I am extremely pleased to have found this forum...7 years ago I did a little carving during my last year in college but have not done any since. Last year the family went in and purchased the following tools and accessories from a Woodcraft store:

Butz Carving Knife
Flexcut cutting Knife
Pfeil:
3mm Veiner
10mm gouge
1mm v parting
8mm skew
Flexcut Slipstrop
Japanese Dual Wetstone (not sure of the grit)

I can get the carving piece down with practice, but need a primer on how to sharpen the tools. (I went to the local carving supply place and they said to take a class or give a gentleman a call and have him sharpen for you - I want to learn myself)

s:
With the wetstone, how often to use or when to use? do i just keep the stone wet with water during use?

When to use the strop? How much compound? The process involved.

I appreciate your answers or links to helpful sites and most of all your patience.

This is the reason why I stopped in the first place.

I am working on animals and charactures, but want to do relief down the road.

One more question, do I have a good mix of tools or is there something I am missing that would help immensely?

Here are a few sites that might help you.

http://www.antiquetools.com/sharp/index.html

http://gpvec.unl.edu/filesdatabase/f...lot/sharp1.htm

http://www.ameritech.net/users/knives/knives.htm

http://www.bladeforums.com/features/faqsharp.shtml

and my own humble efforts.
http://cliffordparker.tripod.com/sharpening.html

[Hi_Ho_Sliver]

try this http://carverscompanion.com/NewCarve...l#anchor482526 Â*I will have to edit and add more, this thing won't let me paste a site and go get another! Â*???

http://www.antiquetools.com/sharp/index.html

http://www.oldjoe.org/ToolSharpening.html

I like this scary sharp method only I use 400 grit, 800 grit, 1200 and 2000 and thats all and thats all I have ever needed..but again, thats up to the individual try it! http://www.shavings.net/SCARY.HTM

Nt, this site http://www.carvingpatterns.com/ really helped me get started. There's alot of free info available about tools, carving, etc, a lot of tutorials and patterns also. Yes, most of their patterns are for sale, but there are alot of free ones!

They also have the two best sharpening tutorials I've seen, kinves (flat edge tools) - http://www.carvingpatterns.com/sharpening.htm
Gouges and V-tools - http://www.carvingpatterns.com/sharpening-2.htm

[squbrigg]

Hi Northern Timber,

Sharpening is the first skill that a wood carver has to learn, if you want to enjoy carving. As you have already found out, there is nothing that will turn off a new carver like dull tools. A sharp knife is a joy to use!

There are all kinds of sites and books that will teach you the finer points of sharpening , and it sounds like you have a good start to the necessary equipment. The dual stone is probably (I'm guessing) a 1000/4000 grit stone. That is good for shaping and one step in the honeing process. I would recommend a 8000 stone for final honeing before you move to a leather strop with polishing compound (Green or Gold are my preferances.).

The process just takes practice and consistancy. The books or sites will tell you the angles for various cutting tools, but it takes practice, practice, practice, to get it right. The Japanise stones have to be soaked in water first, for about five min., and then used wet, and kept wet. Your blade will form a fine 'slurry' as you stroke it, and the slurry is what helps sharpen the blade. Once you have the shape you want on the coarse stone, move to the medium stone to hone, then fine and then polish or strop with the leather and compound. Unlike the stones, you draw the blade along the leather (if you push it forward it will cut into the leather).

Once you get the edge you want on the blade, all you will have to do it touch it up once in a while with the leather and compound, unless you drop the blade and nick it, or lend it to some stupid friend to open a beer can with!!!

As for the tools you mentioned, they are a good beginning. You don't need a whole house full of expensive tools to enjoy carving. As you find the shapes and angles that you work with, you will discover which gouges or knives/chizels may be useful. Buy carefully and prudently, invest in good quality sharpening stones and a good book on basic carving and sharpening. Big sets of carving tools may look great, but 3/4 of them will go un-used.

Besides, you will always have something to suggest to family for Christmas or birthdays.

Good luck and happy carving,

Bob

All...thanks for the information...it is appreciated.

Northern Timber / Chris

I use a leather belt on a belt sander 'charged' with white compound for general honing.

If I am traveling, I use a hand strop with leather and the same compound - but also sometimes use a gold or green compound. Sorry, I don't know the 'grit' of these compounds. I have the flexcut strop with contours for honing gouges.

Those steps are for tools that just need a touch up during or right after a carving session.

To re-grind a tool that has a really bad edge, I will use a 150 grit sandpaper belt on the belt sander and then follow with honing. I also use a 600 grit stone if I want to take it slow on deep cutting tools such as v and veiners - these take a little more effort to keep the angles correct.

Some carvers cringe when they hear that I use such an aggressive grit on my belt sander. I do take it relatively slow and am very careful not to get the tools hot. I have had very good success with this method and DO NOT get scratches that cannot be removed with the honing compound on the leather belt.

Bob had a very good response.....
As far as beginner tools - I'd recommend two knives: a straight blade between 1-1.5' blade with a sharp point for detailing and another with an upswept blade. I don't use the point of the straight blade except for details - opting for the middle-to-back portion to do most of the carving.

For gouges, I would recommend a veiner (approx 3mm #11), a 5mm #9 and a small v tool - the 1mm is good. I do use a larger one for roughing out shapes and making stop cuts in early stages. A knife works just as well. You didn't mention the sweep of the 10mm gouge - I like a #7 or even #5 for roughing. In other words, you have a good set for starting out! Someone got you started out correctly.

[BasketballJones]

All great responses. I asked that question a few days ago and AlArchie also gave a great response. This here is the knowledge bank.