[Woodcarver] Help again with tools!

[Joe Dillett]

Hi Chris,

There will be a lot of opinions about what type of tools to get. First of all don't throw away those cheap tools. They can be used up as practice sharpening tools. Take those tools and sharpen them, then dull them then sharpen them, then dull them, then ........... until you can get a razor sharp edge without much effort. Sharpening is a major part of learning to carve. Once you conquer sharpening, especially the V-tool, you're more then half-way to being an accomplished carver.

For sharpening I recommend a coarse and fine stone, a leather strop and buffing compound.  Stones you can get at a flea market or hardware store or you friendly woodcarvers supply. Any piece of leather will work for a strop. Buffing compound also available at your friendly woodcarvers supply. The idea is to hold about 19 degree angle for your chisels. Sharpen them from the outside. Use the coarse stone to get the angle and shape. Use the fine stone to remove the heavy scratches from the coarse stone. Use the leather strop, with buffing compound, to get the razor sharp edge.

Lately I prefer the full-side Stubai brand chisels for all around carving. A good choice would be Ivan Whillock's 8-piece Basic Relief Set (also great for carving in the round) full-size chisels, from Stubai Direct or The Woodcraft Shop (800-397-2278).

Joe Dillett
The Carving Shop
645 E. LaSalle St. Suite 3
Somonauk, IL. 60552

(815) 498-9290 phone
(815) 498-9249 fax
http://www.thecarvingshop.net [business web site]
http://www.carvingmagazine.com ['Ask Joe' column]
http://community.webshots.com/user/joe_dillett
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  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: Chris 
  To: woodcarver at six.pairlist.net 
  Sent: Wednesday, January 30, 2008 10:23 AM
  Subject: [Woodcarver] Help again with tools!


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  Hi Ya Everyone,
  Just wanted to say Hi! Hope all is well in your neck of the woods :)   I think I have mentioned in the past on the Woodcarver Digest that I had bought some carving tools from Ebay.  Well as it turned out when they finally got here, all the people who warned me of this were right?  They finally came and are terrible tools.  It is a set made by Hawk, cheap Chinese junk I believe.  The tools are made of very very rough steel which I have found aren't sharpening very well.  I am back to the beginning again due to the waiting and the very poor tools. So I am wondering if I can get some help again as good tools make good carvings?  If so, What tools should I get to start trying to carve with?      Sharp tools being the key to good carvings.  I am not sure which size of gouges, skews or V tools I will need and possibly a stab knife and chip knife for relief.  I don't think I will be doing any large carvings.  I would like to do some small to medium size relief carvings and some "in the round" animal carvings that I have some patterns for that will only be about 5 to 6 inches long and I believe require layering of 3/4" boards of 3 to 4 layers.
      I guess the major problem for me is which sizes of tools to get.  Should I be getting detail tools for the work I want to do for now? 
  Again I am very confused as to where to go now as this debacle from eBay has definitely set me back and have to start all over again. All I have is the very awesome Ron Wells bench knife I got from Jan such a great knife.  I don't have alot of money to spend as I have been off work doing the full time Daddy thing with my son :)
  I hope everyone who helped before will give me pointers once again    
     Hope you can get me started...AGAIN ;)

  Chris Huggins
  Collingwood, Canada



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