I've never used a HF or similar model spokeshave, but on the woodworking forums they all say that that don't work well and that you will be much happier with an old Stanley. I really love mine and it was less than $15 with shipping. Until you have used a spokeshave I would say that must people underrate the capabilities of this amazing tool. Good luck with it.

: That I will do. I thought about picking up a spokeshave from Harbor
: Freight (cheap), but a spokeshave's gonna be handy to have
: around for a long time... and I'd like it to last that long,
: too. Besides, there's something about hand-me-down hand tools
: that appeal to me. Taking a quick gander at eBay shows that a
: used one isn't going to run much more than HF, so I may as well
: go that route.

: I've actually never used (or seen, for that matter) a spokeshave
: before. I ended up using my pocket knife in a similar fashion,
: though... gripping the handle and the end of the blade, keeping
: the soft bits of my fingers away from the edge. After a bit of
: thinking, I figured fixing a handle on both sides would make
: sense. Sure 'nough, somebody already figured that, hundreds of
: years ago ;oD.

: Thanks for the advice!