[cgb]

i would like to request of every carver here to upload a pic or really detailed description of your tool you chose above any other and use the most. i am working on a project and being a newbie i have not yet found my shortlist of tools to make for myself. will upload my project pictures after completion thank you all for your help.

C

[Leon]

Most important tool!

[Mike Ruslander]

Excellent, Leon!
In that vein:

[Woodworm]

Good answers -- how about a master toolbox ?

Bill

Attached image(s)

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[Mark Strom]

this line of response is not being very helpful to someone that is trying.

[E George]

Hello cgb,

Welcome to The Carving Path. Spend some time surfing this forum. I guarantee that you will learn a lot.

A carving goes through four basic steps: making a blank, rough carving, detail carving, and finishing. There are tools used for each step; therefore, most carvers have a set of tools rather than one that they use. This set evolves over time and some tools are in the top drawer where they are always available and others wind up in the box at the bottom of a closet. The key to selecting a tool is to do some homework before buying and always get the best tool you can afford.

There are a number of Threads (e.g. series of posts on one topic) in the Tools & Technical section that you might find useful. Here are a few you will find helpful. Click on the underline text to transfer to that thread.

work area

favorite tools

favorite burrs

riffler files


Again welcome to The Carving Path and have fun carving.

E George

[Woodworm]

Mark Strom, on Jan 1 2010, 08:24 PM, said:

this line of response is not being very helpful to someone that is trying.

Twas a little humour Mark along with some good intentions I am sure.
Not meant to insult.

E.George, agreed, good response.
Although some hand tools either home made or boughten end up being favorites in certain stages of a variety of works.

If you find a tool you have purchased that works very well for you cgb, I suggest you purchase a few more before they disapear from the market.

Sometimes you will find one that is in a garage sale or such and are just not replaceable.

[Janel]

I have been away from home so have been unable to respond appropriately to this question. When i get a chance I will take a shot of the tools on the work bench now.

I have posted images of tools that I use, and the Stephen Myhre style tool video clip shows the Myhre style tools in use along with some others.

E George is right, the tools I use do get used in a progression, from the microgrinder, to files and wider blade gouges (1/4 inch or so) to the various smaller scrapers, gouges and veiners, to the undercutters and planing action tools. Not easy to describe briefly just now.

I hope that you are able to locate some of the threads about tools and tool use that are in the archives. We have had significant discussions in the past. It is good to bring it up again, because more people will have an opportunity to share their experiences also.

Janel

[cgb]

I want to take the time to thank you all for your your responses and for the time you have taken on this topic i have not only gone through all of the tools forum section and browsed through each entry and composed a variable pantheon of information I have also done much research on line separately i have a history of knife making as a hobbie as well as many other making backgrounds and am looking to build a very special tool with all of your help thank you but for what i am doing i wish to know the single most used hand tool on your benches on the overall process of netsuke carving i will make for my bench a tool of every variety which i have seen posted here but for this project i am going to be limited on what can be there so i have turned to you those who have the professional or years of knowledge thank you all very much

[Janel]

Thank you for restating your request, and for doing such thorough research. For me it is nearly impossible to point to the single most used tool.

I often use the three-sided Stephen Myhre style tool, and a shaft ground at an angle to make a flat oval plane to produce a gouge/two-sided curve scraper. For me they are indispensable. A few years ago, I had only two tools with me when in northern Minnesota with my family. I brought them with thinking that we would go to see someone up there who makes tools, and that I could order versions of those two tools from him. We did not make it to see him, but I did use these two tools plus a small pocket knife to carve a frog on a birch stick. It was finished after returning home with more kinds of tools though, because the two tools could not do everything that I wanted from them.

Images of the tools that I mentioned above appear in the PDF that Tom Sterling prepared in Getting Started and Resources: Making Small Tools Tutorials I have the concepts of these tools (three-sided and oval) in a variety of sizes from needle to 1/4 inch diameter.

I hope that when you have prepared your selection of tools and have learned how they work, that you share them with us.

Janel

[cgb]

Janel thank you that was exactally what i was looking for as the concept that i am working on is for travel your story applies perfectly. as soon as i have the tool design put together and all the tools made i will make a thourough pic set and maybe even make a tutorial on the making of the carving tools

[Leon]

I was very serious about the eye as most important tool, if you can't see the way you're heading, if you don't see the difference between good and excellent, etc.

But now I have seen you searched the forum I show you the most versatile tool in my box.

It has one cutting edge and all the other corners are sharp and can be used for scraping. If I had to choose one tool for a complete carving it would be this one (with a little sharpening stone aside).

Good luck with your project!

[Mike Ruslander]

After utilizing your eyes, hands, and brain, should you choose to power carve....I have and am a big fan of the Foredom Tool and accessories. There are many price ranges and power options to choose from. Here's a link to their site:
http://www.foredom.com/foundations/store/s...asp?category=72