Making a Shave Horse from Start to Finish

Our 3-part series condensed into 1. We build a draw-bench-otherwise known as a shaving-horse or shave-horse-from green oak logs. A historic apparatus that has been around for a very long time in one form or another, the drawbench, usually used with a drawknife, is indispensable for all kinds of wood projects, from shingles, to barrel staves, to tool handles. I've been wanting one forever, and it is long past time I had one. I also have a couple of friends that need one, and so the project became a group effort. #homestead #woodwork #hdr
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[@SuperZmeister]

I applaud you for having the children near by to show them the skills they may carry into their adulthood.

[@danielcamacho2123]

Boy that saw sounded pissed 😂 didn’t like you calling her inferior & can’t get enough of how happy the kids are to watch and learn man raising children right! Can’t wait to be a dad like you !!

[@carpetsalesman4578]

the sound quality made this so satisfying - I felt like I could hear every fiber in that log separating

[@AxeAndAnvil]

Delicious wasn’t it! Bo does an incredible job with the videos, and is passionate about the quality of every aspect.

[@TheBeardedCarpenter]

Howdy y’all- you remind me of myself as a younger man. I,too, have those same books but mine are pretty worn. That revived the God given passion for keeping the old skills alive. So thankful you are doing the same thing. It would really be nice to be able to meet you sometime. Keep up the good work. God’s blessings to you and your family

[@AxeAndAnvil]

Man I appreciate that! I’d love to meet. If you’re ever in Tennessee between Jackson and Nashville hit me up! Send me an email via my website axe-n-anvil.com and we can get in touch.

[@davestinyworkshop]

I really enjoyed this video, your old atmosphere, and the kids in the background. So glad I found your channel!

[@MrMarkpeggy]

Well, bless your heart. It's so good to see younger people enjoying woodworking and including their children. You are a blessing to many people. 🙏 ❤

[@maorisioux618]

Excellent video. The youngsters watching and learning. Your daughter seems especially keen to it. Her satisfied grin when helping you with the drilling was radiant

[@lucyb15]

I loved this video, the kids, the tools the mistakes....all wonderful. Now I want to make myself a new horse. Thank-you for this feeling!

[@MarcHughes-s6o]

Everything I was thinking, you said. Great video.

[@5x535]

Great video. Those little bare feet sure bought back sweet memories of life on Sweetwater Branch many moons ago. Best to you all.

[@mtmtodd]

You did a great job explaining and building the drawbench. You are a natural teacher. Thank you.

[@AxeAndAnvil]

Thank you!

[@anthonypilato1470]

I'm in the middle of watching this great video. I've also wanted to build a shaving horse, and your video is convincing me to go ahead.

[@AxeAndAnvil]

Do it! They’re indispensable!

[@robwoodke6592]

I have just discovered your videos now I can’t get enough of them. I especially love the interest and participation of your children. Thank you for sharing and keep the videos coming.

[@AxeAndAnvil]

Thank you Rob! Wish we could get back to putting out videos!

[@jayfromtexas6718]

Tough work. Very satisfying. Great job!

[@stevenkanasta4919]

Just got this in my recommended feed. Can’t believe this channel does not have 1M plus subs! Great video instantly subscribed.

[@AxeAndAnvil]

Haha thank you! Let’s see where we get to this year!

[@TheBearGrylz]

Love this. I’ll subscribe cuz you got your own hand forged wedges.

[@Whipple1]

Great video. Really like when the kids are hanging out with you. They watch intently at times absorbing information like a sponge. Keep it up! I have a nice white pine board I got from a water powered sawmill in Connecticut many years ago. 20 inches wide, 14’ foot long, three inches thick. I think I’ll use it to fashion a schnitzelbank (German style shaving horse) for my wood shop. Cheers! Whipple

[@TheKposs]

As said by many, I also loved this video. Love the style and also love the display of both skill and humility.

[@AxeAndAnvil]

Thank you Keith!

[@glennreed8153]

Absolutely Wonderful. Brilliant Material

[@j.m.m6719]

Thoroughly fascinating! I enjoyed every aspect of your video. Exquisite camera work, sound, and shot editing. Whoever you've got behind the camera is as much an artist as you are. And your kids are a treasure.

[@TheBearGrylz]

First video on KZbin that I’ve enjoyed whole way thru in a while. Much love from ohio.

[@RAkers-tu1ey]

Very nice! This video is a surprisingly dense source of data. I will have to watch it several times. Fun to watch, and great Tall Tale about the settler!

[@kenvasko2285]

I've been thinking about building a shaving horse since I first saw it on Roy Underhills's show years ago. You've awakened the beast. Now I have to do it. Great video, thanks!

[@lawrencemathews6182]

IMO, this is the best how to video of making a shave bench, shave horse or draw bench. Whatever part of the world your from. I enjoyed the rough nature of this project.

[@AxeAndAnvil]

Thank you very much!

[@donaldshields2483]

You did a very good job with a very few tools you should be pretty happy with what you got keep up the good work God bless

[@AxeAndAnvil]

Thank you! It has been a wonderful addition to the toolbox, as I knew it would be!

[@standaffern6595]

I applaud your tenacity to do the splitting old school, with the chainsaw sitting right there. I’m too old and slow 😅 to drag the project out any longer than necessary, by not using tools I got.😊

[@AxeAndAnvil]

I hear ya. Splitting is often way faster than sawing though, especially with a nice piece of wood. This turned out to be not as nice as I’d hoped haha

[@nanettebarling1222]

I loved seeing your kids watch you. It's showing how good they will be at learning. Nice work! Now I'm going to go make hot chocolate too!

[@josephg.lombardo3090]

Love the whole thing. Great inspiration of the craft and the family!😊

[@inlikeflnt]

Anne of all trades has made an awesome shave horse

[@RobertMauldin-v4h]

I would love to have one myself!!

[@timothymallon]

I want to build my own Shave Horse now! Some slight modifications from your design, but pretty much the same! Great work! Thanks for the video

[@danrudolph4604]

Awesome project thanks for the video! Also your kids are adorable! Great job showing them a life worth living!

[@wornoutwrench8128]

I stumbled onto this channel a few months ago. It intrigued me, so I subscribed. Glad I did.

[@hillbillynick2000]

Well done, both bench and video. I've gone to mostly hand tools myself. So much nicer without the noise. Especially with little ones about.

[@AxeAndAnvil]

Thank you! Agreed!

[@isaacbrascoupe]

Keep it out of the weather!!! Mine got soft at the rear legs, time to follow your example and experience

[@blainejeffreys]

The bigger the wedge the more inertia you have to overcome to move the wedge. Basically conservation of momentum, m1v1=m2v2. (one of these m's would include the mass of the log too) The wedge angle is a factor as well, obviously. Nice work. (.....block grain run the other way?)

[@aksalaman4689]

Well done...again. Love the family time.

[@AxeAndAnvil]

Thank you! The kids have been getting lots of miles on the shaving horse too.

[@larryweinberg1191]

Thanks for excellent demo on shave horse build. A good book about humans and usage of oak is called, "Oak, The Framework of Civilization" by William Bryant Logan.

[@artsilcher5681]

Really enjoyed watching your project, going to put it on my list of things to make.

[@lemhanback9595]

Thanks for posting this, I may not go off grid. However been thinking of going hand crafted. This is something I was looking for.

[@deanconner2475]

I like the spilting, but I have Circle sawmill, I need a saw horse, enjoyed watching.

[@robertsmith9756]

You did a really good job on that project, the leg angles you came up with were very close if not spot on to the recommended 10 degree 16 degree that I found is the most stable. The style you built is the German Dumb-Head style.

[@coedlan]

Sapwood definitely shortens the life of a product: it contains the starches (sugars) that attract many wood-boring insects. Removing as much fungus as possible will also limit its spread (and it tends to be quite spongy so will be hard to dry out)

[@MaineOffGrid.]

Great work! That came out very nice. I really enjoyed this video. Definitely subscribing!

[@rickyburton4642]

Great videos and thank you!

[@AxeAndAnvil]

Thank you!

[@Jerry-ki6zn]

Beautiful family and life

[@TheBeardedCarpenter]

Oh, by the way, you have gained a new subscriber. Blessings to y’all

[@AxeAndAnvil]

Much appreciated!

[@bellyacres3jillyandkerry281]

ooo, I've been wanting one of these. Thanks for showing how i can make it!

[@billwessels207]

I enjoyed the video. Thank you, Sir!

[@AxeAndAnvil]

Thanks for watching Bill!

[@josephmaschari1073]

Great job. Looking forward to the next video.

[@AxeAndAnvil]

Thank you!

[@johnjude2685]

I always loved the idea of working a draw knife and need a horse at times and have a steel exercise bicycle that I believe would be easy to begin my horse and holdup outside where I could keep it and do fine

[@arnenelson4495]

Nice work! A very stout 'horse.

[@SchysCraftCo.]

Very well explained video Jordan. Can't wait to see more videos soon. This turned out very useful. Hopefully you get great use out of it for many years to come my friend. Keep up the great craftsmanship and hard work Jordan. Forge on. Keep making. God bless.

[@AxeAndAnvil]

Thank you Jared! Blessings!

[@Ham68229]

You should think about making yourself several wooden wedges. Those work better than steel wedges for splitting. As for heartwood or sap wood is left on, I've heard conflicting stories about it so, can't say to leave it or not. I will say, remove the bark though. This brings in bugs, and rot. If you have hand planes, those will help smooth those surfaces. Great video, cheers :)

[@AxeAndAnvil]

Agreed on the bark! Also, wooden wedges and mallets are high on the list. Need to get it done!

[@peterellis4262]

The bench of my current shaving horse has that same errant split as the piece you opted to scrap ;) It's red oak, I believe, rather than white, but plenty of strength in either one, even with a wandering split in there ;)

[@AxeAndAnvil]

Absolutely! Red oak is mighty fine for one of these!

[@BerserkerGang2019]

Really cool, your channel just popped up on my suggested videos. I have a log like this one laying at my Viking camp waiting for me to do exactly what you are doing there. I have only forestry wedges aswell. Excited to see how well my log comes apart for my projects. Stays safe.

[@AxeAndAnvil]

Glad you enjoyed it! Make you one- you will love using it!

[@lmckay8881]

I enjoyed this very much.. I took a class from Roy on making robo's book stand. It was well worth the time. Thank you for the video. It is inspiring to see a project with mistakes left in. It makes me feel less awkward when I make a mistake too.

[@TheKillingFish]

Thanks for sharing, great job. To that other guy with the baseball hat...take your HANDS OUT OF YOUR POCKETS!!!

[@dougclem7711]

ROY UNDERHILL with all his banged up hands and bloody fingers, North Carolina's favorite son.

[@jayn9559]

Preferably, just me I like to have no bending in my back at all when sizing the "ramp"piece to rise up your work piece. Having it be near belly button level. Just better to see and while working, only arms are getting the workout not slightly bending my back. Coming from experience. Love working shave horses from raw material like this. It's a living art form,

[@kornkraker]

good job, I thoroughly enjoyed the video. Nice home stead too, would love to have a place like that. Subscribed!

[@Carlos-ch5ck]

Hola, es bonito ver un vídeo donde usan herramientas manuales!

[@billwessels207]

A draw knife is used with the bevel side down to help control depth of cut. And drawn in a slicing motion, not a scraping motion.

[@AxeAndAnvil]

I’d argue it is used in both a slicing motion and a scraping motion, depending on the task at hand. I do a lot of slicing and skewing. As for the bevel, that totally depends on the drawknife, and also the application. Some knives are intended to be used mostly bevel up, and some bevel down. Most (but not all) of the early drawknives I’ve seen were intended for use with the bevel up most of the time. When doing inside curves, the knife is flipped over.

[@billyjones8706]

Excellent

[@ericritz2853]

I love that keep up the good work

[@davidwhiren817]

Hey man , if you are in Tennessee , do you know about the museum of Appalachia near Clinton ??? inside their display barn is a handle making set up , with 1 of the coolest & stoutest shave horses I have ever seen & I am 70 yrs old & have been a whittler/woodcarver for a little over 50 yrs. You look like you belong in that setting , like Colonial Williamsburg !!!

[@AxeAndAnvil]

Thanks! I’ve known about the museum all my life, but never been! I need to change that!

[@josephkerley363]

Nicely done!

[@AxeAndAnvil]

Thanks!

[@izme2132]

So two questions about your physics lesson on the mushrooming that happens when hitting a wedge into a tree: the first is could that be avoided by using stainless steel wedge? And two cash what about a hollow witch?… Could a hollow witch be sufficiently strong if it used, sort of baffles, or inner walls, sort of skeletonizing, the wedge, which may be made out of a hardened steel, so it would be possibly prohibitively expensive?

[@zetawolfgang5106]

“Hey mister, your guns on backwards” is what I hear all the time

[@izme2132]

Another question on the mushrooming it is the byproduct of the lost energy or the product of the wasted energy Cohen if you clip off the mushrooming on the end, does it come right back with further use and/or does it begin to active sort of shows up Sorber and does it stop growing the size of the mushroom end of the wedge when the shock absorbers have been made to the appropriate size regarding the first used by the sledgehammer, and the materials used in the wedge

[@johnrich6817]

I found bamboo charcoal deodorizer on Amazon. It is very likely what the Chinese would have used. Come warmer weather I will try milling my own powder.

[@kirkleblanc3579]

Hello, I was wondering where you get your shirt and pants and boots, I would like to do reenacting for a folk festival, also the gun and belt . Thanks for your help great video.

[@PJHamann1]

"I see!" said the blind man, who picked up his hammer and saw.

[@salleecreekworkshop]

I built the same one back in the 70's. I used it for years. I need to build one now. I think I am going to cut the boards with the chainsaw. Love the video. Brings back good memories. I never got the legs that good. Helpful tip, read the bark. The bark will tell you that the split will twist. At 22:28 you have one good shot that will show you.

[@AxeAndAnvil]

Thanks! Yeah I knew there was going to be some twist in the log from the bark, but I had hoped I could work around it easier. It was what I had and needed to be used.

[@salleecreekworkshop]

@@AxeAndAnvil it happens. Keep up the good work. I enjoy what you are doing.

[@ВалерийКраснов-ы2к]

Акси ты молодец супер

[@billwessels207]

This type of a shave horse is known as a Dumbhead. Usually associated with the continental woodworkers. The English style is slightly different.

[@GPCster]

Which Roy Underhill book is that you're reading?

[@AxeAndAnvil]

It’s just called “The Woodwright’s Shop” just like the show.

[@JeffBishop_KB3QMT]

Why a sidearm when you're splitting a log? What's up with that?

[@AxeAndAnvil]

Because I carry one all the time regardless of what I’m doing. It’s a responsible thing to do.

[@wesleyofficer1237]

Bro we need to get together and make a spring pole lathe.

[@AxeAndAnvil]

Man I’d love that. Or maybe a big treadle lathe.

[@wesleyofficer1237]

@@AxeAndAnvil with a 4ft stone flywheel 😃

[@ericritz2853]

What is the name of the book,s

[@AxeAndAnvil]

“The Woodwright’s Shop” by Roy Underhill (same title as his TV show) and “Country Woodcraft” by Drew Langsner.

[@mr.deconcini3262]

while watching this video I happened to noticed something that looks to be "clubbing" on your thumb of what appears to be your left hand. Next time you are with you doctor you might want to bring this up. I appreciate the content brother and please keep it coming. God bless. 17:25

[@AxeAndAnvil]

Thank you, it is actually an injury from a table saw accident years ago. Seems to be holding up fine and not getting any worse.

[@mr.deconcini3262]

@@AxeAndAnvil Glad to hear it

[@veteranironoutdoors8320]

I feel Ive seen this one before. Did the first get removed?

[@AxeAndAnvil]

You've seen it! There were 3 parts that are now combined into 1 here.

[@veteranironoutdoors8320]

@@AxeAndAnvil Ah! Well i have just finished the video and gave you that sweet sweet algorithm loving watch time

[@AxeAndAnvil]

Wow. You’re dedicated! Thanks!

[@chipcromer]

Based on the rot, color and grain I would say that is a red oak species. I am surprised how often I find this confusion. The smell will also give a clue.

[@AxeAndAnvil]

Well, unfortunately this time you are wrong- it was a white oak with classic white oak bark and leaves.

[@bjellison905]

100% the heart lasts longer if you remove yhe sap wood. The reason being is that most of the sugars are in the sapwood attracting bugs. Also spraying it with borax helps too

[@VadimBiliy]

👍👍👍👍

[@davidturner8689]

Sorry can't get into this.!

[@billwoehl3051]

Speaking of Noah's ark, here's a size comparison to reference: kzbin.info/www/bejne/en-Ud2iIiK6mp6c

[@demastust.2277]

I see you're armed in this video. Are there any big cats and bears about?

[@AxeAndAnvil]

I’m always armed. I just take my responsibility to look out for others seriously. It’s like a fire extinguisher- probably won’t ever need it, but if you do it needs to be handy.

[@demastust.2277]

@@AxeAndAnvil It does look really good on you.

[@demastust.2277]

@@AxeAndAnvil Are you ever going to try your hand and leather working to make your own holster, or did you make that one yourself. I bet you could make all sorts of your own leatherworking tools as well. I've forged a half moon knife, but I actually found that you can make the pricking irons from spade bits for a drill.

[@RAkers-tu1ey]

BTW, I have seen these called a Bodger's Horse in the past. An English thing I think.

[@maurietolley9702]

why are you wearing a gun belt and pistol to split a log ?

[@AxeAndAnvil]

Why not?😁

[@jeremywalker666]

Why do you work with your sidearm? Im one who likes to keep strapped but hang your revolver while working. Forgive me, i need to learn to bite my tongue. No sooner i typed the words you did hang the sidearm

[@robertgrove2131]

america chestnut isn't extinct ive been told

[@AxeAndAnvil]

Nope, not entirely. Still some left here and there, but no thriving forests of it yet. There are scientific programs underway to try to make it blight-resistant.

[@JamesSmith-dp2gm]

Draw horse

[@AxeAndAnvil]

Many names for the same thing

[@jimamccracken5783]

Noahs Ark was built by the power of God handed down to Noah. Amazing huh?

[@Mark-xl8gg]

God ? Fictional characters all four thousand + of them

[@keenowl1410]

Why was he wearing a gun in the begging???

[@AxeAndAnvil]

To protect my children from the occasional roving dog, just in case etc. Probably won’t ever need it, but if I do it’s better to have it close by.

[@turrelleowens4594]

Anybody ever tell you that you look and sound like a young Billy Bob Thornton? No disrespect but its uncanny, like spitting image.

[@AxeAndAnvil]

Haha no, but I’ll take it!

[@turrelleowens4594]

@@AxeAndAnvil haha great. Wonderful videos btw. Thank you for sharing them. Glad you decided to monetize you time learning and sharing should be rewarded.

[@-kwarog-4607]

smoke weed everyday

[@Invigilation]

why. are you wearing a gun?

[@AxeAndAnvil]

Same reason you should keep a fire extinguisher around- just in case you need it.