What to buy to begin carving?

[GaryLaroff]

Kevin,

Good luck with your carving.  You bought three nice carving tools but there is only one gouge in the group and gouges are what you will carve with over 90 percent of the time.  The next time you feel like spending money on carving tools, consider getting a #3 and #5 sweep.  The #9 is a very deep gouge and is best for initial roughing out and for that specific profile.  Get yourself a chunk of basswood for carving.  A hardwood lumber store will sell basswood for a small fraction of what you would have to pay for the perfectly smoothed carving blocks at a woodworking or carving store.  Remember that you will be removing the entire surface, so it doesn't matter how rough it looks when you buy it.

Gary

 

[kfitzsimons]

Gary, I'm going to order more chisels after this weekend. Had to start somewhere. I'll look for deals at the ww show and if there are none, I'll order from your northern neighbor.  I also got the two tools and equipment books, vol 1 & 2 by Pye. Just got those today. They're great and so thorough. Just the guidance I'll need. I made my small work bench, which is still limited to garage use (no winter use). So I'll probably make a very small (12x24 top) carving bench at the right height for carving for the basement.

 

[tiralie]

Tim,

The dealer I buy from in Canada is Rick and Helen Wiebe at:

http://www.woodcarvingbiz.com/

They are located in British Columbia, which is due north of here, and I can get their shipments delivered in two days.  Note that their prices are in Canadian Dollars, which means prices in U.S. Dollars will usually be less.

Thanks Gary great stuff.
Tim

 

[tiralie]

Thought I would post these for those who are interested...

Craftsman Allan Breed Turns and Carves a Duncan Phyfe Bedpost

Duncan Phyfe Low-Relief Carving: Craftsman Allan Breed Carves a Bow Knot and Thunderbolt Crest

 

[kfitzsimons]

Tim, thanks for posting the videos. Very instructive. Post more if you find them.

 

[tiralie]

The Isle of Lewis Chessmen

In Focus: The Lewis Chessmen

 

[tiralie]

http://www.marymaycarving.com/contact%20us.htmMary May Carving the Leaves for a Camellia Flower. Makes it look so easy.
Tim
Mary May Carving the Leaves for a Camellia Flower.mov
Chapter 2 - Carving a Camellia Flower

 

[suds]

If you are looking for a carving knife I warn you to not look at the Helvie, BrandantR or Jim Mayes over at Woodcarving Illustrated forum!!! 

 

[tiralie]

If you are fascinated by woodworking and carving then you might enjoy this BBC series on British woodwork from the Middle Ages
This section, is about Chippendale. The last video is actually the best, but unfortunately not much carving.

4/4 The Extraordinary Thomas Chippendale - Carved with Love
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[tiralie]

Some more from this BBC series but with more carvers carving and talking about carving. Amazing Grinling Gibbons.

1/4The Glorious Grinling Gibbons - Carved with Love


2/4 The Glorious Grinling Gibbons - Carved with Love


3/4 The Glorious Grinling Gibbons - Carved with Love


4/4 The Glorious Grinling Gibbons - Carved with Love

 

[Josh Rand]

It all depends on the carving that you want to engage in. I've cut the geometry myself with only one knife, I have never even used a triangular chisel. The knife was made to order and lay down not in the hand, but between the forefinger and the thumb, the middle finger is fixed.https://mechanicguides.com/best-wood-carving-knives/ But, I start advising with the geometry, it's easy enough, but different types of wood, density, fibers will be well felt.