Wee bit of advice needed on crook knifes
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For a starter knife you won't go far wrong with Mora crook knives. https://www.springfields.co.uk/brands/mora.html?p=2
Dave Budd of this parish, makes some great crook knives, as does Ben Orford. Good luck with your carving.
Dave Budd of this parish, makes some great crook knives, as does Ben Orford. Good luck with your carving.
The post above already answers your question.
The only other I may add is my favourite spoon knife , mainly because the longer handle makes it easier and makes different holds possible...
http://wood-tools.co.uk/tools/spoon-knife-right-hand-open-curve/
Needless to say , they come razor sharp!
No affiliation, just a happy customer.👍
The only other I may add is my favourite spoon knife , mainly because the longer handle makes it easier and makes different holds possible...
http://wood-tools.co.uk/tools/spoon-knife-right-hand-open-curve/
Needless to say , they come razor sharp!
No affiliation, just a happy customer.👍
From a personal perspective don't waste your money on a mora crook knife...
Mora make fantastic knives but their crook knives are very poor and the grind on them needs to be fettled quite a bit to make them halfway decent.
Any of the other makes mentioned so far are well worth investing in and remember the old adage... buying quality tool first time saves money in the long run
Mora make fantastic knives but their crook knives are very poor and the grind on them needs to be fettled quite a bit to make them halfway decent.
Any of the other makes mentioned so far are well worth investing in and remember the old adage... buying quality tool first time saves money in the long run
From a personal perspective don't waste your money on a mora crook knife...
Mora make fantastic knives but their crook knives are very poor and the grind on them needs to be fettled quite a bit to make them halfway decent.
Any of the other makes mentioned so far are well worth investing in and remember the old adage... buying quality tool first time saves money in the long run
I agree with Mesquite here.
I started off using a Mora spoon knife, it was ok but needed modding to be great. One thing I will say is watch a couple of youtube videos before using your spoon knife as it is a dangerous tool if used incorrectly.
Some more makers of spoon knives for you to consider
Hans Karlsson, Pinewood Forge, Pfeil, Vcworks, Belzeboo crafts
The crooked knife designs of the Pacific Northwest native carving community are a little more versatile than the shape of a dedicated spoon knife.
In any case, learning to maintain a carving sharp edge is a skill in itself as the edge is curved.
I buy blades or tools (Farrier's hoof knives) that I can haft myself onto my own handles.
Some PacNW bladesmiths don't sell blades only, just finished knives.
Look here to get an idea of the shapes:
www.kestreltool.com
In any case, learning to maintain a carving sharp edge is a skill in itself as the edge is curved.
I buy blades or tools (Farrier's hoof knives) that I can haft myself onto my own handles.
Some PacNW bladesmiths don't sell blades only, just finished knives.
Look here to get an idea of the shapes:
www.kestreltool.com
rancid badger
Bushcrafter (boy, I've got a lot to say!)
Another "Avoid Mora crook knives" from me too.
Make a Mocotaugan, I did;
made a few actually.
Excellent tools and very versatile.
Steve
P.S.: when I mentioned "excellent tools" I was merely referring to the original design, not my efforts
Make a Mocotaugan, I did;
made a few actually.
Excellent tools and very versatile.
Steve
P.S.: when I mentioned "excellent tools" I was merely referring to the original design, not my efforts
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The OP needs ideas for his own Birthday present.
Are there not some really top flight blade smiths here who might have a crooked knife for sale?
Double-edged crooked knives are born out of the expectation that you carve in an ambidexterous fashion. I use some, they're OK.
I prefer a single edge as I can hold that in the opposite hand and push on the dull spine of the blade.
The advantages of starting with a farrier's knife are the over all shape, of course, the scorp at the tip and that they are made in
right and left hand pairs.
The Mocotaugan is a J-shape like the PacNW blades but it's common only to the birch building cultures of eastrn North America.
Very useful as RB points out. The original value was in building pack frames, snowshoe frames and birch bark canoe parts and paddles.
Are there not some really top flight blade smiths here who might have a crooked knife for sale?
Double-edged crooked knives are born out of the expectation that you carve in an ambidexterous fashion. I use some, they're OK.
I prefer a single edge as I can hold that in the opposite hand and push on the dull spine of the blade.
The advantages of starting with a farrier's knife are the over all shape, of course, the scorp at the tip and that they are made in
right and left hand pairs.
The Mocotaugan is a J-shape like the PacNW blades but it's common only to the birch building cultures of eastrn North America.
Very useful as RB points out. The original value was in building pack frames, snowshoe frames and birch bark canoe parts and paddles.
Yes he does... but with those ideas it's best to also advise what not to waste his money on and get a decent blade from the onset.
All the names mentioned so far (apart from mora) are top flight blade smiths who turn out excellent spoon knives.
I agree with regards to the double edged crook knifes. my first crook knife was a double edged mora and mainly due to my own stupidity and lack of concentration I managed to push it pretty deep into my thumb. A mistake I wont be repeating again...
Dave Budd ! ...And Robin Wood make ready available quality knives ...
Dave Budd is on this forum so shoot him a PM!
The advantage is he can advise you what's going to work better for you... Lefties, beginner, and all the permutations between...👍
Dave Budd is on this forum so shoot him a PM!
The advantage is he can advise you what's going to work better for you... Lefties, beginner, and all the permutations between...👍
I started wood carving recently and bought a mora hook knife, whilst it's sturdiness is reassuring it really is a poor tool compared to their straight knives.
Fed up with it I bought a Robin wood compound curve. I bought blade only and handled myself so the price difference was maybe a fiver more. The difference in use however is huge! Such a nice tool and very versatile.
His postage is a bit steep however.
Sent from my D6603 using Tapatalk
Fed up with it I bought a Robin wood compound curve. I bought blade only and handled myself so the price difference was maybe a fiver more. The difference in use however is huge! Such a nice tool and very versatile.
His postage is a bit steep however.
Sent from my D6603 using Tapatalk
I can name just 4 good blade smiths in the PacNW. You people have what? A couple of dozen?
Fundamentally there are 2 styles.
a) Scandinavian center hafted with a round handle.
b) PacNW surface-hafted on a fairly square handle shape.
The Scandi shape, I am forever looking at the blade orientation because I can't imagine from the handle shape where the blade is.
I looked at Robin Woods' blades = better (J-shape) design and better steel, better treated.
Don't be too hard on double edged blades. Chances are you might not be holding them correctly but that's so hard to do with round handles.
The other part of crooked knives is that the sharpening and honing process is a learned thing.
Fundamentally there are 2 styles.
a) Scandinavian center hafted with a round handle.
b) PacNW surface-hafted on a fairly square handle shape.
The Scandi shape, I am forever looking at the blade orientation because I can't imagine from the handle shape where the blade is.
I looked at Robin Woods' blades = better (J-shape) design and better steel, better treated.
Don't be too hard on double edged blades. Chances are you might not be holding them correctly but that's so hard to do with round handles.
The other part of crooked knives is that the sharpening and honing process is a learned thing.
I started with a mora hook knife and it improved to no end with a thicker longer handle (1 1/4 diameter, 11 inch long) the extra weight gives a smoother chatter free cut and potential for extra leverage). However I now use bent knives made either by the Davis Brothers (Bayviewman) or Haida ones from Crescent blades (imported from Lee valley in canada)
I prefer the Davis best, then the Haida ones then the mora (which I do still ocasionally use) The Davis knives come ready handled in Alder, the Haida ones need handles making up. The haida ones are relatively soft designed for carving softer cedars but still work good in beech/plum/chestnut etc. They only really need stropping
I have some video on this stuff but cant post them.
I prefer the Davis best, then the Haida ones then the mora (which I do still ocasionally use) The Davis knives come ready handled in Alder, the Haida ones need handles making up. The haida ones are relatively soft designed for carving softer cedars but still work good in beech/plum/chestnut etc. They only really need stropping
I have some video on this stuff but cant post them.
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I've got all the blades from Crescent Knife Works in Vancouver. The roughing J-blade cuts as well as the finer ones.
Cariboo Blades in the BC interior. Kestrel Tool and North Bay Forge south of us in Washington State.
That's about it. Several on the East coast, one admitting that they copy Kestrel designs.
Making Haida style handles , long ones, is pleasant work. Far better leverage for carving.
Size. Hold the handle in a fist grip, palm up.
The tips of your second and third fingers should just touch the fat ball part of your thumb.
For me, that's a blank of 7/8" square.
Cariboo Blades in the BC interior. Kestrel Tool and North Bay Forge south of us in Washington State.
That's about it. Several on the East coast, one admitting that they copy Kestrel designs.
Making Haida style handles , long ones, is pleasant work. Far better leverage for carving.
Size. Hold the handle in a fist grip, palm up.
The tips of your second and third fingers should just touch the fat ball part of your thumb.
For me, that's a blank of 7/8" square.
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