which drawknife is better for bowmaking?

[Jax666]

I bought a spokeshave and really don't care for it.

I thought a spoke shave would be good for working on the belly side. Should I stop looking for one?

[JoJoDapyro]

Mine was like $15 online. It is a Stanley. I just can't get it to work for me. Quite possibly a user error.

[Springbuck]

Did anyone ever tried chasing a ring with a spokeshave? Is it doable?

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It's doable, but if you have knots or bumps on the back of the stave, it is easy to knock their tops off.  I use a cheap one, sharp, but set thick to rough down when I have a lot of sapwood to remove.  Not much slower than the drawknife, and takes less forearm to make it do what you want.  But I stop shy of the ring I want and switch to a heavy scraper I have and the draw knife.  On a clean, slightly and evenly crowned stave I'd do it.

[Springbuck]

  And I like spokeshaves generally, but i have a dozen tools on my bench next to me when working, and switch constantly, using them all sometimes, as the need strikes, I get bored, or to rest a certain hand muscle.  Machete, block plane, thumb plane, heavy scraper, cabinet scraper, gooseneck, rasp, fine rasp, spokeshave, drawknife, pocketknife, an old jointer blade,  little saw, etc....


The best drawknife is a solid, sharp one you own.  The next best is two.