Thread: New spokeshave

Quality of the Veritas better than the Record...IMO if youve got the money get the Veritas. Most of the planes in shop are Veritas and theyre great planes.

I think Timbecon have Veritas spokeshaves on special at the moment. Check ther website.

The question that must be answered first is what you want to do with it - flat/gentle curves, round, or sharp inside curves?

For flat: If you want a cheapish, used spokeshave, then look out for a Stanley #53. These have adjustable mouths. Can be difficult to find, tho'.

The Veritas LA spokeshave is excellent and versatile - but it does have a bit of a learning curve and is better suited to end grain and less demanding timber.

There are the three Veritas spokeshaves that are based on the Stanley 151 range, and I have heard really great things about them, that they are as good as the LN but about a third of the price - not used them however.

I am presently in the process of writing up a review of the HNT Gordon flat and round spokeshaves. These are exceptional! Easy to use and leave a superior finish.

Personally I would avoid the Stanley 151 (I have one) - the performance is relatively poor and is frustrating to use.

For sharp curves: the HNT Gordon is an excellent user. The Stanley 51 is a pig.

For rounds: Check out the Veritas for new, or the Stanley 55 for vintage.

Regards from Perth

Derek

Originally Posted by derekcohen

The question that must be answered first is what you want to do with it - flat/gentle curves, round, or sharp inside curves?
Regards from Perth
Derek

Carving the backs of guitar necks is the job

I cant add to Derek's advice.....hes a man who's sharp on anything sharp

Probably need 2 shaves for neck work, 1 flat and one convex for working a round the head stock and butt(what ever they are called?).

Flat spoke shave best for rough shaping neck and then I go to a Dragon rasp followed by sandpaper.

I agree with Martin, keeping control of those convex spoke shaves takes more skill than I've got, but the flat ones are great! I find a chisel a bit faster than a rasp for the curvy bits, but a rasp is good, especially on the two way grain mahogany
Jack

Originally Posted by Harry72

Probably need 2 shaves for neck work, 1 flat and one convex for working a round the head stock and butt(what ever they are called?).

Around the headstock I work with a chisel/violin knife and Dragon rasp. Around the heel block I cut the primary facets with a chisel (25mm butt chisel) and then switch to the Dragon rasp followed by 120 grit sandpaper wrapped around an eraser.

My spokeshaves are cheap second hand jobs I picked up in an antique shop in Wellington, New Zealand for $15 each.

When working the neck with sandpaper take a couple of feet of the stuff and work it shoe shine fashion up and down the neck....it nicely rounds off the sharp edges left by the flat spokeshave.

umm derek...not sure which veritas you are recomending

also what is a dragon rasp??

Originally Posted by old_picker

..............also what is a dragon rasp??

Your mother-in-law's tongue?

Mick

Originally Posted by old_picker

umm derek...not sure which veritas you are recomending

also what is a dragon rasp??

A handmade Chinese rasp with random teeth.....available in various sizes from Stewmac. I have two 10 inch rasps...one fine and one coarse. Perfect for neck work.

http://www.stewmac.com/shop/Tools/Fi...cut_Rasps.html

Note, theyre not the best for working on machine slots on classicals....use a flat file or sanding stick for this sort of work.

I used to use the convex spoke shaves on the inside curve of the wooden stringers while shaping surfboards and love them. A very intimate tool. In the 1990s the trend was to do flip noses like a persian slipper so the curves were quite tight and surrounded by very thin fragile foam and spoke shave were the only way to get a clean cut.

I found the trick to using them was to move your wrists in a smooth arc as if the tool was swinging on the end a pendulum. I have been using them on necks and find them quicker then rasps for roughing out but the rasps are better for getting the final shapes and then stripps of sand paper like a shoe shiner for finishing.
Cheers
Dom

found a round face irwin record at bunnies for $30....it matches the flat face i bought at carbatec last week so i guess that will do me.

maybe they will show me what I missed not buying veritas.....