What does spokeshave mean?
A spokeshave is a woodworking hand tool with a wide blade mounted across a frame, designed originally for smoothing the curved surfaces of wooden wheel spokes. In modern workshops it may also be used to shape and smooth other pieces of wood, especially curved or relatively broad surfaces. The tool is pushed along the wood, unlike a drawknife, which is generally pulled toward the user by two handles. The name combines “spoke,” referring to the parts of a wheel, with “shave,” describing the smoothing action produced by the blade. A spokeshave is especially associated with traditional wheelmaking, coachbuilding, and other forms of craft work, although it remains useful for general woodworking. Its distinctive form makes it practical for surfaces that are difficult to smooth with a plane or a block of sandpaper.
nounA woodworking hand tool with a broad blade, used for shaving and smoothing the curved surfaces of wooden spokes and similar components. It can also be used to shape wood generally.
- A hand tool used for shaving and smoothing the curved surfaces of wooden spokes, and sometimes other shaped wood.
"The wheelwright used a spokeshave to smooth each wooden spoke before fitting it into the wheel."
"He shaped the handle with a spokeshave before sanding it smooth."
"The old wheelwright kept a sharp spokeshave in his workshop."
The standard plural is “spokeshaves.”
"The workshop has several old spokeshaves for shaping wooden parts."
A spokeshide is the woodworking equivalent of giving a spoke a close shave, leaving it smooth enough to fit neatly into a wheel.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does spokeshave come from?
The word is a compound of “spoke” and “shave,” referring to a tool used to shave the spokes of wheels. The term dates from the 19th century, when woodworking and wheelmaking were common crafts. Its components are transparent: the tool is named for the wooden components it was originally designed to smooth and for the action it performs.
Related word forms
How spokeshave is actually used
The word is most naturally used in woodworking and wheelmaking contexts. It refers to the tool rather than the act of shaving, and is less common in general conversation.
Easily confused with spokeshave
A drawknife generally has a handle at each end of its blade and is pulled toward the user, whereas a spokeshave has a transverse handle and is pushed along the work.