# drawknife vs spokeshave



## WoodsmanWoodworker (Sep 3, 2010)

What would be the major difference in these tools in that they both come in convex and concave forms. Are both tools needed or would one be suffient for genral use,for example in making a peice of wood round. Which do you prefer or what are they best at. Thanks


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## PurpLev (May 30, 2008)

those are 2 completely different tools:

drawknife = generally used to shape raw stock (logs/branches/greens) to round materials

spokeshave = generally used to shape fine woodworking on curved parts. or fine tune round materials


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## WoodsmanWoodworker (Sep 3, 2010)

ok thanks


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## canadianchips (Mar 12, 2010)

I use my draw knife for larger peeling and shaping. It will take large amounts of material off at a time. The end result is generally a rougher, rustic finish. With practice you can do precision work ! It is just a little tougher. The spokeshave is closer to a plane. It has a heel that you can rest on your work and control your cuts better. You can also adjust the blade to make finer cuts. I prefer the spokeshave when making hammer handles, axe handles, wheel spokes. I use my draw knife for making log chairs, my scorp for hollowing out seats in chairs. Are both tools needed ? Depending on what you build, they both have a purpose. I probably use my spokeshaves more than drawknives. (But that is only me)


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## roman (Sep 28, 2007)

there is little difference.

Drawknives for big branches, beams.logs, hewing and spokeshaves 4 small details,i….............n principle both work the same albeit a wooden spoke on a wagon wheel can be hewn with either in the right hands.


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## roman (Sep 28, 2007)

a drawknife is BS, hard work, mostly for young men,

not yet learned in the art of a spokeshave.


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## roman (Sep 28, 2007)

massemo ?


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## roman (Sep 28, 2007)

sorry

Massimo?

Why is fine gardening and fine cooking and fine woodworking always connected? Why is wood so inter-connected to food? Why does food always taste worse when wood is removed from the equation? Why are gardens so close to "Wood" and why is it that food cooked on wood tastes better then food cooked without wood?

Ask Massimo?

Food, wood, sleep, greens, = the beginnings of greatness


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## TheGravedigger (May 20, 2007)

I use my drawknife in the same manner as a scrub plane - to remove stock quickly to get to a rough approximation of the final form. I then use my spokeshaves (low and high-angle) to bring the piece to finished size and shape. My low-angle ones are used first, like a jack plane, and then the high-angle one is used like a smoother. It, by the way, has a narrow mouth for finer shavings and less tearout, just like a smoother.

Now, for serious roughing, I start with an axe, but that's a completely different subject.


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## Viktor (Jan 15, 2009)

Everyone seem to overlook what is the actual difference between them. Unlike drawknife, spokeshave has controlled depth of cut adjusted by extending or retracting the blade into the body of the instrument. So, the difference between the two is the same as the difference between a knife and a hand plane.


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## roman (Sep 28, 2007)

Victor

I have several spokeshaves that do have adjustable knives. Control is done by the angle of spoleshave to wood…...........mind you, mine are antiques.


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## ShannonRogers (Jan 11, 2008)

Viktor has a good point. You could draw a parallel to the card scraper and scraper plane here. The drawknife is great for rough work but is still capable of making very fine, controlled finishing cuts. It does take practice and a feel for the tool. The spokeshave on the other hand takes that same blade and encases it in a body to allow for better control. Even the low angle shaves rely on referencing off the wear plate in front of the blade. This geometry allows much more control for fine cuts. The other difference really is in the size of the blade and application to the work. For a wide board, I wouldn't want to fair a curve with a spokeshave, but a drawknife would work much faster, assuming the width is less than the distance between the handles.


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## swirt (Apr 6, 2010)

You are on the right track Shannon, but I think it is more about risk than about control. You can have control with both, but their is more risk with the drawknife. (talking about risk to deviating from the plan, than risk to self…. but the drawknife offers more risk to self too)


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