Robert Larson 580-1000 Kunz 151 Flat Spokeshave

This is a fantastic little tool for cutting away thin layers with control and precision. For me, an amateur woodworker, I found this spokeshave to be much much easier to use and adjust than my block plane! The spokeshave can get in close to areas due to its short fore and aft dimensions, and the small surface area surrounding the blade allows for more control from the operator as to where shavings begin and end. It seems to have the perfect amount of flat surface area for making both long even cuts as well as shorter more precise cuts without chunking. If I had to make a perfect cut at a precise depth for the entire length of a board I would probably use the block plane...but for everything else I much prefer this spokeshave - it gives YOU the control, like an artist I suppose, where as a block plane mostly controls the cut for you and can be clunky doing anything that isn't square. The cutting edge came quite sharp from the factory, that is to say VERY sharp, although I'm sure if you're a pro you could probably sharpen it more...but I left it as is and it's working great. I'm getting thin cuts at all lengths of pull, without chunking, and only very rarely skipping which I believe is do to my technique over different anomalies in the wood I'm working. I found that an occasional shaving will curl around the cutting surface and prevent the blade from taking a new cut on the next stroke, but it's quite simple to become familiar with this and simply pulling off the shavings that curl around and don't fall free. Adjusting the spokeshave is very simple - two knobs control the depth of the blade, one for left and right side one for the right side the blade, and a central screw adjusts the pressure of the single plate holding the blade in place. I'm using the spokeshave to thin and adjust the limbs of a red oak board bow and it is the best tool I've found for the job - I'm able to take long even strokes that peeling in one continuous piece from the fadeouts at the handle all the way to the limb tip if desired, or alternatively shorter more precise strokes in any one particular area that needs to be thinned (which is something I found difficult or nearly impossible to do with the block plane.) The cuts leave a perfectly smooth finish that is pretty satisfying. Also, if you were so inclined you could easily use this spokeshave more like a miniature draw knife - to remove lots of wood in a hurry while still having more finess than an actual draw knife, although I can't vouch for the longevity of the cutting edge for bulk wood removal... I have had a smidgeon of green paint rub off on the lighter red oak, but typically these areas will be thinned further or sanded later, so it's not an issue. The paint rub off certainly isn't a huge problem, it's only very slight.

This spokeshave is exactly what I was hoping for when I ordered it: a well made tool with only minor, mostly cosmetic shortcomings. After reading a lot of reviews, I opted to go with the slightly more expensive, German manufactured spokeshave that would mimic the engineering of the old Stanley tools, and not just their appearance. What you get out of the packing is a usable, flat soled spokeshave, that is ready for carpentry. Everything works. The adjusters spin and engage with the blade properly, and the cap engages and holds the blade securely during operation. The casting looks good, and the throat is reasonably tight. Both the blade and cap appear to have had some lapping at the factory, so they have a good, positive fit. Even without sharpening and tuning, this spokeshave can be easily adjusted to take a nice paper-thin shaving. Where this spokeshave loses one star is on overall finishing. Compared with tools from a high-end maker like Lie-Nielsen, the machining on the Kunz tool appears rough, and the overall fit of the cap, blade, and adjusters feels a bit sloppy. Of course the L-N Boggs Flat Spokeshave costs 4x more than this tool from Kunz, and none of the issues impact the actual performance of the tool. With a little bit of lapping and sharpening, the machining marks can be eased, and the tool should work well for decades, just like the old Stanley spokeshave that it is based on.

This tool requires some work up front, but a real decent performer after it is tuned. It was fairly easy to flatten the back of the blade, and to hone a 5 degree micro bevel on to the 25 degree primary bevel. Overall the blade seems to be made out of decent tool steel that holds an edge well. It also took about 10 minutes to lap and polish the sole. The mouth opening is a little large for detail work. A set of shims to tighten the mouth would have been a nice addition. I've been using the shave on oak, and it performs very well - as long as you're taking light cuts and cutting with the grain. It will chatter if you take too deep of a cut, or cut against the grain. A good little tool for the price.

Like any tool that is 1/3 the cost of the high end competitors, this one takes some work to get into a usable form. Seems like they ground the "sole" with some 8 grit paper. The edges need some filing or you'll be making chips at the edge more than with the blade. Obviously the blade does not come incredibly sharp which is to be expected. Other than that It's a decent tool and performs pretty well.

Very nice tool. The quality is easy to see. The blade holds its edge well. The brass thumb screws make toolless adjustment easy

I haven't had a chance to really work with this. I was able to sharpen the blade and getting working somewhat. I'm still getting a little chatter but it is functional and I think with some more attention and tuning, it should be fine. It seems pretty solid. I haven't used it enough to know if the blade is good enough to hold an edge for a long time. I don't plan to use this super hard on a regular basis so it should be fine for me.

High quality, but a bit crudely finished in places. The cast iron sole was very roughly ground to the extent that it threatened scratches on the wood surface. It was pretty easy to remedy with some sandpaper and a flat surface. The blade needed some sharpening, but that is to be expected. Works very well now that it is sorted out. Good value for the price.