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Tool: Flat Sole Spokeshave Shop Now and Round Sole Spokeshave Shop Now
Manufacturer: Melbourne Tool Company
MSRP: $89 (Also available as a set for $159)
If you know a woodworker that uses spokeshaves regularly… really uses them, then you know that they don’t have one. They have 10. Spoke shaves are like rabbits. You start with two, and all of a sudden, you have 20. In the past, getting a high-end spokeshave was a pricey task. Today, thanks to Melbourne Tool Company, you can get a high-quality spokeshave at what I consider a very reasonable cost.
The spokeshaves from MTC come in two flavors — a flat sole and a rounded sole. The body of the spokeshaves are cast stainless steel, which add a great weight to them. I love my handmade, wood spokeshaves, but there’s something comforting about the weight of a cast tool. Now, speaking of comfort, the cast iron body has cork inset into the handle section. It provides a great feel as you’re using the spokeshaves.
On the business end, the spokeshaves are equipped with M2 blades—this steel alloy is high-speed steel with high abrasion resistance, so it will hold an edge for a long time. In addition, you’d be hard-pressed to find any other spokeshaves with a blade as thick as these. The thickness helps reduce chatter during a cut.
The blade is adjusted with a pair of knurled knobs. Having an adjustment knob on each side of the blade allows you to slightly skew the blade, allowing a heavier cut on one side, while the other side can be a finer finishing cut.
Here are some supplies and tools we find essential in our everyday work around the shop. We may receive a commission from sales referred by our links; however, we have carefully selected these products for their usefulness and quality.
