I started out in woodcarving not
knowing much. I had some general novice
woodworking skills, some middle of the road household tools and not much
else. When I actually began carving, I
didn’t know any other woodcarvers so I was a true self-taught hand carver,
toiling away in the basement in the middle of the night while my family and the
rest of the world were fast asleep, using whatever tools I had at hand. Some things came easily, other things I struggled
through, but little by little, I learned.
It would have been great to have had an experienced carver guide me
along, but that was not to be. If there
was any advice I would give to a beginner carver, which he would carry with him
through all his future years of carving, it would have to be some tips on
accumulating tools.
Initially, I thought I needed to
have a whole bunch of different sets of tools and being on a budget; I wound up
with a whole bunch of useless tools. I
was buying economy tools and judging the value on how many tools I bought vs.
how much I spent. It didn’t take long
for the inferior tools to frustrate me and to come to the conclusion that I was
going about things the wrong way. I soon
came to accept that a quality tool was easily worth its price and if cared for,
could last a carver’s lifetime and perhaps generations longer.
The first tool purchase should be an
all purpose carving knife, not a utility knife, not a bench knife but a knife
made specifically for carving. I personally
recommend the 1 1/2” Mora Frost carving knife.
It is a top quality knife at an economical price. It can be found many
places on line for $10-$20. It is made
in Sweden of laminated steel and
is a strong knife that will hold a well sharpened edge with only occasional
stropping needed. You should also at this time purchase, sharpening stones, a
strop and some decent polishing compound.
Your carving tools will only be as good as they are sharp. A dull tool is a dangerous instrument in any
hand.
The next tool purchase should be a 6
piece set of top quality carving chisels and gouges. These should be full-size professional
tools. If you buy a larger set, you will
find that there will be a few tools that you will never really use. It is wise
to spend your money on tools that you will want to use often. I recommend Pfiel (swiss-made) tools. They are a well constructed balanced tool and
come pre-sharpened from the factory. You
will not be disappointed. A starter set should include a 60 degree v-tool, a
straight chisel, a skew chisel, a veiner, a #5 gouge and a #9 gouge. These are the basic profiles that you will
use again and again. From this point on,
chisels and gouges should be purchased on a need by need basis, or from a
personal preference point of view. There
are over 1200 profiles of woodcarving tools manufactured today. There are
detail and roughing knives, palm chisels, micro chisels, bent, dog leg chisels
and more, all to be considered when fleshing out your original set. Try out different brands, different styles of
handles and different sizes and weights.
Other carvers’ recommendations can guide you but the tool must feel good
in your hand or you will not reach for it.
Remember to be careful reaching for any chisel, injuries seem to occur
more often when reaching for or putting away the tools rather than when you are
actually carving.
When contemplating before beginning a carving,
imagine where the difficulties will lie and try to purchase a chisel which will
make the job easier. When estimating a
commission carving, I will sometimes include the cost of a certain chisel which
will be used. You can purchase one
chisel every month or every two months and before long will have a set which
many will envy and you will have a core selection of chisels that you not only
will use but that you will look forward to using.
Maura
Macaluso
www.carvinginnyc.com
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