Making a Greenland Paddle with Hand Tools

[bnystrom]

Here are the spokeshaves I own. From top to bottom they are:

• Veritas Concave Spokeshave
• Veritas Round Spokeshave
• Veritas Flat Spokeshave
• Veritas Low-Angle Spokeshave
• Stanley Contractor Grade Spokeshave 12-951 (I have six that I bought for classes)
• Record Flat Sole Spokeshave
• Record Curved Sole Spokeshave

I started out with the Record flat sole and the Veritas low-angle 'shaves and have made most of my paddles with them.

The Record is a solid serviceable tool that works well, holds an edge decently and was a good value for the price. I still keep it set for a fairly aggressive cut and use it for roughing work. I also bought the matching curved sole 'shave, figuring it would be handy at times, though I don’t use it when making paddles. They required a modest amount of tuning and (of course) sharpening. Unfortunately, they’re no longer in production.

The Veritas low-angle is an interesting beast, as it works as both a flat sole and a curved sole, to varying degrees. I use it primarily for fine-tuning, set to a very fine cut, as it tends to follow any irregularities in the surface. Still, it’s a nice, light (aluminum) tool that I really like, but many people find this style of 'shave hard to use. It was ready to use out of the package, but I did some fine honing/polishing on the blade anyway.

A few years later, I decided to let my little book publishing enterprise buy me the set of three Veritas 'shaves and the tool roll. As you would expect, these are high-quality tools with very hard blades (A2, I think) that are ready to go when you receive them, but a little blade honing never hurts. They’re hefty and rugged tools, but capable of fine work.

However, they handle differently than other shaves in that they don’t have the distinct finger (pull stroke) / thumb (push stroke) surfaces that the Record/Stanley style shaves do. I find that I have to rest my thumbs on the chip breaker on the flat and round versions, but beside it on the concave version. Since I’m never taking a full-width cut, this poses no problems, it’s just different. I have used the concave 'shave on paddle looms and a couple of other projects and it works nicely.

The Stanley is a bit of an enigma. You can buy them at Home-Depot for $22.65 currently and I think I got them for around $17 online a few years back. The sole required flattening, some excess paint on the bed needed removal, and the thin blade was about as sharp as a butter knife, but once tuned and sharpened, it actually works pretty well. The handle casting is the same design they’ve made for decades (model 151?) and it handles nicely. There are articles on tuning the bed online and with a better blade - which would cost more than the ‘shave - it would actually be pretty darn nice. That said, you can probably find an old 151 on Ebay, Craigslist or at a flea market for the same or less money and restore it. I’ve restored a few planes and it kinda’ fun!

[Jyak]

You have spokeshaves like the guy on the corner who opens a jacket lines with watches and asks, “See anything you like!” Lots to look at and study. Mine is blue. And probably came from Home Depot; bought it to shape the arms of a sofa. Will read when I sit down tonight. I notice you mentioned specific finger placement for one brand. I’ll have to play around. Probably bad technique. Never had much need for one.

[Jyak]

I have the flat sole blue one. Googled the topic and found a long list of reading. Thanks for the tips. Looks like I’ll be busy.

[string]

Until now I would never have associated tuning with a spoke shave.

[bnystrom]

It’s more akin to tuning a car than tuning a guitar.

For the most part, tuning a plane or spokeshave involves making sure the various parts mate properly when they’re assembled. That insures maximum consistency and minimum vibration in use, and that the shavings leave the tool cleanly. The best tools don’t require any tuning; they’re made precisely “like a Swiss watch” and everything works properly out of the box. Tuning is the art of taking a more pedestrian product and making it perform as intended. A properly made or tuned plane or spokeshave will make shavings you can see through (.001"-.002" thick, thinner than a human hair).

[bnystrom]

Jyak, your 'shave is probably an Irwin, which is the company that bought out Record a few years ago. It was likely made somewhere in Asia rather than in the UK, but that may not make any real difference. Look on the inside of the handles and you’ll probably find the brand (it may even still say Record), and perhaps the country of origin and the part number (like A151). That will help you find the appropriate tuning instructions.

[Jyak]

Thanks for the info, and you are probably correct about it being an Irwin product. I forgot about the Stanley/Irwin buyout. I bought all the closeout Marple long chisels from Home Depot, which are now manufacture under the Irwin name. I put together four sets of nine chisels from 1/8th, up to 2 inches. They’re OK, and will take an edge; although they don’t hold it long, they do hone quickly. My Veritas is O1 steel. It was setup right out of the box. I laughed when you mentioned replacing the blade in the cheaper spoke shave, but it would cost more than the whole spokeshave.

A word of caution. I checked pricing on tools last week. I revisited to price spokeshaves and the same tools jumped $10 to $20. Tool prices remained relatively stable over the past eight years. During the Carter years, I bought a set of six intermediate Pfeil Swiss made carving chisels. They were $69 for the set. Within a year they topped $100 and are now $199 for the set. If you want nice tools, buy them now.

You obviously have the patience to tune a plane. I did it once, then bought a Veritas. A tool is a one time purchase. If making things by hand is important, a good tool is part of the reward. As I mentioned somewhere, the Veritas has side screws to center the blade, and the blade adjustment has near zero backlash when reversing the depth of cut. If the Stanley hasn’t been tuned, you may have to losen the hold down screw to more easily adjust the blade. Not so with Veritas.

My shave is at the shop and I won’t be back there until Monday. Great insight and highly valued share.

[Jyak]

Roym, are you saying you left the door unlocked and your tools invited some friends. I could use that line when my wife says why do you need all those tools. Makes me weep.

A guy I worked with made a Greenland paddle, but for some reason didn’t take it with him when he left the shop. He was a tool collector. He freed up several benches when he took the tools with him. I’d get there in the morning and his face would light up - I knew immediately that he had found another antique store or flea market gem.

I use a Tormex water wheel grinder. The price of that machine and the accessories has skyrocketed. The shop has a Grizzly clone, but I’m not impressed by it. Does anyone have a cheaper alternative for someone starting woodworking.

[GregofDelaware]

This article might be of interest. He discusses what he uses, but also includes an inexpensive option for new wood workers:

Edge Sharpening Under £10 - Paul Sellers’ Blog

[bnystrom]

Norton combination water stones (220/1000 and 4000/8000) and a Veritas honing guide are what I use most of the time. I’ve got a bunch of other sharpening equipment that I’ve picked up over the years, but none of it works any better or faster.

The 4000 grit stone gets the bulk of the wear, so once it’s worn out, I’ll replace it with their thicker, single-grit stone.

[Jyak]

Thanks GregofDelaware. Interesting comments about stone flatness. I got a granite block ($29) from Peachtree Woodworking that works great with wet/dry sandpaper. Water prevents clogging and adheres the paper to the stone. Plate glass works if you can find a small piece. I like his idea of multiple chisels. I switch up or down an 1/8th inch or more then sharpen several at the same time,

I’m curious if a flat ceramic tile would work. I’ve seen MDF used with valve grinding or polishing abrasives to strop or remove the burr.

Over the years, I used carbarundum, aluminum oxide India stone, soft to hard Arkansa, ceramic and waterstones. I settled on double sided diamond plates, with extra course/course and medium/fine, because they stay flat. As he pointed out, bevels can be sharpened on a dished stone, but the back is hard to flatten on a curved surface.

I only use the Tormex wet grinder to remove bad nicks or for hollow grinding. Arguments can be made for flat vs. hollow ground bevel. I like hollow grind because it’s easier to hone the edge and helps prevent rocking the bevel. I don’t like taking time to set up honing guides.

Japanese chisels and planes are a whole different topic.

[Jyak]

Bnystrom, have you tried flattening them. My set has a carborundum dresser. I hate sharpening, but like what happens when you do.

[rival51]

I sprung for a set of Naniwa water stones from Sharpening Supplies a year or so ago. I have an inexpensive guide that works OK for plane blades but is a struggle to use for chisels. I am seriously considering a Veritas guide.

[Jyak]

I need a sharpening station.

[NotThePainter]

Wow, what a great bit of information! I can’t reply to everything but a few things come to mind.

• I bought a single marble floor tile at the big box store. It was a dollar and nice and flat, 12" square. I wanted to use tile, not glass, just in case I dropped it. It works fine
• We need to remember that we’re, for the most part, cutting cedar. Cedar is nasty on blade. I took a sharpening glass at Chase’s Mill (https://www.millhollowheritageassociation.org) this summer. I asked one of the instructors how do I know when my blades are dull. He asked what wood I was working with. I said cedar, he said “Your blades are dull!” He says to sharpen them every use, you get an hour or two of shaping before they need work. You see, cedar has a lot of silica in yet, and that’s what sandpaper is made from!
• I used a Tormex wet wheel during the class to restore horrid blade from my Father’s blade, it worked like a charm. But for tools that are mostly sharp, I’m not seeing the need. Maybe I will once I start cutting more. I do have some no-name wet wheel out in the barn, got it for free. I don’t know anything about it.
• On tool prices. You don’t have to buy new. I love my old Stanelys primarily because they are so old. My guess is they are 50-75 years old. And I like using them more than my Lie Neilsens because the Lee Neilsens are so nice, I’m afraid to muck them up! Oh, and the Miller’s Falls one? I like that because Miller’s Falls is just down the street from me, ok an hour, but that’s close. I even have a hand drill from them.

My father-in-law gave me so many tools I honestly don’t know how many I have, I need to get them them all out and see what I have. OMG, the chisels, I have so many sets. It is a wonderful problem to have! Oh, and they live in a chisel cabinet that he built. The tolerances are so tight it is hard to close a drawer because another one opens from the air pressure!

[string]

Great discussion!

[Jyak]

Ah, that answers the question about the tile. Try wet and dry paper in different grits, especially for flattening the backs.

Teak and Osage Orange are the same. I wrecked a brand new high dollar bandsaw blade on an Osage Orange log. I decided on Fir, but my concern is whether the moisture will raise the grain and result in long shards.

Grinding is reserved for heavy damage or reshaping only.

As Bynstrom said, you can tune less expensive planes. The process is on line, but its a labor of love. Older tools are often better, and for that reason, they often command a high price. I happened to find a Stanley low angle plane in like new condition for $15.00. I only use the Veritas tools on clean wood with no dirt or paint, which will kill an edge.

[bnystrom]

Jyak, I flatten my stones all the time, which as you know is critical to consistent sharpening.

About the only sharpening gear I don’t own is a Tormek, because of the price. I have machines that will do jointer/planer knives too, but I now have a helical carbide head on my jointer, so no more sharpening.

[Jyak]

From our discussions, I believe you have a more highly developed dexterity than me. I burned too many tool edges on standard grinders . My tools thanked me when I bought the Tormex, which was a reasonable buy at $376. Now it cost $445. That doesn’t seem bad, but the specific tool Jigs are also at a higher price. You could easily spend an additional $200 to $500 for the special tool jigs. If I had to buy one today, I would have to rethink it. I was hoping someone could offer a reasonable alternative for those breaking into woodworking. wish I could offer an better option.

It takes a while to get the hang of the Tormex, but its great once you figure how to set it up. I blue dye the edge to see how the tool contacts the wheel. Then adjust the screws on the tool Jig to get equal pressure across the face of the bevel. That ensures you remove the least amount of metal to restore a hollow grind, or in combination with easy to use (but relatively expensive) bevel guides, you can accurately change the bevel (steeper for hardwoods, lower for softwood). Best to have a standard bevel and extra tools in another brand for alternate bevels.

I like the helical carbide head. I’ve used a number of different planers. 12 inch Power Matic, which is a beast that takes big cuts. A Makita 15 inch with a two-blade tool steel head. Amazingly, it left minimal mill marks and could edge cut a 6 inch tall board absolutely square. It had been rebuilt several times due to far more use then it was designed to take, but parts became unavailable. That planer was my favorite. A Shop Fox 20 inch with tool steel blades was hard to set up because the castings weren’t square. It was replaced by a Power Matic 20 inch helical head. It’s OK. Doesn’t cleanly edge cut 3/4 inch boards taller than 2 or 3 inches; they roll. Still using the original cutters after maybe 10 years. Probably one turn left on the four sided cutter inserts. We use an eight inch jointer with steel blades and have a helical 8 inch Grizzly, but need another 3 phase plug. I’d like to set that up.

We also had a Dewalt bench top on loan from Dewalt. It worked remarkable well, but it didn’t take long before it was “plumb wored out!” Dewalt never even asked to take it back.

[bnystrom]

For me the issue with the Tormek was the tooling more than the base price. It seems like everything is an extra $100, $200 or more and by the time you’re configured to do various types of blades, you’re into it for a grand. It’s an amazing machine, but pricey.

I rarely need to grind tools and when I do, I use a bench grinder with aluminum oxide (white, friable) wheels and a Veritas tool rest. It gives me good result without burning the blades. From there I go to the water stones.

The rest of my machines have been bought used or at a deep discount. Yankee frugality.