Advice Needed on Start-Up Kit

Hello all,

I have decided to try and pick wood carving up as a hobby focusing mostly on relief sculpture with some in-the-round sculpture. I would like to see what suggestions you guys would have for a small start-up kit. I am new to everything woodworking and not looking to invest a ton of money yet. I have done some research on the some things and read many helpful threads, but I think it will be more effective to get the information and advise I need via my own thread where I can ask questions.

I have picked out this chisel set HERE that I believe it has everything I need chisel wise and is at a price I can justify. I will also be signing up on Chris Pye's site for the video classes. What other equipment would you recommend so that I can get a good start on my carving journey?

Thanks in advance!

-Lance Haire

This is a nice set, Not sure what you are invision carving first, but you might need some smaller sizes. Of coarse you'll need to keep them sharp or even resharpen them, so you need some way of doing that chore. And there is the safety factor, you might concern a carving clove (or two)

I hope you would let my comments scare you away. I've found carving a great way of keeping the mind and hands busy, just enjoy. . . JoeB

OH, start with a softer wood not too soft but something that you can get use to the feel :-)

Hey Lance,

I've just got started in mallet carving, too. Ended up going with Pfeil. What I like about them is they come honed and ready to use.
Check out chippingaway.com their prices are a little better than WC.
Just got the sharpening supplies and on the learning curve with that, too.



Chris Pye is great. Check out Mary May she has tutorials and monthly fees, too.
She recommends against buying sets (and I agree with her reasoning) because they are not necessarily the most used gouges.
Also, check out fishtail vs. straight. FT have definite advantages.

I think watching the video instruction is great but in person classes are invaluable. When I started out with chip carving, I took a class from Wayne Barton (first ww'ing class of any kind I ever took) and and I am taking one next weekend with Mary May.

Hi Lance,
you've got to start somewhere with the tools, and Pfiels are definitely nice (and arrive sharp); start with that set and see where you go from there. I find that 3 or 4 chip carving knives with a variety of blade shapes can often help overcome a "missing" size or shape of chisel, so you may want to consider some of those too. I have a few WC-branded ones that work great.

You definitely need something for work-holding, and not your other hand! Whether using a mallet or paring, you need both hands for the tools. If you think you'll do in-the-round carving off the bat, get a carver's vise (Lee Valley has a nice one, as do others) or at least a carver's screw. For relief work, I just use a board with 2 strips of wood forming a right angle, usually positioned with that angle to my upper left (because I am right handed and usually cut lower right to upper left, if that makes sense). The workpiece will generally stay put if you always cut towards the corner, but you can also clamp it down with some Irving-style squeeze clamps (or any other).

I'd also recommend something to strop your blades - they will come sharp, but you'll need to regularly strop to keep everything nice and crisp. I'd recommend the Flecut honing/ stropping block for shaped tools - WC used to carry them along with a yellow compound stick. Eventually you'll need a sharpening setup - that's a whole other topic...
have fun,
Karl