Shaving horse

Most people who come into the shop look at him with a quizzical look, not really knowing what he is. Half bench, half horse with a weird head? 

I have had this faithful steed for almost 30 yrs and have made so many thwarts and paddles on him I couldn't begin to count. I can not think of a better clamping device for making paddles, thwarts or anything that you need both hands free to use a spoke shave or a rasp.

 

The beauty of it, is how little pressure needs to be applied to the treadle to secure the work.

 

treadle

Head

I have leather wrapped around the bottom of the head. It helps soften the edge so that the wood being held isn't damaged to much.

 

 

The head is adjustable and held in place with a wooden dowel. It can be moved up or down in roughly 1 inch increments.

 

The basic tools I use when making paddles or thwarts are spoke shave, rasp and a small plane. About 80% of the work is done with the spoke shave. I have a few different ones but prefer the one with the convex face on it.

 

 

 

I can't imagine not having my shaving horse it is such a versatile and basic piece of equipment.

 

 

Paddles

Nothing feels as good as a well made paddle that becomes a extenson of your arm.

I made my first paddle when I was 22, at the time all I had was a spoke shave. It was also the first woodworking tool I ever bought as well. That is how it all started. Over the next 30 years I worked in all kinds of materials and have done many different blade and grip styles.

Various blade shapes

I wish i had kept track of all the paddles I have made over the years, at the time it didn't seem that important to keep that information.

I am very partial to native style blades shapes. The Algonquin shape is my favourite, it just feels comfortable to me. Also it is part of my heritage, my grandmother was full blooded Algonquin, and my father was half. Just another reason I am fond of the blade shape.

I have also worked in many different materials, cherry, ash, walnut, yellow cedar and sitka spruce. In the last few years I have been making many out of spruce. However spruce has a flaw of either the grain running out oddly or it kind kinks or fold when pressure is put on the shaft.

So to cure this problem a additional piece of other material such as  mahogany, ash, walnut, yellow cedar etc, is laminated to the face.  It also gives a nice contrast to the paddle.

Paddle grips can be as varied as the blade shapes themselves, and everyone has their own personal preference.

So if your a serious paddler or not, find yourself a builder or paddle maker near you and have a paddle made for yourself. It will be a joy to use and something you treasure your entire life!