[jstive]

Iam a beginner at carving and am trying to teach myself. Sometimes it goes good and other times not so good. My question is that when I go to do a project they give you a list of tools needed. They sometimes give you a list of gouges on the order of 6mm #14 I really don't know what these mean. Can anyone direct me to a page that has these listed along with a mark on the cut each gouge, v tool, etc does? This would be a big help to me cause when I go to do a project I know I don't have the proper tools Iam just guessing. Also what is the importance of having the exact no. and size of the tool being used? Is this for overall appearnce to the carving as it relates to the physical size of the carving? Iam starting to learn more and more about carving as I continue to just do it. I figure each carving that I do may not be so good but the amount I learned from doing the piece is really something. What I mean is I can take a carving that I have done that may look absolutley terrible to everyone else but to me it was a teaching tool from all the mistakes that I may or may not have made on the piece. So when I do another carving I know what I should or should not do to make this carving better. I hope this makes sense to anyone. Anyway I feel if I could learn the proper size and cut of each tool it will be one more step in improving my work. If anyone can help me I surley will appreciate it. Thanks, Jim

[Just Carving]

Here's a basic chart for Pfeil tools.

http://www.woodcraft.com/articles.aspx?articleid=396

Bear in mind that there are two systems used in the world of carving. The other system is different from this one (European) I have referenced here, in that there are skew chisels, i.e. the #2 is a skew chisel profile rather than a gouge profile. Also, there is a #2 1/2 floating around (special gouge designed by Chris Pye) that is flatter than a #3 but not as flat as a chisel--but you won't see it in the charts. It is designed for cleaning up tool marks like those found in a relief carving.

The numbering of the tools is confusing, but bottom line, you should be more concerned with the profile of the tool and how it will help you to accomplish what you want. When a tutorial or a set of carving instructions or an instructor calls for you to use a certain tool, most of the time, you can use any tool close to that profile as long as it accomplishes the job.

There is only one rule in carving--don't cut yourself!

[wood-whittler]

i agree with bob you dont have to have the same gouges just use something half way close and go with it. you may like the results a little smaller or little bigger tools does to your carving,usually when the tools are listed like that those are just suggestions of what the carver use's to do the original.

bart

[AlArchie]

That chart that Bob posted is a really good representation of sweeps. There are two or more standards in sweeps, but they are all pretty darn close to the same...not a whole lot of difference, but just be aware that one mfg's "sweep" may not be exactly the same as another's.

Also, some give their sizes (widths) in inches and some use millimeters (mm). When comparing just remember that 1" = 25.4mm. So a 13 mm gouge will be about 1/2" , 7mm about 1/4" and 20mm about 3/4".

One more thing......you may well want to be "self taught" as a carver. A lot of us are sort of that, but very few have actually learned all the techniques by trial and error. There are numerous books out there that can guide you through the basics. And you don't have to purchase them all yourself. Check the libraryfor books on carving. Then you can purchase the ones you really want for reference. If you have a carving club near you, check in there. Most club members will be very willing to help you get started and many clubs, such as ours, have an extensive library of carving books available to members. The club may also have instructors made available as individual tutors or offer classes in various carving areas.


Al

[Mitchell]

This "knowledge" is one of the frequent tips to beginners - learn a little about tool identification methods.

You don't have to know exactly what each tool is as far as sweep and size, but it does help to have a little bit of understanding in what these numbers represent. It can be complicated.

You do not have to be an expert on tool identification to be a good carver.

[Lynn O. Doughty]

When I first started carving I used my pocketknife. The handle on that thing was kind of uncomfortable so I bought me an Xacto carving knife as it had interchangeable blades. I bought an assortment of different blades for the thing but always went back to the one that was basically the same shape as my pocketknife. Eventually, once I was exposed to more carvers, I bought me a decent carving knife which was again, basically a pocketknife blade stuck in a comfortable handle. I still use that one but now also use a common utility knife for a lot of the detailing.

Years ago, again when I first started carving, my Dad gave me a set of Millers Falls chisels. I think they cost around $20 and are still available for not much more. Over the years I've picked up loads of other chisels, all shapes and sizes. Guess which ones I rely on.....Yep!

You don't really need a lot of tools to start out. Start simple and cheaply and keep your tools to a minimum. A good knife and a simple set of basic chisels will server your needs quite well.

[mark yundt]

I agree,,,you don't really need alot to start.Really,,there isn't much difference from a 6/4 to a 6/5,,many chisels can be pressed into service to do many jobs.Sure,,it's nice to know what people are talking about,,and a reference to just what a 3 or a 6 vs. an 11 looks like,,but you really can do alot of carving with relatively few tools.Unfortunately at this point you might not know just what they are yet.The greatest thing you have learned though are the lessons your first carvings are teaching you,,,not how good or bad they are,,that doesn't really matter,,just learn what works and keep doing that.

[Eddy Smiles]

Jim... I asked the same question not much more that six months ago. Bob's suggestion to go to the Woodcraft website and down load their Pfeil chart is excellent. After doing that all you'll need to do is either get a hold of a handy dandy metric/inches conversion chart or utilize the conversion program that comes standard on a lot of computers. And as was also mentioned, just because some authors uses one size tool does not mean that you have to have that tool to accomplish the same job. It just means that the appearance of your project might differ slightly from the authors.... with the difference possibly only being in the eyes of the beholder. In fact, you might find that you like what you've carved better than the authors example.

[jstive]

Thanks for all the great tips. I really appreciate it. I went to the woodcraft site and downloaded the pheil chart. I will keep it handy for reference but like alot of you have said that you can achieve the same thing with maybe a little different sweep on the gouge or the same thing with a v tool with a slightly different degree of angle. It is nice to know that I have been kinda going by what you people have suggested all along, and to know that I really didn't do anything wrong by it. I will learn what all this means cause like someone said that it's a good idea to learn what someone is talking about when it comes to the different kinds of tools. Thanks again, Jim

[Mitchell]

Update:

Some things to investigate and understand (suggestions as I am NOT an expert on tools). In other words, there is more information available than I can cover here - not because of time or space, but because of my skill. I'll throw out some important terms and ideas for questions or for you to research as you see fit.

First: go to Rick Ferry's site http://www.littleshavers.com/ It's an EXCELLENT source of information - especially for beginners (and for the experienced also).

Now terms/philsophy to know:

Geometry - specifically on edges. To effectively sharpen it HELPS to know a bit about bevels - what's a double bevel, convex or hollow grind??? Leading edges can be square, top leading or top trailing on gouges and v-tools.

Numbering system(s) on gouges. The number usually refers to "sweep" which basically defines their curvature. Generally the higher the number, the more the curvature. A #1 would be flat and #11 would be a semicircle.

Be able to mentally translate metric = standard. 26mm = 1 inch (roughly) therefore a 12 or 13 mm gouge would be close to 1/2". 2mm=1/16", 4mm=1/8", 6mm=1/4", 18 or 19mm=3/4", etc.

V-tools don't follow the above system. They are designated by the width between their top edge tips AND the degree of the V which can be anything between 27 degrees up to 100 degrees or more (more geometry - sorry). The higher the degree, the wider (flatter) the cut. A 30 degree tool will cut a narrow channel and a 100 degree tool will be shallow and flat.

Refer to the Woodcraft article Bob ("Just Carving") referenced above with the little bit of info that I gave to get some visualization to the words.

Gouges (sometimes referred to as chisels) can be palm size (small handles to fit in the palm of your hand) for small carvings or "professional" with large handles and shanks. These are tradionally for larger carvings and powered by a mallet. "Intermediate" sized tools are smaller than professional, but larger than palm tools - hence the name. They can be used with mallets or without. They come with straight shanks, or bent. They can be spoon or bent back gouges. Some are skewed and there are also fishtail versions. The list goes on and many of these variations are for more skilled carvers....why? Mostly to save time, but it can also be as simple as personal preference. Just because you see someone use a special tool effectively, it doesn't necessarily mean it's right for you.

You cannot get good results with dull tools. Sharpening can be the second most improtant aspect of being "successful" at carving - right behind safety. By successful, I mean personally rewarding. On top of that, safety and sharp tools go hand-in-hand.

Three phases of sharpening: 1. Establish bevel (grind) 2. Finish the edge (sharpen) 3. Hone or polish the edge (strop) REFER TO RICK"S SITE.

Anyone can add or have me correct anything that I may have messed up.

All that being said, I've seen some pretty nice carvings (tongue in cheek) made with a box cutter and razor blade.........