Tools Recommendations?

[Martin Montoya]

I´m an amateur carver. Not a complete beginner, but in the past few years I couldn´t seem to find the time. Now I really want to get back into it. I never had a good set of tools, and I´m sure my enjoyment level and motivation will stay higher if I do. So my first step is to buy some great tools that I will hopefully enjoy for ever. Browsing the web, a few brand names seem to come up over and over. Two Cherries, Pfeil (Swiss Made), Stubai, Ashley Iles and Henry Taylor. I also read a few very good opinions on a French brand called Auriou. I´m pretty sure any of them should be incredible for an amateur like myself. But...I have to make a choice. A few recommendations from more experienced carvers will be much appreciated.

Thank You

[Plain_Ol_Ed]

Your going to get a lot of opinions on this one. Most everybody thinks what they have is best. Tools are like girl friends and wives. Highly personal. Superb carvings and great carvers have used many brands. Some use several brands mixed. Nora Hall uses Dastra. Ivan Whillock uses Stubai. Chris Pye uses Ashley Isles I believe. Colin Partridge uses at least a few Flex Cuts. and on and on .... all the way back to Grinling Gibbons. I have no idea what he used, a few centuries before my time. What I suggest is that you buy one of some brand and see if you like the heft and feel of it as you carve. Some of the older tools are superb too. I just would not buy a set of anything until you are sure you will be comfortable with that brand. Like the Chief always told us when I was a kid; "It ain't the arrow, it's the Indian."

[heineda]

Another factor in your decision is what kind of carving you want to do. IF you are interested in carving handheld items like caricatures, or small animal, then palm type tools may best fit your needs. If you want to carve relief, then full size tools used with a mallet is the way to go. I can only tell you what I like to carve with:

For palm tools: Denny, Stubai, Pfeil, Diobsud Forge(very expensive)

for full size tools: Stubai.

Try a few, and see what you like.

Good Luck,
Dan

[Bartster]

martin,


ed is right alot of carvers use a mixture, i use swiss made, denny, and a couple of flex-cuts if i had to pick one brand it would be the swiss made but it all depends on what you want to carve i carve caricatures and santas and use all palm tools, hope this helps.

bart

[Martin Montoya]

Thanks to all for the feedback. I´ll probably try a few things along the way, but mostly I plan to do relief carving to begin with, so I guess the larger tools and a mallet are a good place to start.

The only problem I have with trying out a few of each brand is that, for work reasons, I am currently living in Brazil. So ordering tools from the USA and paying for the extra shipping costs is probably something I won´t do every month. Or if I order from a bunch of different places at once, I´d have to pay for multiple shipping costs. So I´ll probably get at least a decent amount from one brand and then see if I add more from another later on.

Question for you Dan. Any particular reason you like Stubai for the larger tools?

Thanks again to all. I appreciate it.

[Canopener]

Martin,
There is tons of info if you care to scroll back; more than enough to get you completly confused.
See if you can find your self a mentor or some body that you feel in synch with; whether locally or on line, then follow their lead. Find a tool dealer you have trust in, then everything else will flow if you have confidence.
Lots of info here, Little Shavers always gets a thumbs up, but it seems like you are looking for full size tools.
Jim

[Plain_Ol_Ed]

Martin, Living in Brazil, you may be able to find a blacksmith around who could make your tools for you. I know Argentina has some superb blacksmiths. No reason there wouldn't be some in Brazil.

[BobbyD]

hi martin, i personally like the quality, design and edge holding ability of swiss made tools. they are all that i use.

good luck! -bobby

[Peter Wright]

Martin,

WOW Brazil, no shortage of good exotic woods there........ Lucky guy!

Narrow your scope of work down, and then obtain just a few tools to start.

I would think that there may be a few domestic made tools, or local Import sources that would reduce the costs of buying and shipping from the USA.

Check with the desired tool companies home websites to see if they have a local regional source in So/Cen America.

I have bypassed middlemen many times to get exactly what I need without extra wasted time.

FWIW - regarding stones(other post) ceramic and diamond are your best bets for durability and low maintenance. combined with elbow stropado exercises LOL

[Martin Montoya]

Thanks for the advice.

Peter, you are right, there is great wood in Brazil. However, it´s not that easy to get in the big cities. It´s weird actually. City dwelling Brazilians don´t seem to be very much into manual hobbies or "do it yourself" kind of stuff. I find it kind of hard to find tools in general. And carving seems really restricted to artisans who make a living from it.

Anyway, I will look into the manufacturer´s sites.

Bobby, to begin with, I think I will go for the Swiss Made. I have heard many good comments about them.

Thanks again to all.

Martin