Thread: Mystery Spokeshave

but I think isn't a spoke shave. It is something like a scratch stock. The "blade" probably was shaped to the same profile as the detail photo. You drag the blade (almost perpendicular to the wood being worked on) which scrapes the profile in the worked wood.

Regards
SWK

What a beauty,
I think SWK nailed it with a scratch stock and not a spoke shave.

Like your asking Smergol, where does a woodworker need to make a mould like that with a scratch stock, its overt 2" wide .
Did it come from a maritime type tool chest ?
And where on an old boat would a mould like that be seen ? if that is where it was used.

Probably the large curved hand rails that stop you falling over board, that Ive only seen pictures of would be my guess.
Thanks for showing it .

Rob

Thanks for your quick replies.
The problem arising with the “scratch stock” answer is that the missing blade is not perpendicular but on an angle that would suggest a shaving tool.
There is no provenance in regards to the tool, there are several collections of shipwright tools but this one was not part of a collection.
One suggestion was the moulding on the inside of the ships helm!
Regards,
Robin

I take it back then I was thinking the thin slot in the sole was just enough for a blade to slide through, but the wedge looks like it was made for shavings to exit upwards, and the maker would not do the extra work if it was not needed? Shave it is.

With the scratch stocks I use I like a rounded sole , they seem to work better if they can be leaned over a little to get to the corner of the blade , when I get down close to finished depth the tool is held so the blade is upright.

It is impossible to tell the angle of the iron from the photo, so I will take others to give a better all round view.

if we go with the tool being a shave, or a carriagemakers moulding plane, the short sole is explained by the need to work curved surfaces
above a certain radius of curve, a flat soled tool can be used to create curved mouldings

This photo will give you a better view of the iron angle.