Spokeshave

Object/Artifact

Historic Germantown

Name/Title

Spokeshave

Entry/Object ID

1993.2.28

Description

Spokeshave composed of yellow-brown wood handle and iron blade. Handle has hole at one end. Mark: "W. JOHNSON / NEWARK NJ" *See "The Dictionary of Leather-Working Tools c. 1700-1950" by R.A. Salaman, p. 272: "Common pattern with 'knock-out' iron - this is a pattern used by many trades. The blade is adjusted by tapping the ends of the tangs which penetrate the stock." Spokeshavers are used by saddlers for shaving leather, trimming and finishing traces and thinning light straps. Spoke shaves are used in a variety of trades including harness/saddlemaking. Spokeshavers are not as time consuming as slitter machines. "The chief use of the spokeshave, however, is to trim and finish traces, backbands, etc. After a trace or backband or other lined strip is stitched, the uneven edges require rounded and smoothed, this is done by clamping the strap between the knees, holding the clamp a little straighter than when stitching and using the spokeshave."

Made/Created

Artist

W. Johnson

Date made

1850 - 1950

Place

* Untyped Place

Newark, NJ, USA

Dimensions

Height

1-1/4 in

Width

10-3/8 in

Depth

3/4 in

Material

Wood, Iron

Relationships

Related Person or Organization

Person or Organization

McClay, Albert and John

Provenance

Notes

Object owned and used by John McClay, circa 1854 and his son, Albert McClay, circa 1908-1977. Object donated, in 1993, by Wayne Cunningham, son-in-law to Albert McClay.