One wild shaving horse #1: or MaFe's version of the beast at least...

One wild shaving horse
or MaFe’s version of the beast at least…

This is not a tutorial, just me playing arround.

Ok I know it, I have a problem with words, yes words, not horses – and even the fact I am retired not ten wild shaving horses can keep me of the wood…
I’ll stop now! Not the wood the words I mean.

The shaving horse:
For years I have been looking at this fascinating work horse, at the internet and at museums all over Denmark and on travels, it seems to shop up all over and have a long history.

Here a traditional Danish one from the tool museum in Roskilde.

I made this drawing of what I wanted, or at least something in this direction.
(This version has a ‘hold’ placed on the bench like a clog maker’s bench).

And here the full version with lathe and all the jazz.

The build is done now for the first part, and the shaving horse can be used now, actually I used it to build itself, the lathe will be added when I get the proper branch for the bow that I want to make or perhaps I will buy a bow for shooting, just for the fun of it.

I helped a friend to draw a new roof for his house years back and he offered me some roof rafters that was delivered extra, these have been waiting for a purpose, and here were a really nice one.

So when this summer began I began also playing around with the wood and slowly building the shaving horse that I dreamed of. Slowly for two reasons, one that my health do not allow me so much time with hand tools and only on the good health days and I had decided this should be build with hand tools only. Two that I wanted it to be a pleasure project with no deadline, just me and my tools, wood and sun. And so it went.

Here the rafters.
I made the layout with a square, chalk line, and a pen.

Since I had no drawing with measures I just planned as I went, marked what I felt would fit my body.

Tools out, this is an all vintage tools project, English planes.
Started out with a vintage saw also, but since my sharpening still is only a project I gave in and used a new handsaw.

New day new deal, trying to make the fixture for the slope.

Here it is about to be there, at least the basic idea takes form.

Here drilling with a wonderful old English brace.

The whole way through.

Slope is a reality, now I just need to make it able to be fixed.

And this I decide to solve in the top end with an adjustable version, so I can decide the height after the project.

Ohhh yes and there were time also for a BBQ.
Also you can see the horse resting under the parasol, now with pins and shaped adjusters for the slope.

And to enjoy the wonderful summer in Denmark, and every moment where my health allowed me to work.

Now another step or two ahead, the slope got a hold bar and I am working on the head.

The head are a cut in half piece of tree, you will see after, it is fixed with mortise and tenon joint so I cut a mortise in the head.

And fix it with a wood dowel.
Also first leg is now mounted since I as soon as the head was mounted I could start shaping the legs on the bench with a draw knife.
The legs are fixed to the bench in round holes that are hand drilled into the bench.

And here you see a gift from nature!
Yes that is just wonderful, I found this in the forest by a cut down tree, so I skipped my plans of a dragon head or the duck since this has natures own miracles included.

Made a V in the back end of the bench so it can be used for sawing.
Rounded all sides with a spokeshave.

Nice legs.

Time to play a little with nature, to help smiles arrive.
This side has a natural eye, so I add a nose hole.

Other side an eye and a grumpy mouth.

Time for a break…
My espresso machine went on strike, and I was in panic.
But it was only a plastic part that had gone too hot.
Yabadabadooo…
Nothing like a good espresso.

This will be a natural time for a break, so I will split up the blog here.
I’ll be back soon.

Hope this can be inspiring to follow, and that it might lead others to build a shaving horse perhaps.

Best thoughts,
MaFe

-- Mad F, the fanatical rhykenologist and vintage architect. Democraticwoodworking.