Knives or Files & Rasps

[STAR]

As Carvers can you tell me if somebody used files, rasps, floats and sandpaper along with some knives and gouges would they be classified as carvers or more likely taken to Salem and you know what.

Pete

[Dagwood]

Carving is the removing of wood to creat something else. How you get there is a mood point so long as you have fun doing it. Weather its a file or a knife or a power tool (which is nothing more than a powered file) it is all about personal ability and preference. I would not suggest sandpapaer however until you have completely finished the knife work...

[Paul_Guraedy]

I use rasps, diamond files and sandpaper on all of my carvings. There are places that these instruments are a lot easier to use than anything else. Woodcarving is an extractive process and how you get the wood off is up to you. I would hesistate to call someone using a computerized device a woodcarver....but still, that is just my opinion and only counts for one person.

The general rule is not to use sharpened tools once you have started with sandpaper. I was disobeying this rule before I found out about it, continue this violation through yesterday and have not found it to have any noticeable affect on my knives and such. Perhaps it is because I strop on a regular basis.

[twoclones]

A carver carves with the best tool for the job. I carve primarily with a chainsaw while keeping both a Granfors Bruks carving axe and large set of Dastra gouges close by. If I thought the mirror off my Ford flatbed would so a better job, I'd use it to carve.

Fish pole 'carved' with chainsaw, angle grinder / sanding pad, die grinder / rotary rasp, mallet gouge and I probably used my pocket knife somewhere... Would anyone look at my tools and say, "He's not a wood carver." {That's the customer in the photo.}

[pallin]

While I have used rasps, coping saws, axes and other wood-removal tools, there is something special about the experience of really sharp knives and gouges in wood. If you are concerned with speed or production, use power tools or dynamite - but if you carve for sheer enjoyment, stay with carving tools.

[brent]

Originally Posted by Dagwood

Carving is the removing of wood to creat something else. How you get there is a mood point so long as you have fun doing it. Weather its a file or a knife or a power tool (which is nothing more than a powered file) it is all about personal ability and preference. I would not suggest sandpapaer however until you have completely finished the knife work...

Still having trouble talking huh Dag!!!!

[Donsexton]

The great John Rood told his students to make use of wood rasps and rifler files. To my thinking the best woodcarver in the 20th century.

[cgm]

Hey Butch, Great carving on that tree
Car

[jimmy joe]

What ever it takes to get er done !

[STAR]

Originally Posted by Donsexton

The great John Rood told his students to make use of wood rasps and rifler files. To my thinking the best woodcarver in the 20th century.

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Thanks to everybody for your informed opinion. I have a set of rifler files but they are obviously cheap and nasty Chinese ####. Some of these files are so barbaric that they would not be out of place in a medieval torture chamber.

Some tools we can get away with cheap, but with files, rasps, saws, planes and cutting instruments I like to be in the good to premium area.

With regard to Rifler files what do you guys think is the lowest quality you would accept to produce quality work without tearing the grain fibre apart.

Pete