A shaving horse is a traditional workbench combining a seat with a foot-actuated clamping mechanism called a dumbhead. Pressing down on the foot treadle grips the workpiece tightly, leaving both hands free to shape the wood with a drawknife or spokeshave. This setup allows for rapid repositioning of the work, making it highly efficient for shaping chair legs, tool handles, and wooden shingles.
Sit on the shaving horse and use the drawknife to taper those chair legs down to an inch at the base.
Also heard as
- shave horse
Related terms
Rive
A traditional method of splitting wood radially from a log along its natural grain.
Bentwood
A woodworking method or material where solid timber is softened with steam and set into a curve.
Cradle
A wooden framework built to support the construction of vaulted ceilings, arches, or curved structures.