Shaving Horse

Definition

A traditional foot-operated workbench and vise combined, used to hold a workpiece securely while shaping it with a drawknife or spokeshave. The operator sits astride the bench and clamps the work using foot pressure, keeping both hands free for cutting.

Terminology

German	Ziehbank
English	Shaving Horse

Regional Variants

EN: Shaving horse, Shave horse, Shaving bench, Shave bench, Dumbhead horse, Bodger's horse, Pole lathe horse, Schnitzelbank (US/immigrant), Draw horse — DE: Schnitzbank, Schnitzpferd, Schnitzesel, Schnitzelbank, Ziehbank, Zugbank, Zugbock, Hobelbank (regional), Heinzelbank, Schindelbank, Schneidesel — AT/CH: Hoanzlbank (AT), Hõazlbéng (AT dialect) — FR: Banc d'âne, Selle à planer — NL: Haalmes, Trekbank — Scandinavian: Täljhäst (SE), Täljbänk (SE), Skärbänk (SE), Togbank (DK), Snittebænk (DK), Vuoluhevonen (FI)

Professional Users

Wheelwrights, coopers, chair bodgers, basket weavers, carpenters, coopers, Windsor chair makers, green woodworkers,bodgers

Period / Era

Attested from the late 15th century; peak use 17th–19th century; still used in green woodworking today

Sources

Drew Langsner: Country Woodcraft, Rodale Press 1978 | Roy Underhill: The Woodwright's Shop, UNC Press 1981 | Wikipedia DE: Schnitzbank | Der Historische Handwerker: https://der-historische-handwerker.at/die-hoazlbank-schnitzbank/

Image Credits

Foto: © Stefan / HTA 2026 | Landschaftsmuseum Westerwald Hachenburg, Obj. 2010-1550, CC BY-NC-SA: https://rlp.museum-digital.de/object/2325