Get Started Carving

The profiles and reverse profiles of this honing board conform to the cutting angle that you use during carving and match your gouge and V-tool exactly.

Custom Honing Board

This easy-to-make shop aid is a great way to keep your gouges and V-tools in tip-top shape by Lora S. Irish This article was first published in issue 35 of Woodcarving Illustrated. With just a few minutes of work, you can create this honing board customized to sharpen your specific gouges […]

Build a Carver’s Lapboard

Build a Carver’s Lapboard

Carve in your living room with this simple shop-made board by Gary MacKay This article was first published in issue 49 of Woodcarving Illustrated. When I first started chip carving, I would place a towel on my lap to catch the chips. With chip carving, you should have your thumb, knuckle, […]

by November 1, 2017 Get Started Carving, Tools for Beginners
All About Files, Rasps, and Rifflers

All About Files, Rasps, and Rifflers

These versatile tools have a wide range of carving uses by Roger Schroeder This article was first published in issue 42 of Woodcarving Illustrated. While purists will argue that files, rasps and rifflers, not to mention sandpaper, should never touch a wood carving, don’t sell these tools short. Many projects need […]

by October 30, 2017 Get Started Carving, Tools for Beginners
Applying a Shellac Finish

Applying a Shellac Finish

Easy-to-apply finish is great for chip carvings By David Stewart This article was first published in issue 59 of Woodcarving Illustrated. All chip carvers seek a strong, clear finish that does not interfere with the reflection of light in the clean facets of their cuts. Many achieve this with spray lacquer, […]

Creating a Simple Armature

Creating a Simple Armature

Design your own carvings with the aid of armatures and clay models by Marv Kaisersatt Photography by Chipping Away Inc. This article was first published in issue 47 of Woodcarving Illustrated. Clay figures can serve as models for those choosing to carve their own creations in wood. Wire skeletons, called armatures, […]

Choosing Power Carving Bits

Choosing Power Carving Bits

Make smart purchases with a basic understanding of the cutters available by Chuck Solomon and Dave Hamilton Photos of bits in use courtesy of Foredom This article was first published in issue 48 of Woodcarving Illustrated. In power carving, the bur or bit is the part of the tool that does […]

by October 23, 2017 Get Started Carving, Tools for Beginners
The Design Process

The Design Process

Taking a caricature from concept to completion by Marv Kaisersatt This article was first published in issue 38 of Woodcarving Illustrated. By relying on commercially available patterns, your scope of subjects is very limited. It’s actually quite simple to design your own caricature by determining proportions and positions with models before beginning the […]

Clean Joint Lines For Relief Carvers

Clean Joint Lines For Relief Carvers

Tips and tricks to clean up difficult areas in a relief carving by Lora S. Irish This article was first published in issue 38 of Woodcarving Illustrated. Clean joint lines are the first problem a budding relief carver runs into. If your joint lines are not sharp and clean, the whole […]

Tap the steel punch with a hammer to leave a textured impression.

All About Punches

Add texture and designs to your carving with these simple tools by Roger Schroeder This article was first published in issue 46 of Woodcarving Illustrated. Essentially, a woodcarver’s punch is a steel texturing tool with a pattern engraved on its tip. Just when woodcarvers started to use them is unknown, although […]

by October 16, 2017 Get Started Carving, Tools for Beginners
Sharpening V-tools

Sharpening V-tools

Handy jig makes it easy to get a perfect edge by John English This article was first published in issue 43 of Woodcarving Illustrated. Sharpening V-tools can be challenging. WCI Holiday 2007 (issue #41) presented a simple technique for sharpening V-tools freehand. Many experts recommend learning to sharpen without the aid […]