Square_peg
Gold Member
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I wish we had had digital cameras back in the days when I was building custom homes.
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The BladeForums.com 2024 Traditional Knife is ready to order! See this thread for details: https://www.bladeforums.com/threads/bladeforums-2024-traditional-knife.2003187/
Price is$300$250 ea (shipped within CONUS). If you live outside the US, I will contact you after your order for extra shipping charges.
Order here: https://www.bladeforums.com/help/2024-traditional/ - Order as many as you like, we have plenty.
Axe handle tools.......
- Thread starter gben
- Start date
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- Jul 31, 2002
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- 2,954
I'm going from memory & looking at a tape measure, and am pretty sure I have the 200mm flat fine cut, and the 110mm flat extreme-fine cut.
http://www.woodcraft.com/product/150562/iwasaki-file-200mm-flat-fine-cut.aspx
http://www.woodcraft.com/product/150566/iwasaki-file-110mm-flat-extremefine-cut.aspx
The curves on an axe handle are gentle enough that these flat files still work fine. I made the mistake of getting a half-round medium cut first (I didn't realize they only have teeth on the curved side), and it's way too aggressive. They ain't cheap, but saved me hours of work and frustration on the first job I tried with 'em.
Press hard with the big one, and it will chew off wood so fast that a draw knife becomes optional. It's about like using a super coarse farrier's rasp, except that it actually cuts the wood so ya don't have to worry about tear-out, takes much less effort, and you have the option of using less pressure so you can refine the shape without leaving a lot of gouges to clean up. The little one is for final shaping & cleaning up what's left from the bigger file, and can get into tighter curves (like at the butt and neck) easier. Use light pressure, and it'll leave a finish that barely even needs sanding.
Last edited:
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- Jan 10, 2015
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Love your work Quinton!
Why did you quit? We've got rich building.
Thank you, Bernie!
We have a local Woodcraft about 45 minutes away. I'm going to check these out. My old rasps won't last forever, and these sound as if they deserve a look see!
You will like. We tested several rasps at a gathering of muzzleloader builders and the iwasaki was everyone's favorite in speed and finish. My farriers rasp is fast, but leaves the things a touch rough
.You will like. We tested several rasps at a gathering of muzzleloader builders and the iwasaki was everyone's favorite in speed and finish. My farriers rasp is fast, but leaves the things a touch rough
Thanks for the endorsement, BG. I am very intrigued, and have been since the possum mentioned them last year.
No problem. I forgot to add that I liked your library work! Glad I didn't post any pictures that I'm proud of, eg chicken coop, plank fence, run-in sheds...
No problem. I forgot to add that I liked your library work! Glad I didn't post any pictures that I'm proud of, eg chicken coop, plank fence, run-in sheds...
Hey, I only post select pic's...
Life is real here here on the farm, too!
Thanks, BG!
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- Sep 3, 2014
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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.
I tried one, one of the small fine ones based on the great reviews. I ended up returning it. It could be that there was a learning curve, but I found it difficult to use- it would frequently catch in the wood, and although one of the selling points is that it shaves and does not fill up with wood, for me I found myself brushing it out every 8-10 strokes. I wanted to love it, but at least for me traditional 8-10" rasps are what I like. Having said that, I recognize that the high number of great reviews means that the trouble was probably more me than the tool. In any case, I will use what works for me.
- Joined
- Sep 3, 2014
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It could very well be that these just are not the best tool for the job and that flat cutters are better. I have never used a curved spokeshave, so I defer to those with experience. However, if you wanted to try it and see for yourself, I imagine that you would sharpen the same way that you would sharpen a curved gouge or chisel. I would try it just for the learning experience. Sometimes it's just fun to play.
I myself have only used traditional spokeshaves, and found that on dry hickory I need to keep it super sharp and also set very shallow to avoid tear out.
For some reason there is very little hickory in my part of Pennsylvania. There is tons of ash and maple back on my father's property though, and that is what I am looking forward to working with.
Ash is a staple for handles, but I am sort of intrigued with making a maple handle and trying it out after reading how well they are doing in major-league baseball with maple bats.
So anyway I don't have to worry about working with hickory at all.
Right now this old tool looks like it might be NOS, I took the blade out and it has the Stanley sweetheart logo on it and it is razor-sharp. I will give it a try and I will not have to worry about sharpening it unless it works so well that I end up using it all the time.
One thing I did find in research is that the curved Stanley shaves go for a lot more money than standard ones. I don't know if that is the fault of collectors buying them up for static displays, or if there are people out there who have a legitimate use for them and need them for their craft.
Thank-you