[buckbeans]

Tucson Bill
Did you actually get a chance to use the chinese tools?

buckbeans

[Tucson Bill]

I took a couple of cuts with them. They did ok, but not as good as the ones I bought from Skylar. I was really not happy with the quality of the Chinese tools, so I sent them back.

[buckbeans]

Thanks
I wanted to try them. I really don't care about outward appearances just as long as the steel is good. I still say that the old buck brothers now out of business are the best I have ever used. Even better that pfeil's.

the ones from colorado look like the old sculpture house tool. I thought the steel was a little soft for me froms the ones I had from the 70's.

[Mottles]

Hi All, still waiting for my mastercarver tool on back-order. I'm giving them until the end of April--I think that is fair.

Regarding: The Heat Activated Transfer Tool I bought from them.
It worked great after I realized I had to use a Lazer printer. My inkjet printer ink wouldn't transfer an image. So that is a draw back, and I probably wouldn't have bought this product if I'd know I couldn't use my home printer.
So if ya don't mind running to the printer every time it's a super tool! LOL
Kathy

[mateo]

Originally Posted by Donald K. Mertz

Tuscon Bill, I hope that after you actually use MasterCarver tools, hand forged in China, that you will be more than pleased with their carving ability. They are hand forged, meaning that they have some "roughness" about them and a little glue will hold the handle in the socket. After you buff them and start carving with them you, I think, will be amazed at how they slice and carve, by hand powered and mallet powered. I dearly love all sixty of these tools and for me they carve just as well as Stubai, Pfiel, Henry Taylor, Dastra, Harmen (now Ramelson) Sculpture House and Flex Cut of which I have many, because I have a sickness about tools: "One is plenty, two is enough and three is never enough," and in reality, the proof of the tool is in the carving, not how they look, but any way, give MasterCarver tools a try and besides, they are affordable.

Donald, thanks for your honest opinion on these tools. I have been looking at them in the catalog for about a month now and finally couldn't stand it any more. I have just yesterday ordered the sculpture set of 20. I hope they are in stock. I'd like to get them in the next week or two, unlike some of these others who had posted on this thread. In regards to the handles coming loose from the sockets, it seems that if the sockets were heated red hot and then shoved onto the wood handles they would fuse together tight. I believe that's how an "old school" blacksmith would do it. if I like them I will probably buy the detail set too. Maybe I have the same tool disease that you have. Now seems like a good chance to tell you how impressed I am with your carving ability, Whittle doodles....Wow!
Matt

[Carver/Turner_FromNowhere]

These tools are very nice they are great in fact, hand forged in china by skilled smiths from good steel. I am not sure how I didn't see this post yet? They don't compare to the high end swiss or german tools but none others do. For the price they are very nice, let me know how ya like them.
Carl

[Carver/Turner_FromNowhere]

Hey Matt I wouldn't heat them up red hot to fuse them ya could wreck the temper, and that would be very bad. Ya thats another thing being hand made one at a time they are rough, but the working on polishing them and sharpening them up is good training.
Carl

[Plain_Ol_Ed]

Probably wouldn't do any good anyway. Heat them up they will expand, but when they cool they will more than likely return to their original size. My guess is they were never seated to start with. I'd try holding them handle down and smacking them on a hard surface a time or two. If that didn't tighten them up, I'd pull the handle off and cut about a quarter inch off the very bottom and try the handle down smack thing again. It could be the handle is bottoming out before the taper can take a bite. Glueing them is an option, but makes it more difficult to replace a damaged handle than a friction fit does.

OBTW I know what Uff Da means ..... Your walking in the chicken yard and drop your gum. You pick it up and keep chewing. Five minutes later you realize you've got the wrong piece. Uff Da! Or what I'd say when Grandma would try to make me eat Lutafisk .... Uff Da! Really, it can mean almost anything you want it to mean. All depends on how you say it.

[Carver/Turner_FromNowhere]

LOL Uff da can be spelt a number of ways as well a meaning ya forgot was when a beatiful woman walks in, where I live if ya pay attention you'll hear it mutterd under the breath of many men. Hear it used that way all the time at the local coffee hangout. I don't know how thick the steel is near the handle but a possible solution could be to get them as tight as ya can then run a pin through the handle, or use a sharpend cold puch to make a few points on into the wood. Glue would also work.
Carl

[AlArchie]

Granted, living up here in the boondocks, I haven't run across a whole lot of different carving chisles and gouges, just the "regular" brands, but these are the first I have seen with the "socket" handle attachment.

Lots of carpenter chisles, framing chisles, and firmer chisles used in the log home business and slicks from the wood boat building industry, with the socket attachment points, are making a home around these parts.

Are these socket types common in carving tools or are they a regional style more common on the far east?

Al