Spokeshave, drawknife, carving knife?

Spokeshave for initial octagonalizing
Round file
Nicholson rasp
Sandpaper
Cabinet scraper
My make-shift hacksaw blade - actually am finishing a double bit that was fit with a rasp then the rest was done with the blade. Lots of flipping over.

I have a decent draw knife but to be honest, I can't seem to do fine work with it.
 
For fitting the eye I use a coarse wood rasp and a 4-in-hand rasp. To test the fit I draw the head up onto the haft by striking the swell with a white rubber mallet (leaves no marks). I mark the progress with a pencil. Then I drive the head back off with a wooden mallet. Then rasp again and repeat the process. The rust in the eye serves to mark the high spots which need additional rasp work.
 
I approach fitting the eye much the same way as Square_peg has described above except I use just a rasp with a flat side and a curved side (don't know what those kind are called). I also use a cabinet scraper when the fit is close to being done and I just need to take a hair off here or there. A raw hide mallet I use for tapping the head on and off while fitting.
 
I use a horse shoeing rasp only to fit the handle to the head, coarse one side and fine the other. I rasp across the grain in the normal manner for stock removal and then when it gets to the fine stuff, I use the rasp like a draw knife and it fines things down real nice, with the grain. I find that if I take my time, nothing else is needed.
 
Square_peg said:
For fitting the eye I use a coarse wood rasp and a 4-in-hand rasp. To test the fit I draw the head up onto the haft by striking the swell with a white rubber mallet (leaves no marks). I mark the progress with a pencil. Then I drive the head back off with a wooden mallet. Then rasp again and repeat the process. The rust in the eye serves to mark the high spots which need additional rasp work.
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Sage advice. How many beat up heads do you find with hammer marks on them from installing and/or removing heads. Dead blow/wood/brass and rubber mallets are just the ticket for not scarring heads.
 
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For fitting and reshaping work this is was I use. The rasps are by far the most useful tool, a 4 in hand is all you really need.
 
Patience
Cut and try then cut and try some more. If you try and rush it never ends well.
I use the belt grinder now with a 36 grit AO belt to hog the majority of wood off then then hand tools. Wood rasp and Warren Cutlery carving blade.
 
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What do you use for fitting?

Everything in the arsenal. Most appreciate recently have been- spokeshave for thinning, drawknife for slimming the tongue, half round rasp and four in hand, sandpaper, sharp knife for fine shaving.
I have a slot cut in side of bench for handle- rear of poll rests on wooden bench and drift knocks handle out- no damage to head. I use a hard rubber mallet meant for hubcaps(youngers ones will not know what those are) and some copper hammers my Da left me- no damage to heads or handle butts. Last thiing I do before sharpening is finish the butt, leave it for last to receive any bruising the copper hammer might cause.

Bill
 
 
Double Ott said:
I've been using a Farbor Freight 1 X 30 belt sander with various grits of belts. Works slick for me.

Here's a Kelly Black Prince DB I did a few months ago. Nice tight fit.

[URL=http://s810.photobucket.com/user/doubleott/media/Kelly%20Black%20Prince%20Swamper/DSC_0447.jpg.html][/URL]

[URL=http://s810.photobucket.com/user/doubleott/media/Kelly%20Black%20Prince%20Swamper/DSC_0451.jpg.html][/URL]

[URL=http://s810.photobucket.com/user/doubleott/media/Kelly%20Black%20Prince%20Swamper/DSC_0449.jpg.html][/URL]

Tom
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Thats from Welland Vale, great canadian quality steel! and a tight fit! :)
 
CedarEater said:
A raw hide mallet I use for tapping the head on and off while fitting.
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I've been using cheap rubber mallets, but I picked this up for basically nothing and thought that it would be a really fun restore. Then I found that the replacement rawhide faces are like $50 a pair or more. That seems silly to me.

 
lmalterna said:
What do you use for fitting?

Everything in the arsenal. Most appreciate recently have been- spokeshave for thinning, drawknife for slimming the tongue, half round rasp and four in hand, sandpaper, sharp knife for fine shaving.
I have a slot cut in side of bench for handle- rear of poll rests on wooden bench and drift knocks handle out- no damage to head. I use a hard rubber mallet meant for hubcaps(youngers ones will not know what those are) and some copper hammers my Da left me- no damage to heads or handle butts. Last thiing I do before sharpening is finish the butt, leave it for last to receive any bruising the copper hammer might cause.

Bill
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I also drift the head off. No damage to head or mallet.
 
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