# What Carving Knives to buy?



## Velez (Apr 27, 2011)

Hello LJ's Carvers,

I would like to start on carving and I need some expert advice here.

which of this set would you recomend:

Option #1

Flexcut Carvin' Jack

Option #2

pfeil Swiss made 4pc Whittler's Knife Kit

I'll appreciate your time and valuable advice.

thks!


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## WayneC (Mar 8, 2007)

I am a beginning carver and went throug the same selection process. I'm using Hocks and like them alot…. Swiss made is good stuff. I have some of their gouges… The majority of my gouges are Ashley Iles… I would think the carving jack would be more for carving on the go.










http://hocktools.com/Knives.htm

I am sure you will get quite a few opinions.


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## helluvawreck (Jul 21, 2010)

I like Swiss Made (Pfiel) gouges and chisels. However, as far as the knives go I would say that Wayne has it right - the Hock are better than the Swiss Made. Helvey are also good knives. That little gizmo that flexcut makes would be handy on the go but I would want to take one or two good knives with me as well. Happy carving.


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## 1978 (Jul 8, 2008)

It all depends on what style of carving you want to do.

I am a chip carver, we only use two styles of knives. (A chip carving knife and a stab knife)
If you want to relief carve you will need a wide selection of gouges and chisels.
If you want to "whittle", as I call it, you will need a wide selection of knives but only use a few all the time.

My advice would be to decide what you want to carve and go from there. It sounds like, by the look of the knives your looking at, you want to whittle. If that is the case you have to options:
1. Go out and spend the money for a nice set and I can pretty much guarantee, you will not use all the tools in the set. So, you will be wasting some money or
2. Start with one knife and slowly build your collection, buy the knifes when you need them. This way is also pricey because you are paying per piece. But this way you know you will use them.

So that is my two cents.


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## Velez (Apr 27, 2011)

Hey Guys, thks for your comments here, I should specified before about what type of carving, yes, I would like to try the whittle carving, so I'll go with the two starters knives and as I get more in to the carving world I'll work my way up with more tools

I ussually travel around, do you recomend the set of "Flexcut Carving jack" on the go?


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## helluvawreck (Jul 21, 2010)

I didn't realize that jack cost $139. Flexcut sales a 5 pc set of short stuby tools that is about $80. It comes in a small box maybe 1-1/2×4 x6 which isn't that big so you could take it most anywhere easily. You still need one or two carving knives and a sharpening stone. All of this could fit into a small tool roll which would easily go into a suitcase. You can start out with one knife and work up or just go ahead and splurge. To be honest a v-tool, a small 11 gouge a couple more sweeps of medium size gouges will help your carving and make some things a whole lot easier to do.










This set is from woodcraft and is number 814055. I would rather have this set than that jack and it's only $75. You might be able to store one knife in the box as well. But these all could go into a soft tool roll along with a ceramic stone. If you thought that you might damage your tools you might want to get two different grit stones. However if you are careful with your tools you would only need the finer stone until you got back from your trip.

Incidentally, what really makes a nice little setup are some wooden boxes that you can get from Hobby Lobby for just $20.00. I think they are maybe 8" x 8" x 12" or something like that and have a tray and some compartments underneath the tray. They have carrying handles and briefcase latches. They also have one the size of a briefcase and built the same way. They are both very nice and only $20.00 each.

That set above has a skew tool which comes in handy getting into tight corners.


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## Bertha (Jan 10, 2011)

I think the Jack is more of a novelty. I'm sure it's a fine tool but it's not a bench tool anymore than a Leatherman is. I'm not an accomplished carver but I've got a mixture of Pfeils and I like them. My big gouges are all Butcher. Don't forget to keep room in the budget for sharpening!


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## murch (Mar 20, 2011)

I bought a set of flexcut palm gauges similar to Helluvawreck's only with a more rounded 
profile and I am very happy with them. Those and a bog standard Stanley knife will do
a lot of work for you.

I am sorely tempted to get the "carvin jack" even though, as Bertha says, it is only for fun.
But still, I'd love one in my pocket. ( Dear Santa….................)


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## Loren (May 30, 2008)

Go with separates unless you have a need to carve while on 
backpacking trips.

I have carving tools with dedicated handles and also some with
switch-out handles and the dedicated ones are way preferable
in all factors excepting economy.


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## Bertha (Jan 10, 2011)

I'm with Murch, I want one of those Jacks badly It's a great gift for any woodworker. I hope the word gets out and one lands in my stocking.


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## Loren (May 30, 2008)

yeah, the jack looks like a cool tool…. however to be safe I think
you'd have to pull out one tool, use it, put it away and pull
out another to use. Seems like a tedious way to work.


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## WayneC (Mar 8, 2007)

I also have some Murphy knives. They are much less expensive that the Hocks and I would say the Hocks are much better knives. But they are another option. On the Hocks, you can buy them one at a time and woodcraft does carry them at my local store. If there is a woodcraft near by you they might have some to check.

http://www.rmurphyknives.com/store/carving-knives.html

Also, you could go the higher end route and get one from Dell Stubs at Pinewoods Forge. I belive he currently has a 4-6 week backlog. I just ordered a couple of curved knives for spoon carving.

http://www.pinewoodforge.com/catalog.html


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## mrkenneth (Apr 27, 2012)

i have my fujiwara knives which have given to me from my mother in law when she visited japan last month.
i love them so much because its very sharp.


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## mtenterprises (Jan 10, 2011)

If you read more about the jack you will find that it comes in a lefty and a righty, not for the left handed person or the right handed person they come that way depending upon your style of carving, cutting away from yourself or cutting towards yourself. Magicman's advice would be best, buy 1 at a time as necessary. If I were starting out buying new I' buy a roughing knife, a cutting knife and a detail knife for whittling. For reguler carving I'd get a small starter set then add as I go. And there is a lot to add!. Have fun and post some of your work.
MIKE


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## Velez (Apr 27, 2011)

mrkenneth & mtenterprises, thks for your kind advice!


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## Neko2 (Sep 6, 2016)

There's another option for on the go whittling; a traditional pocketknife.

Boker makes the Congress Carver
It looks classy, carries well and has an assortment of blade shapes and sizes. They sharpen up well and hold a good edge. It was designed by a wildlife and decoy carver but I can't seem to find his name currently.

There's also Rough Rider and Colt that while made in China use a nice fine grain steel that takes a great edge as well and they can be had for about $10-20 meaning you can reprofile, reshape and modify without breaking the bank.

Also Opinel and good old Victorinox Swiss Army Knives are favored by a lot of whittlers for their price and thin blade profile (and the Opinel can hold a pretty good edge).

I've also picked up a Helvie detail knife and a Morakniv traditional Swedish carving knife to play around with. Both were sharp as all get out but designed for two completely different methods of carving.

All that being said I keep a Case Seahorse, Colt whittler or Boker in my pocket for whittling on the go and have the other knives (mostly) at home unless I'm taking a larger kit out with me.
All of my pocket knives have had their edges thinned and highly polished so they cut like they should. Straight out of the pack … not so much.


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## Planeman40 (Nov 3, 2010)

Woodcarvers Supply has some nice reasonably priced carving knives. http://www.woodcarverssupply.com/products.asp?dept=23 I like their Mastercarver gouges too.

But . . . * ALL* carving knives and gouges have to be sharpened to a razor edge (and often the blade needs the angle of the cutting edge to be made thinner) upon purchasing. Sharpening to a polished razor edge is an art, but it must be learned!!!


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