Axe handle tools.......

G

gben

Joined
Nov 26, 2014
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Slim pickings this winter here on the Great Lakes. My town is often listed as the snowiest in the nation so in winter there are few yard, garage and house sales to hit and driving around can be unpleasant.

A few days ago I took a walk to an old antique shop that is only a block away from my house and I found this Stanley spoke-shave that looks almost unused. I immediately thought how it would help with axe-handle work.
I sat it on a standard double-bit axe handle and also on a single-bit boy-axe handle and it was amazing how well it fit them. I am looking forward to trying it out the next time I need to make or modify a handle.

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Good looking shave. I've never used one with a concave sole. Hope you can update with some observations.

Bob
 
Sharpening it so there is a uniform edge showing is going to be a real challenge. I'm looking forward to hear how you make out with this.
 
I've never had good results with the concave shaves. But maybe there's a trick to them that I don't know. I'll be interested to see how this works for you.
 
I know this isn't the same animal but I use one of those Clifton concave cabinet scrapers quite a bit. Enough that I have to burr and roll the edge regularly and find it difficult.

That scraper is one of my favorite handle tuning tools but I have to work hard to keep it sharp. I have spent almost as much time trying to get it sharp as I have using it on wood - probably means I am not doing a good job at it.

Lieblad's idea of the pipe might be something to incorporate. Pretty sure that the edges and metal hardness on the two are very different so maybe a concave scraper is not the best comparison?

There are replacement concave blades available for cheap (and they may be cheap for a reason) online.

It's been months since I was at the local Wood Crafters shop but I seem to remember they had a stone/steel of sorts that fit the concave shape for the scraper in the same section so maybe they also had something that would work for your spokeshave as well. Good reason to visit there again, I guess.

I know the scraper I am on about is different but the "blade" shape poses the same issue with sharpening to some "degree".

It would be great to find out how to sharpen one of those properly. Seems like it would be a great addition for shaping handles.
 
Agent_H said:
I know this isn't the same animal but I use one of those Clifton concave cabinet scrapers quite a bit. Enough that I have to burr and roll the edge regularly and find it difficult.

That scraper is one of my favorite handle tuning tools but I have to work hard to keep it sharp. I have spent almost as much time trying to get it sharp as I have using it on wood - probably means I am not doing a good job at it.

Lieblad's idea of the pipe might be something to incorporate. Pretty sure that the edges and metal hardness on the two are very different so maybe a concave scraper is not the best comparison?

There are replacement concave blades available for cheap (and they may be cheap for a reason) online.

It's been months since I was at the local Wood Crafters shop but I seem to remember they had a stone/steel of sorts that fit the concave shape for the scraper in the same section so maybe they also had something that would work for your spokeshave as well. Good reason to visit there again, I guess.

I know the scraper I am on about is different but the "blade" shape poses the same issue with sharpening to some "degree".

It would be great to find out how to sharpen one of those properly. Seems like it would be a great addition for shaping handles.
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I sharpen my concave spokeshave with the stones you were talking about. They are called slip stones. I use my concave shave for shaping and thinning ash, hoe and shovel handles, but " I " have found it basically useless for hickory.
 
Peg-the trick for me to a concave spokeshave is simple, dont use them.
Quinton- I have also found them useless on hickory.
 
Old Axeman said:
Peg-the trick for me to a concave spokeshave is simple, don't use them.
Quinton- I have also found them useless on hickory.
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Thank you! Often there is an age-old and simple answer to a collector's question: "why aren't these commonly seen/found at auction, garage sales and flea markets?". I figured on trying use a garage sale (looked to be mostly unused) convex spokeshave to scallop a Red Oak chair seat 30 years ago and that too was not a success. That British-made gizmo is at the bottom of a junk drawer, somewhere.
 
quinton said:
I sharpen my concave spokeshave with the stones you were talking about. They are called slip stones. I use my concave shave for shaping and thinning ash, hoe and shovel handles, but " I " have found it basically useless for hickory.
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Thank you Quinton, that was helpful. I only vaguely remembered something about them when I was in there. Searched online and that is exactly what I saw.
 
300Six- A good example of "why aren't these commonly seen/found" is the curved Froe as seen in "A Museum of Early American Tools" by Eric Sloane. It just didnt work to split out barrel staves the way he shows it on page 31. Sloane's books and drawings are great, but he was not a craftsman who actually used the tools day in and day out. This happens a lot in todays world of instant experts, many of whom have no respect for traditional hands on experience.
 
Old Axeman said:
300Six- A good example of "why aren't these commonly seen/found" is the curved Froe as seen in "A Museum of Early American Tools" by Eric Sloane. It just didnt work to split out barrel staves the way he shows it on page 31. Sloane's books and drawings are great, but he was not a craftsman who actually used the tools day in and day out. This happens a lot in todays world of instant experts, many of whom have no respect for traditional hands on experience.
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This is a topic I've been interested in for years. A lot of any period documentation is written by the leisure class. Often they do surprisingly well in artistic works, eg Vergil's Georgics or the scythe scene in Anna Karenina, but in instructional works they often miss important details and emphasize fairly unimportant ones. I'm thinking particularly of agricultural works from the late 1800s, where it is possible they omit some material because it was common knowledge, but there's often good evidence that the writer interviewed the village idiot by chance and did not have the experience to question his opinions. Of course, very few of the people who were supposed to benefit from these works ever read them, but it would be nice for us to have more detailed and accurate information :).
 
When it comes to tools for shaping hard wood that likes to tear out, I'll keep singing the praises of my Iwasaki carving files. Oh my gawd, they're so awesome. :) Wish I'd discovered them 20 years ago. Buy a big 'un in fine cut and the little one in extreme-fine cut (which is actually still more aggressive than most regular rasps), and you can thank me later.
 
Old Axeman said:
300Six- A good example of "why aren't these commonly seen/found" is the curved Froe as seen in "A Museum of Early American Tools" by Eric Sloane. It just didnt work to split out barrel staves the way he shows it on page 31. Sloane's books and drawings are great, but he was not a craftsman who actually used the tools day in and day out. This happens a lot in todays world of instant experts, many of whom have no respect for traditional hands on experience.
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A good observation! I certainly do treasure Sloane's book but believe you to be correct in the presumption that he loved gathering up and studying old tools much more so than actually using them. Sloane was a wonderful ambassador for initiating public interest in preserving homestead and pioneer Americana and I wouldn't dare try to equate him with today's version of 'world of instant experts'.
 
BG- I agree the working class rarely wrote anything down, too busy making ends meet. BUT, what they did was an apprenticeship program. A young upstart tradesman had to serve a fixed time before becoming a journeyman. This was a good system that we seems to have lost in todays world. About the last 10 years of restoring historic structures I had a lot of "Carpenters" come my way on my crews. I was not happy that none of them knew how to stick frame a hip roof, or hang a door slab, or build a staircase from scratch. Todays "Carpenters" are just assemblers of prefab components. SAD
 
300Six-I agree with you about how important Sloane's books are. My intent was not to bad mouth him but to point out the importance of having hands on experience.
 
the possum said:
When it comes to tools for shaping hard wood that likes to tear out, I'll keep singing the praises of my Iwasaki carving files. Oh my gawd, they're so awesome. :) Wish I'd discovered them 20 years ago. Buy a big 'un in fine cut and the little one in extreme-fine cut (which is actually still more aggressive than most regular rasps), and you can thank me later.
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What specific lengths do you recommend?
 
Old Axeman said:
BG- I agree the working class rarely wrote anything down, too busy making ends meet. BUT, what they did was an apprenticeship program. A young upstart tradesman had to serve a fixed time before becoming a journeyman. This was a good system that we seems to have lost in todays world. About the last 10 years of restoring historic structures I had a lot of "Carpenters" come my way on my crews. I was not happy that none of them knew how to stick frame a hip roof, or hang a door slab, or build a staircase from scratch. Todays "Carpenters" are just assemblers of prefab components. SAD
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Not all carpenters are just assemblers, Bernie.
My brother and I still do it the old fashioned way. Just the way our father taught us. We hate trusses, and much prefer hips and valleys the right way. With cuts that fit perfectly, to make the roof, and structure strong as can be.

We were building a home for a client several years ago. The client knew us very well, thus we built their home from the ground up. The plans called for a flared staircase, which we framed in by bending, and laminating 1×12 to achieve the flare of the stringers.

Anyhow, it came time to finish the staircase. The homeowner called a local mill to order the balusters, and railing. I made and nosed the treads, as all flared stairs vary, and treads arent a stock item. The Rep showed up to take measurements, and saw we would need a section of bending rail. At that point he told the homeowner that bending rail was quite expensive and easily messed up and that they should hire professionals to install it. The homeowner then told him our builders will install it. The Rep looked our nonprofessional looking selves over again, and stated again that the rail was pricey, and easily messed up, and they should hire a professional to install it! At that point the homeowner went completely off on the guy... Told him if he didn't want to sell them the rail, they would have me and my brother go to the woods, cut down an oak and make it! The Rep didn't know what to say, he promptly wrote down the order and left:)
 
Quinton, I am sure glad to hear that all the real carpenters have not retired. I know there are a few today, wish there were more. Learning a trade from family is the best way to apprentice. 45 years ago a friend was apprenticing his father, a old crusty german finish carpenter. Every Friday I would ask Chris how it was going and he would say " oh the old man fired me today". Next Friday he would say he was back with the old man. Next Friday he would say " I quit and will never work for the old man again" Next Friday he would be back with the old man. And so it went. But, today Chris is one of the nations best known Shaker Cabinetmakers (furniture maker for those of you who think I am talking about kitchen cabinets). He writes for Fine Woodworking magizine, teaches and has written books on Shaker furniture. I am glad he stuck out the apprenticeship with the old man. His name is Chris Becksvoort and he lives in Maine.
 
Old Axeman said:
Quinton, I am sure glad to hear that all the real carpenters have not retired. I know there are a few today, wish there were more. Learning a trade from family is the best way to apprentice. 45 years ago a friend was apprenticing his father, a old crusty german finish carpenter. Every Friday I would ask Chris how it was going and he would say " oh the old man fired me today". Next Friday he would say he was back with the old man. Next Friday he would say " I quit and will never work for the old man again" Next Friday he would be back with the old man. And so it went. But, today Chris is one of the nations best known Shaker Cabinetmakers (furniture maker for those of you who think I am talking about kitchen cabinets). He writes for Fine Woodworking magizine, teaches and has written books on Shaker furniture. I am glad he stuck out the apprenticeship with the old man. His name is Chris Becksvoort and he lives in Maine.
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Sounds just like me, Bernie! I quit working for dad at least once a week through my teens, and twenties. He was tough and demanding on quality, and workmanship. At that time, I thought he was dumb and going overboard on details. My perspectives of my father changed in the early 90's when I watched him cut and notch a pair of 48' valley rafters on the ground. It amazed me that the rafters fit perfectly when set into place!

I don't take many pictures of our work out of respect for the owner's privacy, but here is a picture of a cherry library my brother and I built about 10 years ago. A lot of the lumber came from a huge tree that had uprooted here on the farm. The owner was proud of the work and encouraged a picture.
 
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