If in the past post we talked about the basic tools, today we talk about woodworking tools for wood carving. Although it seems contradictory, wood carving requires a lot of specialization and there is a wide catalogue of products to shape the wood.
Key tools: chisels, gouges and carving knives
On one side are the chisels. They are formed by a rigid wood or plastic handle and a steel body tapered. The width of the chisels is normally between 4mm and 50mm, being the narrowest for precision work and the widest for slabs. So far, the world of carving may seem simple. The thing is complicated when we talk about the type of leaf and the type of cut. And in addition to the width, the shape of the sheet also determines the type of cut. Each one performs a specific function and a particular cut type.
The most common carpentry chisel is the bevelled edge chisel. They are elongated and the blade is trapezoidal. This form allows realizing very precise cuts in the wood. They are the most common and can be used for a wide range of tasks.
Similar to the chisels are the mortise, intended for jobs that require more force. For this, they have a square or rectangular sheet finished in a sharp point that allows realizing deep holes in the wood. Therefore, they are the most suitable tool for making slots or scrapes. Since they require a lot of force it is advisable to use a wooden hammer to hit the handle during use.
And for curved cuts? We have the gouges. There are different shapes and widths. In general, the gouges can be included according to the type of cut of its leaf. From here we find an immense variety of widths and shapes. Your choice will depend on the scale of our project and the type of figure. In any case, do not confuse gouges for wood carving with those intended to be used on a lathe. You can easily differentiate them by their size: the latter are much larger and their handle is grasped with both hands.
Finally there are the carving knives. They are mainly used to make small precision adjustments because we exert a total control by hand. If we want to be more precise, we need a smaller tip and we need more time to complete the work.
Our recommendation:
If you are starting or want to get into the world of carving in a professional way, get a set of chisels and gouges. Most include the tools more used and is cheaper than buying them separately.
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