Not all chisel blades are created equal. Any wood carver who has experience using a professional quality gouge versus a "Harbor Freight" alternative knows that. So what's the difference? Or more specifically, why do the two cut and feel so different? The steel holds the answer. In this article, we explore how professionals Joe Dillett and Dick Belcher test the metal of their wood carving tools (literally), as they demonstrate on Schaaf Tools gouges. The Spark When Wood Carving Illustrated first got their hands on our 12 piece beginner carving chisels, they sent the set to Dick Belcher, of Belcher Carving Supply, to test the steel quality. I remember hearing the chisels passed the spark test, and Dick was impressed...
5 Best Wood Carving Beginner Kits: Reviews and Buying Guide Wood carving could be a stress-relieving activity and a way to express yourself to others. Wood carving or whittling away wood can be therapeutic. When it comes to wood carving, everyone can do it. With the appropriate tool and adequate training, you'll be chipping wood, having fun, and still creating art. Discover more about the finest wood carving set for beginners and find the ones you would require for the projects you've been planning. 5 Best Wood Carving Toolset for Beginners 1. Schaaf Wood Carving Tools *All three Schaaf sets come in premium hand sharpened options - a good choice for beginners with no sharpening experiences, or hobbyists who want...
In the skew chisel market, the radius skew is a relative newcomer. Seasoned woodturners and hobby woodcarvers have questions about this “new” skew chisel. Let’s answer some of the commonly-asked questions. What’s unique about a radius skew? The unique feature of the radius skew is that much of its cutting edge and both of its sides are rounded into convex curves. In other ways, it looks like a rectangular skew. Like other skews, the radius skew has an angled cutting edge of approximately 70 degrees and two beveled edges with a length about 1 ½ times the thickness of the tool. A radius skew is held like other skews, cuts in basically the same way, is used on the same...
In recent posts, we’ve talked about several different kinds of skew chisels, including the Lacer skew and the oval skew. This article continues our skew series and focuses on the hooked skew chisel. A quick glance at this tool will show you that it is significantly different from other skews we’ve highlighted. All the others were designed for use with a lathe. The hooked skew chisel is not. Instead, it is the perfect tool for relief carvers and other woodworkers who want to carve intricate details into their pieces. Here’s what you need to know about this unique and versatile tool. How the hooked skew differs from other skew chisels Its size Because they are used predominantly in combination with...
We’ve devoted several posts to the skew chisel. Why? Because it's an extremely useful and versatile tool that can be used alone or in combination with a lathe. Wood carvers who master the skew chisel find it to be one of the first tools they reach for in their set. Here we'll review what the skew chisel is and help clarify the benefits of mastering this tool. What is a skew chisel? A skew chisel is a hand-held wood carving tool with 2 beveled edges and an angled blade. With one notable exception--the hooked skew--these tools are generally used with a wood lathe to produce turned pieces. Because of this, many skew chisels are sturdy tools with comparatively long...
