaves. I have several of the metal ones and don't use them.

Both! I have two old stanleys. One flat and one curved. The curved can be used on the heal of the neck or the side of the headstock if yours are not staright like a martin.

Todd,

Let's further differentiate between the new Stanley 151s and the older ones whose irons fit properly and adjust easily. Much like the difference between old and new block planes.

Pat

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formerly known around here as burbank
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http://www.patfosterguitars.com

Yes i have older stanleys and they are fine. Never had a problem with them. The newer ones i wouldn't now about since most of my planes and chisels are of vintage age.

I have a selection of vintage shaves. The LN curved is my go to. The curve is so subtle but just enough to put in the "arc" with your wrists and subtle enough that it also works well as a "flat." In the wooden style, I actually like the "gunsmiths' scraper" style tool. They are comfortable and effective.

Mike,

Nice to see you posting! Long time no see! How's things going for you?

Pat

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formerly known around here as burbank
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http://www.patfosterguitars.com

It is great to be back. You are such a great bunch of folks, here. I am trying to set up to supplement Social Security with some guitars. My Les Paul "replicas"(mine are legal; true replication but no trademark infringement on the headstock) are a main focus, but I really wanted to re-invest myself into acoustics. I get to use my beloved handtools so much more and I am really more of an acoustic player.

I am hoping to improve my acoustic build skills toward perhaps the possibility of selling some guitars regionally. I am relying upon John Hall to help me get back in. He is bending some RC Zoot Imbuia for a Martin Slope Dread(I have his mold) and I am cheating with his help rounding up a Martin 12 fret 12 string neck and block. I am finally on the road to finishing my idle walnut/sitka OM- Making top braces reawakened that glow you get while attending to the handwork detail that is so much a part of the lure of the acoustic build.

I am ashamed of how my radius dishes and radiused guitar shapes from Tracy have been sitting so idle and my go-bar deck going nowhere. I am well tooled up for acoustics and it was foolish of me to abandon the art.

My mental disabilities are leveled out- I have reminders and checklists all over the little house. I just have to remember to read and use them . Thanks for the welcome and a warm hello to all from me. Mike