Carving tools

[RandyHjr]

I want to start upgrading to the full size tools. I have read alot about the swiss made tools and of course two cherries. I want a good carving tool. If I am going to start working on a set, then I want it to last and do its job well. Two part question.

What are the main tools I should start with? There are so many different types of gauges and chisels, I don't know where to start, what size, or what #.

I want a good quality tool. What are some good brands of tools to use? I am looking for tools to do relief carvings big and small. I have seen alot of brands advertised but I want to hear it from the people using them. Not to mention the tools out there with little or no advertisment.

[Gulf Coast Handyman]

I have several Pfeil, no complaints at all. I only have the palm and mid size, no large. They come sharp and stay sharp. One thing I noticed when I first tried them was they slice thru wood with very little effort. Hope this helps.

Dave

[twilli227]

Randy these might help you out:

My tools

Tools I Can’t Live Without Fiebig and Yundt Woodcarving

I also use the Swiss Made(Pfeil) full size. I have no complaints about them. After reading the above threads, you should have a good understanding on were to start, and what to buy. You do not need all of the tools Mark mentions to start.

Todd

[Eddy-Smiles]

Randy... Have you thought about Flexcut products. They make a real nice 11-piece starter set that has just about every tool that you'll need or at least untill you build up some experience. And the best thing about Flrxcut is that they come fully sharpened with an excellent guarantee and service. Flexcut makes travel sets with interechangeable handles ;


Palm sets;

and Mallet sets.

I bought a started set when I first started carving and have since expanded my inventory so that I now have about 26 interchangeable Flexcut tools, more than I'll ever use. One other nice things about buying a Flexcut starter set is that the tools included in the set are generally what you need for the work sized for the tool.

For more information on Flexcut products go to Welcome to Flexcut Tool Company Inc. | Flexcut Tool Company

SMWC has a good line of Flexcut products in stock Smoky Mountain Woodcarvers Supply

[jimmy joe]

I say try and get to a carving show or club and and do a little practice run and see how they feel before going to far . How they feel in your hand is important to me . You will also get some great advice as well . All the names mentioned are good . I ended up with Pfiel but there are many other quality brands as well . Mark Yundt's threads are worth the read and very informative .

[SlowMover]

I just bought myself 4 Pfiel gouges for my birthday while on vacation, got the shorter handled long tools, not the palms as they just felt better in my hand. My veiner has a very small nick on one side that you can't see with the naked eye, but sure can tell when you use it..just my luck as the nearest woodcraft store(the only US vendor of Pfiel) is 5 hrs drive away. The other three (all V-tools) are wonderfully sharp and a joy to use.)

I started with the flexicut 11 piece set which runs about $90 on the average. They are good tools, I still use them daily. What I reccomend is starting with this set for a reasonable price, and carve with them a while. When you are ready for more than whats in the basic set, start like I did by buying different sizes of the tools you reach for all the time..they are the ones you will use most in different sizes from your starter set. Of course, if you have been wishing for a tool to do something that you can't so with your set, thats what you want to look for.

A lot of people say..get this, this and that, don't get the other. That is sound advice for THEM, but you may carve differently even though you are making the same type of carvings. Everyone has a different style, you need to find yours, then refine it and the tools you need to do what YOU want to do.

I know most folks say never get a set, you won't uses all the tools in it, and I agree that you won't use every single tool in the flexicut starter set (11 piece one), I have yet to touch a straight chisel or a skew after a year. However, at an average of at least $25 to $35 a tool for good quality gouges, the 4 or 5 tools you use from the flexicut set are worth the price of aquisition and will save you from spending bigger bucks on new tools you won't use.

Just my perspective, your milage may vary.

[Eddy-Smiles]

Bravo! Well said Slowmover! What I like about the Flexcut tools is the interchangeable handles. Handles on any tool take up the majority of the room in a tool box. I bought 4-extra Flexcut handles (2-palm and 2- mallet sized) and when I start a job I just fit the tools that I know that I'm going to need into these handles. When I'm done or need to put things away the blades go into one pouch and the handles into another. Storage space is a 1/4 of what it would be with full sized, fully handled tools. Of course you have to like Flexcut tools to buy into this method but I've yet to find a negative to them. Like you, just my perspective.

[susieq]

Regarding tool edge profiles, you need a V. I prefer a narrow profile V but that is my preference. A # 5 is a good all round sweep. And a deep U gouge. The thing about U gouges is this: A deep U, #9 or higher, will do anything a shallow U will do, but a shallow U will not do everything a deep U would, so if you had to choose, go with the deep U. What sizes you get in these tools depends on what you are carving.

I have been very fortunate to not have to purchase many gouges new. Over the years I have picked up nice used gouges here and there. I have a huge assortment of names but the best ones I own are Swiss made, by far. Pfiel is a great brand. They really hold an edge. Just keep them stropped as you work and they will never let you down. Oh, and never "pry" with a gouge. No brand name is immune to abuse.

Straight edges....chisels, will come in handy sooner or later. I do have quite an assortment of sizes and was just using them yesterday. Relief or in the round, it doesn't matter, they come in handy. The skew edge, on the other hand, I can't say I have ever used one in the 18 years I have been carving, but someone uses them or they wouldn't make them. I'm not a fan of tool sets. If you get 3 or 4 basic tools and carve with those, you will quickly get a feel for what others you might need.

[RandyHjr]

Thank you for the advice. I do like the flexcut knive set for sure. The Pfiel tools are nice and have a bit of a price to them. I have a small set of tools I bought to make sure I want to do this already. I use the strait and bent chisels the most. I use a small and big guage a pretty good bit. The other tool I seem to have liked alot is the v tool. They are not the full size tools but are great to learn on. they cut pretty good to. I have found my self using the knife more and more. I am probley going to take everyones advice so far and get the flexcut knives and try a couple of the Pfiel full size tools. I wont be doing to much full size carvings yet, but I want to be ready when I make my first cut!
I am thinking v tool, small and big gauge, chisel. Then I can work into the bent tools when i find a preference. Flexcut knives will probley be first though since I can use those now. What do you think?

[SlowMover]

The knife is the most basic tool, and the one that can do the most for you. It can replace nearly all of the work of any gouge, so you MUST get a good knife, one that you can sharpen (not as easy a task as it might seem), and one that is comfortable for you to use. By all means, buy the knife first, and spend whatever it takes to get one that is right for you.