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Aaron Buys
11-24-2009, 10:18 PM
I'm in the market for a beginning wood carving set. I've seen some youtube videos and posts regarding the Carvin Jack (Flexcut) which is a folding "pocket knife" with assorted blades in it. Has anybody used this tool and what is your opinion of it?

Thanks!

Phillip Bogle
11-24-2009, 10:51 PM
Aaron:
I may be the only one that feels the way I do, and if there are other opinions, please do not be afraid to be a contrary voice.

I would go to a store that will let you try the tool itself. I think several places have a few demonstrator tools. Buying on the internet (as I have done) is a stab in the dark proposition. I hate my Flexcut tools, but others love theirs. I love my Henry Taylors, and others hate theirs. It is a look and feel proposition. Your tools have to fit your hand and method of cutting, style of carving. If you can take a class that has tools provided, try it. Otherwise I suggest, just buy the tool and know you may hate it or you may hit the Jackpot. Fortunately it isn't a table saw or other pricey tool, that we are talking about.

Good luck,
Phil

Vic Castello
11-27-2009, 6:16 PM
I'm very familiar with the Carving Jack and it's a great tool when used for specific limited purposes. For example, if you want to carve on the beach or in the park when it isn't practical to take a heavy tool box or bag, the Jack may be perfect. It's principle is sort of like that of a Leatherman multi-tool which contains many tools in one unit. It's chief drawback is that you can only use one tool at a time. Carving is a process which in most cases requires switching tools quickly and often. So, using the Jack as your one and only main tool may not be practical depending on the type of carving you intend to do. Another concern with the Jack is that if you are not VERY careful, you can easily cut yourself when folding away one tool and bring out others.

As Phil says....you may want to try it first. A basic entry level tool set may serve you better.

Thomas Knapp
11-28-2009, 11:55 AM
I'm very familiar with the Carving Jack and it's a great tool when used for specific limited purposes. For example, if you want to carve on the beach or in the park when it isn't practical to take a heavy tool box or bag, the Jack may be perfect. It's principle is sort of like that of a Leatherman multi-tool which contains many tools in one unit. It's chief drawback is that you can only use one tool at a time. Carving is a process which in most cases requires switching tools quickly and often. So, using the Jack as your one and only main tool may not be practical depending on the type of carving you intend to do. Another concern with the Jack is that if you are not VERY careful, you can easily cut yourself when folding away one tool and bring out others.

As Phil says....you may want to try it first. A basic entry level tool set may serve you better.
My opinion is similar to Vic's. I use the straight blade and the hook knife blade the most. It depends on what you are carving. If you carve spoons it could be the only tool you need. I find its usefulness much more limited in relief carving. I also find it useful to fine fit coped joints, on trim, after cutting them with a coping saw.Unlike Phil I find the individual Fexcut tools quite usable. I do like their mallet tool better than the smaller Flexcut tools. They seem to fit my hand better. I also have several other brands of carving tools and use them all. I find the Pfiel tools the most refined of those I have tried.

Vic Castello
11-28-2009, 12:08 PM
Tom...do you use scorps in relief carving???

85% of my tools are Flexcuts. I have the mallet set, regular palm set, micro palm set, and just added the skew palm set. All I do is reliefs for which I find them well suited. I have a couple of their chip carving knives which I couldn't grip well, so I had to put masking tape here and there so I could grip them better.

Thomas Knapp
11-28-2009, 6:59 PM
Tom...do you use scorps in relief carving???

85% of my tools are Flexcuts. I have the mallet set, regular palm set, micro palm set, and just added the skew palm set. All I do is reliefs for which I find them well suited. I have a couple of their chip carving knives which I couldn't grip well, so I had to put masking tape here and there so I could grip them better.
I'm just starting up carving again. I took lessons about 30 yrs. ago, but quit carving due to lack of time. I have more time now and I'm trying to rebuild my skills. I don't have much experience with Scorps. The only one I have is on my Carving Jack. Mostly I've been doing practice pieces and some carving on turnings. After Christmas I plan to start on a real carving project.
Tom

Vic Castello
11-29-2009, 9:45 AM
So, maybe the overall feeling here for the Jack is that it is a good auxiliary tool to be used in limited circumstances, but it may not be the best "one and only" tool for the beginning carver. I don't own one, but a close friend does. He doesn't like to be away from his workshop for long periods of time. So, when he recently went on a cruise...he took his Jack and a hunk of wood along with him. While his wife was in the casino, he carved on the terrace in his stateroom, and the breeze just blew the chips away into the beautiful blue ocean!

Now, THAT'S the way to use a Jack!

:)

Phillip Bogle
11-29-2009, 11:34 PM
I stated that I hate my Flexcut tools. Let me be a bit clearer. I hate the Flexcut knives. When the question was about Carvin Jack I thought that was what he was addressing most the most part. I have the entire line of Flexcut knives that I got when I started. I have the full size Henry Taylors, and Ramelson palm size. I have never used the Flexcut palm size, but since I hate the knives, and love the Henry Taylor full size I was planning to buy the HT Palm size set. I do not like the Ramelson palm sets even though others do. I do not like the way they sharpen and do not stay that way. Neither do I like the cut shapes in the sets, would like to have selected what I want and not just a set.

Back to the Flexcut knives. The Flexcut knife handles are like fishing lures, catch lots of fishermen but few fish. The handles on the chip knives work against you when you have to reverse the hold on the main chip knife. I never felt comfortable holding the knives. The detail and roughing knives lose their blades from the handle (fell out). I admit that I may have had unusual bad luck with my knives and like I said to try them first, I still think it is the best. Since my handle experience may be very different from yours. A knife seems to be as personal as a shoe, it either fits or it does not, it feels right or it does not, etc.

If some of you have better experiences with the palm Flexcut sets I would like to hear about them. I like to do smaller projects like walking sticks, and ornaments on woodturnings. So I like the smaller tools. Any other ideas or brands I am open to hearing about.

Vic Castello
11-30-2009, 11:47 PM
I could somewhat agree with you about Flexcut knives. I have 3 of them...the chip carver, the stab knife, and the roughing knife. The only one I have problems with is the roughing knive because the carver must turn that one constantly, and I couldn't grip it comfortably. I put masking tape here and there to fix that.

I have 3 sets of Flexcut palm tools, the standard set, the micro set and the skew set, and I love them all. They fit comfortably in my hand, and they sharpen easily. The micro set is a lot sturdier than say....Dockyard micro carving tools which look like pencils, and are difficult to sharpen.

Phil...go to a carving club, association, or school in your area. You will find a lot of carvers who will be more than happy to let you try out their tools, and they will give you tips on how best to use them. You can find a club through the National Wood Carvers Association. Google them!

Phillip Bogle
12-01-2009, 1:58 AM
Good advise to be sure. Sadly I live about 100 miles from the nearest carving club and the community college does not teach carving. I will have to wait for my annual trek to Portland 125 miles away, to find a store that sells Flexcut, just to try them. I may just buy a small set since that is cheaper than the two day trip. Thanks for the information.
Phil