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Carving Tools 101
Carving tools must be chosen after you’ve decided what material you’re going to be carving. Why?While woodworking tools and stone carving tools are basically the same, the hardness of the material you’re carving dictates to a certain extent the kinds of tools you’ll need.
And here’s another up-front decision you’ll have to make when choosing carving tools: do you want power tools or hand tools? Most professional carvers—although certainly not all—prefer hand-held carving tools. But the choice is up to you.
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The Basics of Carving Tools
The basic carving tools used by artists are:- Chisels
- Gouges
- Hammers
- V-tools
- Rasps
- Knives
If you’re buying carving tools as a gift for a beginner, or if you are a beginner yourself, consider buying a starter set. Starter sets can be a very economical way to begin a collection. They also provide enough tools so you can finish your first project without running back to the store.
You can add to a set with other sizes and specialty tools as you progress.
Handles
Carving tool handles are typically made of wood. Long handle carving tools are about .75 – 1 inch around and between 4 and 6 inches in length. Palm handle tools are their short, fat cousins, measuring about 1.25 to 1.5 inches around and just 2 or 3 inches long.Beginners often work better with palm handles because they can place their fingers closer to the working tip and so gain more control of what the tool is doing. These are also great for finicky detail work. The only downside is that they don’t work with mallets or hammers.
If you’re buying carving tools for yourself, you may want to visit a store and hold a few. You’ll be happiest working with the type of handle that feels best in your hand.
Staying on the Cutting Edge
Never let your woodworking tools or stone carving tools get dull!Dull tools make messy edges on the cuts. Worse, they are prone to slipping and leaving you with some painful carvings of your own. Purchase a good sharpening stone the day you buy your carving tools so you can keep them at their sharpest.
Unearthing Quality
Remember that a tool may look great but be made of inferior steel that doesn’t hold up well.Cost is one way to gauge quality. Often, the better the steel, the higher the price.
But there are affordable carving tools of good quality steel. Talk to professional carvers to find out what they use and what they’ve liked in the past. You can also explore some of the big brand name carving tool manufacturers to see what’s available in your price range.
