Making a stop cut with a knife before the chisel?

[-JBergs-]

Just wondering if anyone has ever thought of or actually used a knife to score the stop cut line before taking a chisel to it.

I tried it a couple times and it seems like scoring the line helps create a small groove for the edge of the chisel to lay in while making the stop cut...just a bit more convenient or helpful but I don't know if I should be getting into a habit doing this or if any more experienced carvers may feel this is a "bad" habit for any reason?

All feedback is appreciated....thanks!

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

[Dagwood]

just my 2 cents worth.. if im useing the knife already why pick up the gouge? there are times i would do this on spc. areas/cuts but not all the time, I tend to focus on what tool i have in hand not what is next...lazyness on my part i guess but u get a really good feel 4 diff tool uses by being lazy lol

[squbrigg]

Works for me. I usually start a relief carving by going over all of the main lines with a knife before I begin the serious stop cuts. I find plunge cuts work better once you get going, but my final stop cuts are often done by knife to clean up.

Hope this helps.

Bob

[TreeWizard]

I almost always make all my stop cuts with a knife, the only time I use a gouge isif the sweep is an exact match to the curve in my piece.

[papasar]

I find a chip carving knife is great for stop cuts when outlining parts of a relief carving.
Bill K.