Wooden Spokeshave blades

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187
Location
Palm Beach Gardens, Florida
I have a desire to make a few wooden spokeshaves. I have accumulated a few different plans that I will try to use, either in combination or if they work well for me straight from the plan.

My question is, other than buying from Ron Hock or similar sources, does any body have a suggestion for making wooden spokeshave blades? Could I use, would it work trying to make them from hacksaw blades?
 
You and Steve may be thinking about different kinds of spokeshaves. You're apparently thinking of a low angle spokeshave while Steve is probably thinking of a high angle spokeshave.

For a low angle spokeshave, you can't use a hacksaw blade because the hacksaw blade is too flexible. I have heard of people making their own blade using blacksmith techniques but other than that, I think most people buy one.

If you're going to buy a blade, look at the Lee Valley kits. They have an advantage for adjusting the blade over the Hock blades. If that doesn't make sense after you look at the LV blades, post and I (or someone else) will explain the difference in how the two blades work.

Mike
 
Hi Steve,

No, but I didn't consider them because I thought they would be too thick. What am I missing here?

Hock's web site shows:


Should I be able to find plane blades that I could use?

I was thinking of old stanley blades. Thinner than hock, etc.
But thicker than a hacksaw blade
 
Mike,

I thought the brass thumbnuts that the Hock site shows are similar to the "depth of cut adjustment" mentioned in the LV description.

I don't know what they are called but long ago I had used a brass fitting that had a wood thread on the outside and a machine screw thread on the inside. I thought something like that, albeit in a very small (4-32) size would allow me to do the adjusting for the depth of the blade.

I am trying to do this without spending a bundle on spokeshaves. I thought I could make a few different types and sizes to allow me to then shape the plane handles and T-totes, saw handles and chisel handles I am wanting to produce.
 
Mike,

I thought the brass thumbnuts that the Hock site shows are similar to the "depth of cut adjustment" mentioned in the LV description.

I don't know what they are called but long ago I had used a brass fitting that had a wood thread on the outside and a machine screw thread on the inside. I thought something like that, albeit in a very small (4-32) size would allow me to do the adjusting for the depth of the blade.

I am trying to do this without spending a bundle on spokeshaves. I thought I could make a few different types and sizes to allow me to then shape the plane handles and T-totes, saw handles and chisel handles I am wanting to produce.
The brass nuts on the Hock are used to pull the blade up. The question is how far to pull it up. That is determined by a couple of screws that you put underneath the blade - one on each side. You use the screws on the top to pull the blade tight against the screws underneath the blade. The problem is that when you want to adjust the depth of cut, you have to remove the blade, adjust the screws that are underneath the blade, put the blade back in and tighten the screws on the top. Once you finally get it adjusted, you'll probably leave it alone. There is a way to put a couple of set screws in to adjust the depth of cut, and those set screws can be adjusted from the top with a hex wrench. But then you have to have a hex wrench on your bench for adjusting the blade.

With the LV setup, you can adjust the depth with the second set of screws on the top (note that there are two adjustment screws on the top of the LV kit).

The Hock is traditional but the LV is a lot easier to use.

Mike
 
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