Hey there, big fan of this site. Lots of great info for a guy with lots of questions. Why, here's one now: Recently decided carving would be fun. Bought a Pfeil starter set with a #1, #8, and a #12. Then bought a #5, and a pretty big #7 and #11. Haven't used them much yet, but really enjoy carving. I haven't used a mallet yet, as I'm sort of learning how the tools move. I can see this getting to be an expensive hobby, and I don't have any idea how to sharpen them when they get dull. Read a few articles, but they all seem to start with the assumption that you're starting with gound but not sharpened tools. Is there some sort of constant upkeep I should be doing to avoid having to start from scratch, so to speak? Also, how the heck do you sharpen something like a 15mm #11 gouge? That's a whole lot of curve. The only sharpening experience I have it with bench chisels, so the curve is kind of freaking me out. I'm not averse to spending money on good sharpening equipment, but I am a little scared of a grinder, as I don't want to lose control and overheat the metal, or come in at a bad angle and ruin a 30 dollar gouge.

Any advice would be appreciated, as I'm really lost.

Thanks