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Thread: What to Start With

  1. #1

    What to Start With

    Hey All,

    What is a good set of beginner carving chisels? I certainly don't want to blow the bank because I don't know how enjoyable this will be for me. I would like a decent quality,. I don't need many, just the essentials. I also need something with decent sized hanles as my hands cramp bad with smaller tools. As cool as it looks, chip carving made me want to jump out of my skin as I watch people do it on YouTube. What would be good to get without making a large investment?
    Last edited by Scott Adams; 08-21-2018 at 9:39 AM. Reason: Typos

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Jun 2007
    Location
    Clinton Township, MI, United States
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    1,554
    Scott,
    your question is essentially impossible to answer. You have not indicated what type of carving you want to do. Once we know that, then recommendations can be made.
    Mike
    From the workshop under the staircase, Clinton Township, MI
    Semper Audere!

  3. #3
    Boy, this just shows how little I know about the topic. I suppose it would be relief carving to start.

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Dec 2012
    Location
    Bedford, NH
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    1,286
    Perhaps this will give you some idea. http://www.fundamentalsofwoodworking...-power-carving I think this would be a great way to start developing your skills and establish a good foundation to build upon.

    I recently took up chip carving & found it to be relaxing & very enjoyable.
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  5. #5
    Join Date
    Feb 2008
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    E TN, near Knoxville
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    Quote Originally Posted by Scott Adams View Post
    Boy, this just shows how little I know about the topic. I suppose it would be relief carving to start.
    Long time ago I bought some carving gouges and knives from Woodcraft after staring for hours and holding some to see how they felt. It was nice since I could see and hold a variety rather than look at a picture somewhere. I've used them a lot. Be sure to get a little honing/stropping kit to keep them sharp.

    Later I got more gouges, powered reciprocating carver, rotary carvers, chip carving knives. It's real easy to go crazy and lose touch with reality.

    JKJ

  6. #6
    I did a fairly involved carving showing a range of possibilities using just 6 chisels. If you keep them fairly small you can do quite a bit of work while learning and discovering what you need or where you want to take your carving. And keeping your investment within reason.
    The Woodworking Studio

  7. #7
    I'm not a wood carver, but I it seems like I need to shape wood fairly often. I have acquired a dozen or two carving tools in the course of general woodworking. What I found was that no matter what you get, you will realize that there was a better order to have gotten them in, and that some tools will end up more useful than you think they will be and some will be less.

    There are sets out there which may work, but don't get hung up on trying to save $30 by buying 6 chisels for the cost of 5. Get a few to start that look like they will do what you want, see how they do, and then maybe go and get the one or two that you now know you should have gotten in the first place (but had no way of knowing until after you used the other ones)

    Eventually you will figure out what you are doing and what you actually need. Now that I think of it, most of woodworking (and life) is like that.

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