A spokeshave is a hand tool used to shape and smooth woods in woodworking jobs such as making cart wheel spokes, chair legs, paddles, bows, and arrows. The name spokeshave reflects the early use of the tool by wheelwrights. However, based on the shape of the sole and blade spokeshaves can be categorised into the following:

  • Flat bottom – Used for flat and concaved surfaces and curves
  • Concave – For use on convexed surfaces and curves
  • Convex – For use on concaved surfaces and curves
  • Rounded bottom – For use on concaved surfaces, especially on tight curves
  • Combination – One edge of the blade is convexed, the opposite edge concaved, so the tool can be used on concaved and convexed surfaces.

Spokeshaves can include one or more sharpened notches along which the wooden shaft is pulled in order to shave it down to the proper diameter.

Some convex, wooden variants of the spokeshave are called travishers.

See also

  • Plane (tool)
  • Drawknife

Further reading

  • Adamson, John, "Spokeshaves: planing without a straight face", Furniture & Cabinetmaking, issue 260, August 2017, pp. 54–7
  • Hawley, Ken, & Watts. Denis (2007), Wooden Spokeshaves Sheffield: The Hawley Collection Trust Ltd in association with the TATHS

References

pl:Ośnik