Spokeshave: Flat or Round?

[OkKeith]

I'm asking for a spoke-shave for Christmas. To start with, which would be best, flat face or round face? Which is a better value, Stanley, Knuz or another brand?

I have various drawknives, rasps and such, but never had a spokeshave.

Thanks for the help.

OkKeith

[rainman]

Get a flat face.  If you get the stanley you will want to get a better blade and do a lot of tunig to get it to work properly.  You can get a book from woodcraft on tuning spokesshave and other hand tools.  After buying a good blade and all the work to tune one I think it is better to get a Lie-nielsen and have it ready to go out of the box.  They will cost about $125.  I have a japanese spoke shave, wood body but the blade is outstanding, they also have to be tuned, I got mine 6 years ago and it was $90.

[Shaun]

I use the Stanley and find it serviceable as is. The rule of thumb for spokeshave shape is, "Flat base for curved surfaces, curved base for flat surfaces." Therefore, you want the flat for bows.

Spokeshave is a good tool for rough shaping, but not for fine work. I really like a spoke shave shaped scraper (like the Bowyers Edge) for tillering. Mine was a Christmas present too.

[Diamondback59]

okeith  get the lie nilsen   it s the best  iv had 5 or 6 other all of em are in the garbage bin   the stanly is a piece of crap  far as im concerd i bought  mine a couple months ago  and the price has went up on them i belive i gave about 160 buck s for it you ll love it  promise  brock

[Glenn Newell]

As Shaun said, flat for curved surfaces and curved for flat surfaces. I wouldn't be using a spoke shave for selfbows, I would invest in a Bowyers edge if I were you...Glenn...

[rainman]

Bowyers edge is a good investment.  A good spokeshave one that is well tuned can take off shavings as smooth as a bowyers edge.  I do a lot of fine work with my japanese spokeshave.

Dan

[OkKeith]

Hey Guys,

Thanks for the help! I will pass all of this on to Santa in my next letter to him. I will put greater emphasis on the Nilson and Bowyers edge.

I may have to give him the first bow or two I make with them to smooth over the additional cost. That or volunteer to feed the reindeer for a month or two.

Thanks again,

OkKeith

[Glenn Newell]

You can make very fine cuts with spoke shaves and hand planes but a majority of people don't know how to set the blade up to do it, but with the bowyers edge anybdy can use one...Glenn...

[Jeremy]

Do yourself a favor and ask for a Veritas Low-angle spokeshave.  The toe piece can be switched for either flat or curved work.  

The standard Veritas spokeshaves are a really good upgrade from the Stanley models... I have both and have to agree with diamondback's assessment of the Stanley.

A scraper shave is also very useful.  The bowyer's edge is a good tool, but the Veritas scraper shave has a few features that make it cut smoother and is essentially the same price for a finished tool.  Again, I've used both (and gave away the bowyer's edge).

[Jeremy]

If you can only get one tool from Santa, I'd recommend the scraper shave.  As Glenn said, the majority of people have trouble using spokeshaves for fine work.