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Can anyone here recomend a good set of chisels for carving wood and HDU. I really want to learn sign carving. Thanks for any suggestions on sizes shapes and brands.
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I got mine through Dick Blick(www.dickblick.com) I am hoping that I will learn to use them at John Smith's "SPRING FLING" in March at Kingsland GA.
-------------------- PKing is Pat King The Professor of SIGNOLOGY Posts: 3113 | From: Pompano Beach, FL. USA | Registered: Nov 1998
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For carving hdu almost anything can be a good tool depending on the area and effect desired. One of my favorites is a piece of very coarse sanding belt (36 grit) I rip it off of an old belt and fold to use both sides and the fold to grind away hdu. Rasps are also very handy. To remove large quantities fast I use my angle grinder with a coarse grit aluminum oxide disc.
-------------------- Dennis Goddard
Gibsonton Fl Posts: 1050 | From: Tampa Fl USA | Registered: Apr 2000
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I usually have something to say about carving, but my chisels are all Scheffields from the mid 50s. Got them from my mother when she slowed down on her carving. Believe it or not, I haven't had to replaced any of them yet. When I get to town in the morning I'll post the webaddress of the supplier I buy all of my rasps and other tools from. They do have a wide selection of the finest chisels that can be found.
-------------------- Pierre St.Marie Stmariegraphics Kalispell,Mt www.stmariegraphics.com ------------------ Plan on knowing everything before I die and time's running out! Posts: 4223 | From: Kalispell,Mt 59903 | Registered: Mar 2000
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Brad, For price and ease I would recommend either Flexgrip or Marples. Key Marples in on e-bay and you get a set of 12 for under a hundred bucks(regularly 330.00). These sets have about every cut that you would use for sign carving.Sheffield steel too.... The FlexGrip I have used for over a year and like them a lot. Pfeil or Henry Taylor are top line, if you want to go that route. The better sets of Pfeil (also known as Swiss Made) are near 700.00. Their has been a smaller set on e-bay for under 200. I just bought the set of the Marples, selling daily on e-bay and found it a real steal in value. with reasonable quality. I use the full handled models as personal preference, but some prefer the palm grip. Palm grip tools are more comfortable, but are harder to control on cutting towards you (back cutting) Jack
[ December 11, 2001: Message edited by: bronzeo ]
-------------------- "Don't change horses in midstream, unless you spot one with longer legs" bronzeo oti Jack Davis 1410 Main St Joplin, MO 64801 www.imagemakerart.com jack@imagemakerart.com Posts: 1549 | From: Joplin, MO | Registered: Mar 2000
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Well cool info here! As I am going to be taking a carving class soon too...... I am excited!
Posts: 3729 | From: Seattle | Registered: Sep 1999
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The quality of any carving tool is determined bythe quality of the steel and the design of the tool. Most brands have good steel but the blade designs have serious flaws. It's the non cutting edges of the tool that help you guide the edge through the material. If these edges aren't designed properly, the effectiveness of the tool is dramatically reduced. The only tool mentioned in these posts that are properly designed is the swiss made. DON"T buy a set!!!!! Most sets are made op of the tools that sell poorly. My whole business involves carving on a daily basis and these are the six tools that are always on my bench... straight gouges- #5 20mm, #312mm, #9 7mm, fishtail gouge, #7 8mm, "V" parting tool, #12 6mm and a warren cutlery JW2 Detail knif with a custom blade. Here is where you get the best deal on the swiss tools...www.woodcarvingbiz.com/supply.htm. I ordered 7 tools which were sent to two locations and cost $111. That is as cheap as the junk tools that sell in most stores and catalogs. If you do very large carvings, you may want to pick up a couple of larger gouges, but you can get yourself one hell of a set for under $150, AND, if you decide carving is not for you, it will be real easy to resell them. Anybody want to buy a set of used marples tools??? I don't think so! Sorry for such a long post...Email me if you have more questions , be glad to help if I can. Makin Chips and Havin Fun! Joe
-------------------- Joe Cieslowski Connecticut Woodcarvers Gallery P.O.Box 368 East Canaan CT 06024 jcieslowski@snet.net 860-824-0883 Posts: 2345 | From: East Canaan CT 06024 | Registered: Nov 2001
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-------------------- Pierre St.Marie Stmariegraphics Kalispell,Mt www.stmariegraphics.com ------------------ Plan on knowing everything before I die and time's running out! Posts: 4223 | From: Kalispell,Mt 59903 | Registered: Mar 2000
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There are major brand names that produce high quality tools and they also have junk lines, so buying for the name can get you in trouble. Even the highest quality toolmakers change their standards periodically.
I'd recommend calling Paul White who does the workshops on the Cape and finding out what he's selling to his students. You might be able to get some tools directly from him.
-------------------- The SignShop Mendocino, California
I am excited!
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