advice for buying wood carving tools

[jon r]

Hello!

I'm back from my holidays! Whilst away i visted a National Trust Property called Kingston Lacey in Dorset. In the house there were some breath taking wood carvings! Truely inspirational stuf and there was so much of it! (carved, fruit, animals, flowers, patterns....) This one was made from Box wood, i just found it on some website: http://217.207.178.138/cgi-bin/bridgemanImage.cgi/400wm.USB.6041810.7055475/178227.JPG

After seeing all this magnificent wood work i would like to purchase some professional wood carving knives, gouges and chissels...., i want good quality tools that will keep an edge etc.

Can anyone advise me on good brands and what types of tools you think i will need.

Many thanks!

Jon

 

[Hoodoo]

Well, some of the ones that make it to the top of my list are:

Flexcut
PFEIL (sold by Woodcraft)
Hans Karlsson (see here)
Warren

A good economical line is Ramelson.

All of these makers produce tools that come extremely sharp. You can spend a LOT of dough on big name tools, only to find out they come with a lousy edge and need to be sharpened first. This can take a lot of work and maybe an investment in special sharpening tools. I have some two cherries gouges than came dull as dirt.

Lately, I have been buying a lot of PFEIL palms tools. They are great. If you want to carve large bowls, the Hans Karlsson tools are incredible.

I would check out some woodcarver websites and find out what others are using. Buy some books and videos. Many books and videos will tell you exactly what tools they used to carver a particular project.


I would start with palm-sized tools first but maybe the best way to decide is let the project you are working on decide for you. Pick a project you are really keen on doing, then purchase the tools that will do the job. There are sooooooo many types of tools out there that you could end up spending a LOT of money and still not have what you need for the project at hand.

 

[gorilla]

here's a good link for reasonably priced tools;
http://www.axminster.co.uk/category-Woodcarving-206831.htm

 

[jon r]

thanks for the advice! say if i wantesd to carve something like this: http://www.finestoneminiatures.com/photos/94d.jpg

What tools would i need? Obviously i proberbly wouldnt be going this complex as i havnt done anything like this before.

If i wanted to carve a raised leaf for example what tools would i be looking at buying?

Jon

 

[jojo]

Those two pics show all the carving chisels I have. The ones I use most are on the bottom pic, the others I hardly ever use With these I do most of the carving I need to do. Admittedly, most of my carving is sign carving but some of them are quite complex. If I had more money, of course, I would love to get a few extra ones!

I teach woodwork to people with brain injury. Some of the guys there do woodcarving and because the charity is fairly small and only a few clients do woodcarving, we could only justify buying about 4/5 carving chisels, others I bought from car boot sales and a couple I made including a very small one made with a screwdriver. One of the men there has carved signs, a barn owl, a frog, and is now carving a fish, a carp I think, about 18" long.

What I am trying to say is you need very few tools to start with to do some really good and varied work, get to know them well and in the light of experience you can buy additional chisels.

 

[jon r]

Thanks Jojo! I might have guessed you would come to the rescue!

Im gonna have a browse around the interent and show you what i think might be good. Then i can seek your aproval.

 

[Hoodoo]

thanks for the advice! say if i wantesd to carve something like this: http://www.finestoneminiatures.com/photos/94d.jpg

What tools would i need? Obviously i proberbly wouldnt be going this complex as i havnt done anything like this before.

If i wanted to carve a raised leaf for example what tools would i be looking at buying?

Jon

Well, it's still tough to say. I think size is the key although some carvers use large chisels and gouges to do even small carving jobs. Personally, for small carvings, I prefer palm tools. The simple fact is the more you have, the more you will use. If I was just starting, I would seriously consider getting a Pfeil handset like one on this page.

For finer work, you might consider a Flexcut set like the mini and micro sets found on this page.

For chip carving, this Moor knife is ugly but very nice to use. The large one in the middle at the top.

I own a bunch of carving knives but none of them carver better than my Flexcut knives. This 4 piece set totally rocks. You will be surprised how often you use the pelican knives.

Nothing fancy but small palm tools and pelican knives are perfect for doing little grooves and such like on this spoon. For detail, think small.

 

[jon r]

Thankyou so much! You are being most helpfull Hoodoo!

I think i'll get this set of flexcut

This set looks really good too but i cant find anywhere that sells them in the UK

would a set like this be just as good or better?

Thanks for all the help!!!!:You_Rock_

Jon

 

[Hoodoo]

Jon, I think you will be happy with either of those sets. I have all of those and use both. The Flexcut are lighter in the hand. The Pfeil are very solid. 6 of one, half dozen of another. Both come sharp and cut wood like demons. Not all fancy carving tools are like that. I would get a good set to start with and then start filling in the gaps. I am lucky in that they opened a Woodcraft store here awhile back and they have a whole wall of carving tools. It there's a specific chisel or gouge I need, it's no problem to run over there and pick one up. Flexcut also makes some larger palm tools that are also very nice to use. The more tools you buy, the more you will use.

 

[jon r]

How do you sharpen these tools? Am i going to need a sharpening set too? Ive got 3 japanise waterstones for sharpening my bushcraft knife but thats it. The money is adding up to quite a lot!

Thanks for all the help its much appreciated!

Jon

 

[Hoodoo]

Well, sharpening is a whole nuther story. There's tons of info on the web about how to sharpen woodcarving tools. Different jigs can be used for different tools. Just use google and you will find plenty. Howerver, a fine white ceramic stone and a leather strop will keep you in business for a long time. Also, Flexcut makes a nice set up called a SlipStrop for polishing edges. If you Google SlipStrop, it should come up.

When your tools are new and very sharp, you can make something similar yourself using your carving tools and a fine grained wood block. Just cut a groove for each tool and when the tool gets dull, rub some polishing compound in the groove and then strop the tool in the groove. A good way to test your carving tools is to hold them against your fingernail at an angle, with your fingernail in the vertical position. If the blade does not slip off, you should be good for carving. If not, it's time to strop the edge.

 

[jon r]

so is one of those gadgets all you need for sharpening? or is it the final stage of sharpening?

Many thanks!

Jon

 

[Hoodoo]

That's for the final stage and for maintaining your edge over time. Once your bevel at the edge becomes a bit rounded, you will need to flatten it.Then you need to take it to a stone.

 

[jon r]

will just a normal japanese bench stone do the job?

Sorry for all the questions!

Tahnks for sticking with me!

Jon

 

[Hoodoo]

Waterstone benchstones will work great. In fact, they have long been the preferred stone of many woodworkers and carvers. Just keep in mind when you use stones, it's probably not a good idea to try to sharpen free hand. I would try a jig, especially with the more coarse stones. For gouges, the Oar sharpener is a good one. It will also do chisels.

 

[jon r]

hi again

I really want this set but i cant find it anywhere!! All the shops on the internet that sells it are in America! Axminster has the other set that i want but not this one! Does anyone know where i can get this kit!?

Also i cant find that oar sharpener anywhere! Im eager to get these tools and ive got the money. its just a case of finding a place that will sell them in the UK

 

[jojo]

http://www.classichandtools.com/acatalog/Palm_Tool_Sets.html

I don't know if you have already spent your money but these people have the set you were thinking about.

 

[jon r]

Thanks Jojo!!! You d' man! You know everything!:You_Rock_

Havnt spent the money yet so that link is really usefull! Thank you!