Wooden Spokeshave

Wooden spokeshaves may seem like they’ve been superseded, but they are very useful in the day to day of woodworking. A wooden sole means minimal friction and Paul shows how to easily micro adjust the blade for a variety of uses.

The shaping proper starts with the coves. They are drilled for an even radius, then Paul saws down the line. Then the handles are refined and shaped using a spokeshave, rasp, plane and scraper. Then the adjuster can be fitted and the blade sharpened ready for use before the finish is applied.

Paul starts by shaping, drilling, and beveling the blade. The blade is then hardened, which can be done in various ways. With that done, the blade and a simple template can be used to layout the spokeshave body and the blade recess and escapement are cut.