I'm a fan boy, I might as well get that said up front. I've a pile of shaves in my tool cabinet and for the most part using them is love/hate. Love what a shave can do but hate what they usually do in my hands. That started to change when I bought a Woodcraft metal bevel up shave but the joy of using a shave had to wait until I got my hands on a Dave's Shave.
I just finished cleaning up one of the chair legs that was roughed out with a draw knife. The control, the feel of the shave in hand, the shear pleasure of the shave on wood is something that every woodworker needs to experience. Someday I may go back and give one of the metal bevel down shaves another go but for finish work a wood stock bevel up shave is hard to beat and a Dave's Shave is the best I've found.
BTW, I used his "Dog Bone" sharpening holder for the first time and it also works a treat.
ken
I did not knew about hus dog bone, seems like a good idea. I have a "few" shaves, all antiques, mostly British, including some that looks almost NOS. Also have the Veritas spokeshave kit for a few years now, time to get on with that project. I also foresee a dogbone for me, sorry Rudy :-)
ReplyDeleteThanks Ken
Bob,
ReplyDeleteWhile there do your self a favor and buy one of his shaves as well. There are some differences that make a difference.
The dog bone makes holding the cutter easier for hand grinding and honing. I expect it will work with one of the side clamping jigs as well but have not tried it with a jig.
ken
True that, those small incremental tweak to an age old design sounds like a good ideas. Been on the fence for a while about his products (@#$ shipping) but i can see a Dave shave in my future on my Morovian bench :-)
ReplyDeleteBob, who always have "room??" For more tools.
Its cheaper to ship halfway around the world than it is to ship accross anywhere in NA. Go figure. Yeah, i know about postal arrangements between countries, but it still makes no senses.
ReplyDeleteEnd of Bob rant, we now return to normal woodworking in progress :-)
Wonder if i could talk Lee Valley into carrying his products....
ReplyDeleteBob, obviously over coffeeneated :-)
Bob,
ReplyDeleteI'm good at spending your money :-). I just rescued a detachable handle Swan draw knife a friend gave me. This was a case were a grinder was needed (lots of deep dings to remove) and by taking the handles off I could use a grinder.
Once cleaned up a really sweet draw knife. Sometimes old is good.
ken