Q: I saw these new sharpening appliances on a website. Do I need something like this to sharpen my carving tools? A: No. Sharpening appliances like this are designed for single-edge chisels and plane irons. You could sharpen knives and gouges on it, but they don’t require the absolute flatness the aluminum […]
Keeping up with the old and the new in essential carving tools By Roger Schroeder Whittlers take note: Chisels, gouges, and V-tools are here to stay. While you may feel comfortable with just a knife in your hand, don’t think that these other edge tools can’t perform miracles. […]
Despite hundreds of profiles, sizes, and shapes to choose from, they all remove wood By Roger Schroeder To a carver, chisels, gouges, and V-tools are all chisels. While that simplifies the description, it is not accurate. The cutting edge of a chisel is a rectangular shape, while the cutting […]
Build a simple but sturdy organizer for your paint collection By Dick Truesdell Like many woodcarvers, I have accumulated a sizeable collection of paint bottles. Storing, organizing, and transporting all of them to classes was difficult, so I decided to build this handy case. Done as a weekend project, I […]
From Carol Leavy via E-mail I use small strips of sandpaper, and sometimes the grit of the sandpaper is not visible on the backs of the small pieces. A friend suggested I reinforce sandpaper with strips of duct tape, especially when I’m sanding in tight corners. I decided to color-code […]
From Don Ghee Huntington Station, N.Y. No matter how you strop, whether by hand or with power, the surface you are working is always face down and out of sight. This makes it difficult to see if you are holding the tool at the correct angle. I use a Sharpie® […]
From Mike Pounders, North Little Rock, Ark. Using a work positioner allows you to carve with both hands, which provides greater control and power. This positioner is simple to make with a few pieces of plywood and some hardware. To start, face-glue two pieces of 1/2″ (13mm)-thick plywood together or […]
Chris Pye, the British master carver and the 2008 Woodcarving Illustrated Woodcarver of the Year, has created a new online video library full of extremely valuable information. Membership to the website, which costs around $130 (£66) for a yearly subscription, includes videos that explain all you need to know to […]
TOP TIP From Joe Savarese Brooklyn, N.Y. , Whenever you are working with sharp tools, it is important to be organized. I start by color coding my tool handles. For example, I paint a purple stripe on all of my #5 gouges. Then I woodburn my initials or a symbol […]
From Roy Smith, Clovis, Calif. It’s easy to make a rack for carving tools out of 1″-diameter PVC pipe. First, choose the length to make the rack. Take into account the size of your work space and avoid making the length longer than 24″ because the pipe can sag. Drill […]
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