Drake tools questions

[rmessick]

I am pretty to know to this so I have a few questions.

1. Do I want bent or straight to gouges and v tools, what is the application of each?

2. I saw they have fish tale gouge. I am curious what is this used for?

3. Is 1/4 inch a pretty good starting point for small carvings?

[Robson Valley]

Based upon my limited experience:
1. Bent tool are for doing hollows, even deep ones in carvings and bowls. I don't have any and I can get down 3/4" or more.
2. Fish-tail gouges are pretty neat as you can slide into a deepened corner at an angle so one corner of the gouge gets right to the end. I have a 3F/8 and a 5F/14. Use them lots. Work well for smoothing out other gouge tool marks.
3. There's a fairly standard set of increasing U-shapes in the "sweep" or "profile" for gouges.
That's the first number. So a 3 is flatter than a 5 which is much flatter than an 8.
The second number after the slash mark is the width, 25mm per inch.
So, an 8/7 is the #8 U-shape and it's 7mm wide, that's just a little bit more than 1/4 inch.
Thus, a 9/15 is an even stronger u-shape/higher sides than the 8/7 and 15mm wide, about 0.6" wide.

There's a major difference in the selection of tools for small things versus carvings 6" wide and bigger. I don't have many ideas for small carvings so all my tools are standard, full size gouges and chisels plus a weird assortment of Mora hook knives (West Coast Planer Knife) and a very good knife that I haven't used yet (The Rainbow Cedar Knife)

Having said that, if I ever got a bunch of ideas for small carvings, I expect that I'd buy a selection of Drake palm tools and not even blink.

[Gulf Coast Handyman]

I love the bent Drake gouges!! (JMHO) 1/4" is a fine way to start but before long you will want more.

Dave

[R-OLDS]

I've been told by MOST instructors/professional carvers that bent tools are the best choice for all around carving. Some bent tools are meant for making spoons, bowls, etc. Bent tools, Straight Tools, fish tails, all from what I have seen are subject to who makes them including the sweep of the tools. Start out with what you need and procure as you learn.