exacto knife

[Michael1301]

Greetings
Very new to carving and this forum both really enjoying both already, However all i have as far as tools at the moment is a set of exacto knives and i am having some trouble following some of the tutorials and exercises using it.
not sure if its the same with carving shows or not but usually you can get good deals of supplies at shows so i'm waiting for the show at Niagara Falls in March to things.
In the mean time does anyone know of a exacto friendly tutorial?

Thanks
Michael

[pallin]

I have used Exacto knives for many years, especially for cut & paste layouts for print pages, but not for wood carving! Why? Because the blades are held in place with a collet which can work loose when used for carving. Yes, the blades come reasonably sharp and can be replaced when they become dull, but if you are serious about learning to carve you should get the proper tools and learn to sharpen them.

I'm sure there are others on this site that will object to my narrow view, but I'm convinced that using Exacto knives will limit what you'll be able to do in this hobby.

Phil

[Michael1301]

i understand and completely agree that the exacto limits what i can and should do. however i really don't like ordering something online that i have never had a chance to hold in my hand to figure out if it will work for me or not. so i wait for the show in Niagara Falls in 5 weeks time where i'm hoping to be able to see and feel a few different knives a possible get a good deal on a knife or starter set.
but for the time being i don't want to just not carve at all so thought someone might know a more exacto friendly project

[Jim S.]

Hello Michael and welcome to the forum.
A tutorial? Don't know off the top.
My suggestion is that you hit the search button and within this search you should scroll down and find just about anything you want to know about this quest. Good luck and be safe,
Jim

[Dicky]

You are right Phil. I agree with your point about getting the proper knives to the point where I now make my own, but I started with Xacto blades and when I need to get that tiny little chip out of a confined space, I will usually go back to my Xacto #11 (with a custom handle and well stropped blade of course).

[Goody]

Originally Posted by pallin

I have used Exacto knives for many years, especially for cut & paste layouts for print pages, but not for wood carving! Why? Because the blades are held in place with a collet which can work loose when used for carving. Yes, the blades come reasonably sharp and can be replaced when they become dull, but if you are serious about learning to carve you should get the proper tools and learn to sharpen them.

I'm sure there are others on this site that will object to my narrow view, but I'm convinced that using Exacto knives will limit what you'll be able to do in this hobby.

Phil

When I see the word exacto and woodcarving in the same sentence it runs my blood cold. In my opinion they are dangerous to use as a woodcarving knife. I have to fully agree with Phil. The blades are not stout enough for the force we need to apply to make roughing cuts. They will turn in the handles as they are clamped by collets. I have seen more than one person need stiches. When I was teaching I banned them from my classes. I took a dozen Murphy knives to lend to students that showed up with exactos. Resharpened they will do some cleanup work and some small detail. In the hands of a seasoned carver some carving could be done but for a beginner I would not recommend them.

Mike if you PM me I could help you out.
Goody

[Robert Cahill]

perhaps you can visit a carving club and get a feel of some of there tools. The one I belong to is more than happy to let people check out different tools. When I first started I used a utility knife and still do quite often and I also have a set of exacto knifes with caving handles that I fall back on . I do check the tightness often

[vacation212]

Hello and welcome,all the tools you need you can purchase at the Niagara show.

[jwd]

If you like the versatility of the Exacto knives, I would suggest you try one of the Warren Cutlery kits. The quality is much better, and they offer the ability to change from a variety of knives and gouges while using the same handle and come with a nice storage case. I've used these tools for quite a few years, and have no complaints. They offer a wide range of blade profiles, and are reasonably priced. Good luck.






IIIII

[Hi_Ho_Sliver]

Order a good knife.....doesn't matter if its not perfect in your hand.....you will end up with 30 of them before you turn around anyway lol...........lots of good ones out there, Helvie, Denny, Cape Forge......geez, mind went blank but you get the idea!