Experimenting with carving knives

[jojo]

I have been experimenting with the ambition to create the"perfect" carving knife
I am not there yet though.

Basically a 2 1/2" triangular blade, in 3mm 01 tool steel. The straight blade has the normal cutting edge and can be used left or right handed.

The curved blade is the same shape, except it has a single bevel and a curved blade and is made for a leftie.

The pair with Osage handles are mine, and I have just made another one for a client, with a leather sheath.

The curved blade works quite well, I can both cut the inside, and outside of the spoon bowl by reversing the knife, and make the rest of the spoon with the straight bit of the blade. I have fairly big hands and the handle is a bit small for me. So: I am going to make another one, with a slightl stronger curve and a longer handle similar in shape to, but bigger than, this little carving knife:

That's the spoon i have been making with it, the wood is really dry and hard as nail, which make for hard graft .

I have made a couple of crooked knives some while back. I'll have to get some pics up.

So a bit more experimentation is in order before I get "the perfect" spoon carving knife And the next blades will be stick tang blade rather than full tang.

What do you think of the idea of that curved knife?

 

[MikeE]

What a pair of beauties Joel!
That is the strongest looking spoon knife I've seen. What's the chance of a right handed but with both edges sharpened? Actually, that wouldn't be right handed would it! That would be ambidextrous I s'pose! Duh!

 

[jojo]

Double edged curved blade?:thinkerg: I hadn't thought of that... hummmm. don't see why not. I would possibly need to modify the blade shape a bit. and possibly modify the handle a bit too

The size of the handle work reasonably well with my hand size with the straight knife, although it would be better with a longer handle. The handle on the small whittling knife is 2" longer than on my design).

I don't see why not, MikeE, I am pretty sure it should work. You have to watch your thumbs though I have memories of a Frost double edge spoon knife and blood!!!!

 

[DoctorSpoon]

To a certain extent whittling knives are a personal thing because it depends on what you want to whittle as to whether they'd do a good job or not. For me, the crooked knife would be of limited use because it has such a shallow curve. I can see it'd work with a spoon like the one you've made, but I tend to make ones with deeper bowls, or ladles for which I need a blade with greater curvature. Similarly I think your straight knife would work well for fine for fine finishing but I'd find it rather short for actually making a spoon. For roughing out I need a slicing cut which runs from the handle end to the tip and I think I'd run out of blade too soon with that one.

However, they are lovely looking knives and a very fine spoon, so you are clearly doing well for yourself ... how pleasing to make a spoon with tools you've made yourself!

Nicola

 

[MikeE]

Fair point Joel, in fact it may be better to use one of each (LH & RH) it would give more control and safety! Mind you I've just seen your crooked knife thread................Aargh!

 

[jojo]

Quite agree DoctorSpoon. It's horses for courses, we all have our like and dislike and our habits, and to some extent, what we like to do dictates what tools we use.

I have made a double edge spoon knife yesterday, following MikeE's suggestion. The blade is 2 mm thick, 3" long and 17 mm wide, double edge with the bevel on the outside of the blade. It also has a tighter curve.

It certainly makes it easier to carve a deeper bowl and I can use it in both hands. Because the cutting edges come right up to the handle I have to mind my thumbs! (There could be blood ahead... )

 

[DoctorSpoon]

It certainly makes it easier to carve a deeper bowl and I can use it in both hands. Because the cutting edges come right up to the handle I have to mind my thumbs! (There could be blood ahead... )

when we tested a bunch of hook knives last weekend everybody was really scared of the Frosts double edged blade, although thankfully nobody cut themselves!