knives for beginners

[luciano]

Hello from Italy,
I'm beginning in carving and I love so much yours beautiful miniaturesCowboy,(hillybilly or hobo).
I would like to have an advice about the knives to use for these works;
In italy there aren't many shops on line ( only two) to buy carver knives and the choise is between Flexcut,Pfeil and Stubai. I've something of Pfeil but they do not seem indicated for sculpture(carving in round), so I was oriented for Flexcut's models before looking Helvie knives.!!!!! they are beutiful and I should buy all of them if I could have a shop here ........so I ask:
- the difference in price between Helvie and Flexcut depends only for the coulored handle or there is more that on a picture I can' see?
- considering that for me in Italy is easier buing Flexcut than other american knives, do you think that Flexcut knives are good enough for making miniatures or i must make another choise?
Sorry for my strange language...!
Thank You
Luciano

[AlArchie]

Just personal opinion, but I think you'd do just fine with the Flexcut knives. They come sharp and are ready to use. Easily maintained with just a stropping occasionally.

Al

[luciano]

Hi from Italy,
I ' m a beginning carver and I love so much yours miniature , expecially hillibilly or hobo.
In italy it is easy to buy Flexcut knives or Pfeil but since when I have seen Helvie ones by internet, all others knives don't seems good like theese, so I ask:
-the difference in prices between Helvie and others depends only from the handle or there is something more?
- Flexcut knifes are good enough for miniatures and something not so large or I should find something better?
Thank YouLuciano

[Mitchell]

I merged the two threads - the first was hidden until approved (which I did also - Al must have missed it since he did post).

I personally do not have a Helvie, but have used one in the past. They are good knives. I don't like the feel of the Flexcut for miniatures.

[CarverFromNoWhere]

If ya go with flexcut which I recommend highly try and get a mini detail. I have used helvie and they are not bad, I liked the steel flexcut uses much better. Pfiel does make some hand knives but they aren't very good for mini and no idea on the stubia. I have a huge set of flexcut and I have never been disappointed or let down by them, they come really really sharp and are easy to take care of.
Carl

[heineda]

Luciano,

Helvie knives are far superior to Flexcut. I do not care for anu of the flexcut tools. They are made from spring steel, not from the high carbon tool steel that Helvie, Pfeil and Stubai use. The Helvie knives are very nice, I have and use only the roughout model. I often find myself in a position where I must twist the blade while digging in to the wood. Many knives would fail under those conditions, but not the Helvie. I also use the Stubai tools, both palm and full size. To my mind, there is no better quality tool to be had.

I would avoid flexcut tools like the plague.

Dan

[CarverFromNoWhere]

Dan ya need to look up steel compositions and whats in steels, spring steel is higher end carbon steel with a higher Molyblend. Pfiel uses Vandium steel which isn't close to tool steel, Stubia is Solingen closer to tool steel and not far from flexcuts just has a different arrangement of properties. Helvie not sure what steel they use exactly, but the spring steel in Flexcut is in the hand tools not the knives the knives don't use the spring steel its similar to 1095 Hc in the hand knives. I have beat the Cr4p out of my flecuts and never had any problems with them, used them in all kinds of woods including ironwood from AZ, African Blackwood, White oak all very hard and tough woods.

I would say it all boils down to budget, then it is all personal opinion,
not pecking a fight or anything just shedding light on the subject.
Carl

[CarverFromNoWhere]

To be more specific on Pfiel they use a Chrome Vandium Alloy steel, exactly which one is a trade secret.

[Gulf Coast Handyman]

I have both and use both Helvie and Flexcut, I like the Helvie better.

Dave

[MackTheKnife]

I used a Flexcut Carving Jack to rough out the mini Santa I just finished with a Flexcut Mini Detail for the detail carving. I'm happier with the Mini Detail (sharper than a razor blade and thin enough to undercut for getting out those nasty fuzzies) than with the Carving Jack. On my bigger carvings I use a "Harley" from Pinewood Forge that I'm extremely happy with.

Bob