# Beavercraft tools



## Karda (Nov 19, 2016)

Hi, i am seeing on ebay woodcarving tools by a company from the Ukraine has any body used them, how are they. I have a gouge and a hook knife made by Stryi also in the Ukraine I like them


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## wildwoodbybrianjohns (Aug 22, 2019)

All I can say about this is that the woodcarving tradition in eastern europe and russia is very much alive and thriving, and so any toolmakers supplying this trade will likely be fairly good. Stryi is a good example. They have access to quality steel. Also, one or two-man operations usually care a great deal about their work.


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## Karda (Nov 19, 2016)

ok thanks Mike


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## bruc101 (Sep 13, 2008)

I know several carvers that use the Beavercraft and they like them. They buy them on Amazon, not Ebay.


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## JCamp (Nov 22, 2016)

No clue on the tools u mentioned but I'd suggest dealing with amazon instead of eBay. I like knives and guitars and eBay is flooded with counterfeits of anything that is of quality so I'm a little leery of them


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## Phil32 (Aug 31, 2018)

The chisels (gouges) appear to be made of flat stock, so the tang is simply formed of the same material. If used with a mallet, it would tend to drive the tang deeper in the handle, perhaps splitting the wood in spite of the copper ferrule. Well made gouges have a forged flange between the blade and the tang.

The main drawback I see is a very limited choice of sweeps (profiles) for those who like to carve with gouges.


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## therealSteveN (Oct 29, 2016)

Styri is rolling in huge bucks, at least for a small company started on a dream in the Ukraine. Just a matter of time, someone wants to get in on the action. I know Styri is good stuff, as I own some. I think for the knockoff company to get my business I need to see some great reviews.

As they say about so many things, if it's not broke, don't try to fix it.


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## Karda (Nov 19, 2016)

i can see what you mean by the tang being a weak spot. i don't as yet do any mallet carving but still i would want one that would take a mallet. I have a stryi hook knife that look like a good handle. i noticed in comparing Beavercraft and stryi that the gouges look like stryi mainly the handle shape. Could Beavercraft be an off shoot of Stryi. I don't like Amazon because prices are usually higher and you don't know the shipping until you order


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## Phil32 (Aug 31, 2018)

Karda - I'm also skeptical of the hook knives. Spoon carving and other uses of hook knives put strong twisting forces on your wrist. First Nation (Indian, Native American) carvers developed crooked knives over hundreds of years. They have long handles that allow for bracing the thumb to counter the twisting forces. Likewise, the present manufacturers of crooked knives offer a variety of curves because these knives can be used for many carving uses from flat surfaces to deep hollows:



























.
The round object at the top is a leather covered dowel for stropping


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## HokieKen (Apr 14, 2015)

I've never owned any of the Beavercraft tools but I've been steered away from them from carvers I know who have tried them and dismissed them as junk. I was advised to go with Mora or Flexcut knives in that price range when they offered options.

As I say, I've never tried Beavercraft, just passing along what's been shared with me.


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## Karda (Nov 19, 2016)

i have a Mora hook knife and had to regrind it to get a bevel that would get sharp. I don't like them. The straight knife are great. I got my Stryi hook knife with the idea of making my own hand. The handle on it is short and stuby. I like longer and thicker


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## HokieKen (Apr 14, 2015)

> i have a mora hook knife and had to regrind it to get a bevel that would get sharp. I don t like them. The straight knife are grat
> 
> - Karda


Ditto! I have both the 106 and 120 sloyd knives and they are two of my favorites. I also have a Mora hook knife and while I can sort of get it to work okay-ish, I don't like it. I do intend to re-shape the bevel on mine too but so far, just haven't gotten around to it.


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## mpounders (Jun 22, 2010)

A friend bought some and I had to sharpen them so that she could use them and my comparison is to hand made blades and tools like Pinewood Forge and others. They do not come "carving sharp", a little too much bevel. It took several hours of work to get them to cut acceptably (I've been sharpening carving tools for about ten years). The handles are fairly short and were not comfortable for me. Also, some of the handles had no finish, which caused them to get dirty quickly from the grinding and honing process. Some people like an unfinished handle, feeling it gives a better grip. Unless you are good at sharpening and reshaping tools, I would pass. I am glad that I didn't buy any!


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## Nubsnstubs (Aug 30, 2013)

> Karda - I m also skeptical of the hook knives. Spoon carving and other uses of hook knives put strong twisting forces on your wrist. First Nation (Indian, Native American) carvers developed crooked knives over hundreds of years.
> - Phil32


Phil, I'm a little curious how many hundreds of year it took the First Nation (Indian, Native American) carvers to develop crooked knives. You are probably talking post contact, but if Pre Contact, I sure would love to see one of their carving knives…........... Jerry (in Tucson)


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## Phil32 (Aug 31, 2018)

Good question, Jerry. Among the indigenous people of the Pacific Northwest the tradition goes back to pre-contact times - perhaps thousands of years, but those tools had stone blades and were used mostly for scraping and simple cutting. When they began to find salvage metals post-contact it probably accelerated the tool evolution.

Here is an entry from Wikipedia about the mocotaugen knives of the Upper Midwest tribes.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crooked_knife


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## Karda (Nov 19, 2016)

Thanks for the caution on Beavercraft. The handle is not an issue, make a different handle. Reshaping a knife is not something I do well so I''ll probably pass unless the prices is good enough to experiment with. Jerry back when i was young and stupid I was interested in archaeology. I remember in going through books concerning natives in the north west seeing pictures of curved knife made of bone. Given the inventiveness of these people I would expect some craftsman bending a bone knife to suit a particular project. Post contact gave them material to make a better tool


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## Phil32 (Aug 31, 2018)

Thanks Karda for your observation about bone. Consider the shape of a rib bone. If split lengthwise it would result in a sharp edge with a gradually tightening curve. Lash it to a piece of wood and you have a crooked knife.


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## Karda (Nov 19, 2016)

that is interesting about the rib bone


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## marshallLaw (Mar 17, 2016)

While I'm still new to wood carving I have a range of knives from Drake, Flexcut, another one I can't remember but is sold by WoodCraft and Beavercraft. The Beavercraft come sharp and ready to rock and roll just like a Drake. They are an excellent knife - at the very least give one a try - people that dislike something without actual experience carry no weight.

The one difference between a Drake and Beavercraft is the handles are nicer on the Drakes. But, you can always rehandle them if you don't like them.


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## marshallLaw (Mar 17, 2016)

While I'm still new to wood carving I have a range of knives from Drake, Flexcut, another one I can't remember but is sold by WoodCraft and Beavercraft. The Beavercraft come sharp and ready to rock and roll just like a Drake. They are an excellent knife - at the very least give one a try - people that dislike something without actual experience carry no weight.

The one difference between a Drake and Beavercraft is the handles are nicer on the Drakes. But, you can always rehandle them if you don't like them.


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## Karda (Nov 19, 2016)

i'm looking at Beavercraft. I might get a shallow sweep gouge for spoon carving. The spoon knife I got from Stryi has a flat tang so i am going to make my own handle. the handle is short and stubby. I have lost much of my grip in my right hand and I want a longer handle so i can use 2 hands. Here is a pic of the knife


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## Phil32 (Aug 31, 2018)

> - people that dislike something without actual experience carry no weight.
> 
> - marshallLaw


I don't have to drive a new Corvette to decide if it meets my driving needs. My comments about these tools are based on 70 years of woodcarving experience. If you want to check my qualifications, look at my Projects.


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