Spokeshave

[MBP]

Hi All,

I am after a new spoke shave. It will be used only for neck carving and body carves on electrics.

There is the group order on the wood working forum for the HNT Gordon but I have never seen any of their gear. Would also make a kit if the veritas is good.

thanks,

[GregL]

Hi Ro,

If you mean the small spokeshave from HNT Gordon (http://www.hntgordon.com.au/prodsmallcu ... eshave.htm), I've got one (ringed gidgee, HSS blade) and it's great, I carved a uke neck with it, it would (will) be fine to carve a guitar neck. I'm not associated with HNT Gordon, just a satisfied user (Smoothing plane, ringed gidgee Trying plane and spokeshave).

GregL.

[MBP]

Hi Greg,

For guitar necks which would be your pick the small or large one from HNT.

thanks

[GregL]

Hi Ro,

I only have the small one, I haven't even seen the larger one "in the flesh" so to speak. The small one is great, comfortable, smaller radius curved sole - small enough for a uke neck curves. I seem to recall Jeremy (J. F. Custom) saying it was "designed with a nod to luthiers".

GregL.

[Dominic]

The new small shave from HT G is very nice for doing around the heel. I have a larger flat, round and a concave all from veritas. With these I can bring a neck to finishing stage very quickly and with little dust. The small HT G is not easy to use but once you have it it will cut the small diameter curves everywhere on the heel quickly and cleanly. If I was to pick only two it would be the veritas concave and the small HT G.
Cheers
Dom

[kiwigeo]

Spokeshaves can often be picked up at second hand shops for a reasonable price. I managed to score 5 of them at $5 each during a recent trip to New Zealand.

[Mark McLean]

The Veritas is good. I have their flat spokeshave and it does a great job in neck carving on the long segments. Doesn't get into the very tight bits but I use rasps and files there. Can't speak about the HNT.

Mark

[J.F. Custom]

Hi Ro.

Yep, I agree with others above.

The little HNT Gordon shave is a beautiful tool. It is in my opinion however, more for the heel or neck to head transition than for an entire neck. You 'could' do a whole neck, but it would be far more work than is necessary. The radius is very tight.

The larger HNT's I have not used personally, but I've seen them in use. I have a few HNT Gordon tools. Personally for larger shaves, I have Veritas and a few others including timber ones. All get used at different times on different projects.

For necks however, I use a combination of shaves and files/rasps. I have some Microplane rasps as well as others that make quick work of bulk material, but so can spokeshaves.

Jeremy.

[seeaxe]

A little scraper blade also works very well in those compound curves - my favorite tool in tight corners.

[Lillian]

We call the round ones cigar spokeshaves. They seemed to have become rather popular, going for more money than I would spend for one that I couldn't hold first. HNT looks sweet.

[MBP]

Thanks all.

I dont think the little HNT is for me. I may just stick with what I have or make one. I have been taught/instructed to not use rasps and never felt the need to use them.

thanks for the input

[kiwigeo]

Thanks all.

I dont think the little HNT is for me. I may just stick with what I have or make one. I have been taught/instructed to not use rasps and never felt the need to use them.

thanks for the input

If someone tells me not to do something I usually go and do it. A good quality rasp is a very useful tool. My half round Aurieu in particular is very handy around the heel of my guitars.

[Nick]

Thanks all.

I dont think the little HNT is for me. I may just stick with what I have or make one. I have been taught/instructed to not use rasps and never felt the need to use them.

thanks for the input

If someone tells me not to do something I usually go and do it. A good quality rasp is a very useful tool. My half round Aurieu in particular is very handy around the heel of my guitars.

Not sure why anybody would specifically specify not to use a rasp, there are several methods that can be used!? A rasp or sureform is just one of several methods & all I use for the early shaping/roughing and don't feel my necks suffer because of it.Use whatever you are comfortable with I would advise.

[kiwigeo]

If youre using a rasp make sure its a decent quality one. The Aurieus are beautiful tools but a good quality pattern makers rasp is also a very useful weapon to have in the workshop.

[J.F. Custom]

Thanks all.

I dont think the little HNT is for me. I may just stick with what I have or make one. I have been taught/instructed to not use rasps and never felt the need to use them.

thanks for the input

If the HNT is not for you, the Veritas ones are beautiful.

Even the Record or Kunz can be tweaked enough to use successfully as cheaper options.

But I too must question the "taught/instructed not to use rasps" ideology. What is the full story there ??

Jeremy.

[kiwigeo]

But I too must question the "taught/instructed not to use rasps" ideology. What is the full story there ??

Jeremy.

Sounds like the teacher just didnt want the students getting their hands on his hidden cache of Aurieu rasps

[MBP]

It is my father who teaches me. He has been making guitars full time for over 20 years and doesn't use rasps or files but has quite a collection. He said he was taught to use chisels etc and that rasps were for beginner wood workers who dont have full control and that you have more control with a chisel etc.

I think I might buy a veritas kit.

[kiwigeo]

My wife tells me Im totally out of control...therefore I use rasps.

[P Bill]

This altered Stanley # 80 scraper is an important part of my neck carving kit. Probably more of the leading edge can be removed. I use it after the spokeshave, knife, gouge and rasp to straighten, smooth and shape.

The cigar shave is new to me and looks like exactly what I'm missing.

[Bruce McC]

Bill
Some advice please re your Stanley scraper.
I have one of these but find when I try to use it I get a lot
of blade chatter, even with the blade set finely.
Any suggestions as to what I might be doing wrong to
cause this, or is it the way I am holding my mouth?
Don't mean to hijack the original post but thought it was a good
opportunity to ask my question as the post is on spokeshaves.

[MBP]

HI Bill,

That is a neat idea. I used a drawknife that was made out of a file in a similar fashion

No problem at all Bruce actually it is very welcome, we are all here to learn.

[P Bill]

Bill
Some advice please re your Stanley scraper.
I have one of these but find when I try to use it I get a lot
of blade chatter, even with the blade set finely.
Any suggestions as to what I might be doing wrong to
cause this, or is it the way I am holding my mouth?
Don't mean to hijack the original post but thought it was a good
opportunity to ask my question as the post is on spokeshaves.

afshar, only two things I can think of.

Downward pressure is on the leading edge and the scraper edge is shaped like a chisel, only one edge is turned. Not very extreme. Sorry I'm not more exact . Experiment a bit to get the right turn.

[P Bill]

Downward pressure is with the fore fingers

[P Bill]

afshar, I hope this helps.
To turn the edge on the blade with the burnisher. Match the edge angle with the burnisher and move away slightly for the burnish angle.
Don't over tighten the thumbscrew, just tension the scraper blade into an slight arch.

[ProfChris]

I use a scraper plane for thicknessing ukulele plates. When I get chatter it's either because I've set the blade too deep, or tightened the screw too much.

For blade depth, place the plane sole down on a flat surface, insert blade and let it rest on the flat surface, tighten blade holding screws. By eye it looks as if the blade is not set deep enough, but once you start to tighten the adjusting screw the blade should start to cut.