The Shaving Horse is the workhorse of the traditinal workshop. I adapted this design from an antique shaving horse that was found at the Shelburne Museum.
The shaving horse is much more practical than a modern bench vise when it comes to shaping parts that require a lot of turning to get the shape that you want. Like a chair leg, a chair spindle, or an axe handle. Your foot actuates the trememdous clamping pressure in an instant and releases just as quickly.
The shaving horse is built with contruction grade spruce for the body of the horse and hardwood for the dumbhead and the legs.