Easy Wood Tools

I have dealt with wood carving tools from a more advanced perspective discussing the nicer variants. Here I want to get into some of the beginner and more easy wood tools to use.

What makes them good for beginners as a wood shaping tool?

First of all western made wood carving tools are delivered to you sharpened and with a steel that is easier to maintain. There is not the up front work of stripping and sharpening to create the desired edge on them like Japanese tools.

While western made cannot compete with the edge one can achieve with Japanese chisels and knives, as a beginner you do not need the best. Let’s look at the most essential carving tools that you will need.

Please know I am not a representative of any company or corporation. What I suggest here is from experience and what may be best for a beginner starting out in wood carving.

Be sure to see my notes at the end on the steel used from East to West. If you want the better or best tools you will need to avoid many wood carving kits.

Leaning how to best use some of these tools may require woodworking classes. Ultimately these tools are the best way to create art with wood.

Chisels

Most of your wood carving will begin with a chisel of some kind. The trick is you will need a lot more than one. My advise for a beginner is to purchase a set of decent quality and start from there. Learn what each chisel is made for in its cut.

With tools like these I tend to stay away from Amazon unless I am looking for a specific brand or tool. Yet places like Rockler have decent beginner sets that are extremely affordable. If you can get a starter set for under 200 dollars you are doing great.

Just remember it is a starter set. The problems with these cheaper sets are many. At first glance with Rockler I immediately see there is no metal ring at the butt of the chisel.

The handle is solid wood yet the butt may begin to split. A metal ring is nice for when you use a wood mallet to tap with in carving. Another issue is the steel and design.

There is just no way to compare to the Japanese versions. Yet these nicer chisels will run closer to 1,200 dollars for a 10 piece Shibano set. Some range as high as 4,000 usd. You need to know this up front so that you can understand what you are getting for your money.

One last note on wood chisels. You will want a better sharpening stone for keeping them sharp and healthy. Japanese waterstones are the better way to go.

Long Bent Tool, Short Bent Tool, And The Fishtail

These three are all smaller chisels that offer a couple nice functions. The long and short bent tools are the same other than their length. They are good at reaching into corners where other chisels have a more difficult time.

The fishtail has a broader cutting head than the width of the rest of its body. Where this comes in handy is in clearing out a smaller area where bigger chisels may have difficulty in reaching. The fishtail is thinner and lighter than its bigger brothers.

These three are intermediate chisels that can help you transition from the big chisels to the smaller tools. While I would not say that these are a must have for a beginner starting to learn, it will not take long for you to need them.

After you learn how to use a chisel properly I would then recommend getting these. The purpose behind them is still chip clearing and shaping in carving. They require a little finesse but are not as delicate as the veiner.

The Gouge

If your chisel set does not come with a gouge then you need to get one. I would not worry about having a gouge of every size just yet. You can do that when you are ready for better tools. Alternatively there could be a set of starting gouges at an affordable price.

Nevertheless for learning purposes to experiment and get the feel of these tools one does not need to spend much money.

A gouge is used for “scooping” wood in a cut. You can think of it like an ice cream scoop. The blade itself has a similar appearance and is great for carving hallows and curves.

Carving With A Veiner

A Veiner is similar to the gouge but on a much smaller scale. Here you are into fine wood carving for things like designs and art. Think texture, contour, and detail rather than shaping. These are for shallow cuts of a more surgical nature.

The veiner is a U shaped edge that will scoop and there are many sizes. For beginners it may be easier to start with a handle which fits like a ball in your hand allowing more control. If you think this would feel odd in dexterity they are also made with handles more like knives.

If you are interested in seeing the Japanese version of the veiner you can research the Kawasei.

I will say that you will need to explore with different brands on this tool. The things you will be looking for in what is a good blade for you here is more than the steel. It is also the size and fit in your hand. This is why it can be hard to recommend one brand or another.

Generally speaking when starting a cheap set of throw aways is the best way to go. These are easier to ruin and are not as robust as a chisel. A little time will be needed for finesse to be learned.

V Carving Tool

I will not spend much time on this carving tool. It is essentially the same as a veiner. The V carving tool simply has a blade that is V shaped as compared to the U in a veiner.

Other than this difference they are the same. Where the V is essential comes down to detail in carving. Creating fine lines within wood art and also fine textures.

Where these both also excel is in smoothing a cut. If you were to compare something cut by a spinning bit from say a router or cnc vbit to a veiner or V carving tool, the difference is immediately noticeable. When a line is cut these hand blades leave a much cleaner finish.

Carving Knife

This is more or less an honorable mention here. Anyone who does any kind of woodworking has a carving knife laying around. I keep a nice well honed blade and also a beater for general purposes.

Needless to say it does not take long to have multiple carving knives for different things. Some are great for bench work while others are perfect for fine whittling.

If you are a beginner my key suggestion here is to find a handle you really are comfortable with holding and that fits your hand well. Dexterity is such a key to this art and a comfortable grip is essential to that dexterity.

How much to spend on this carving tool at first is not critical. Stay out of the junk but you do not need the best at the onset. With time the starting tool will become your beater while you later buy a nicer blade.

Associated with the carving knife are Chip Carving knives. These are useful for decorative design. While a variant of the longer blade, these shorter bent blades allow for plunge cutting and chip removal.

Bench Knife

This is not the same as a carving knife. A bench knife is more like a scalpel than for whittling. The blade is usually much shorter and its edge more like a razor.

It is a good idea to have multiple lengths in the blade. The longest you may want is around .75 inches. They are great for cleaning out cuts and smoothing a surface. Yet the bench knife can also take out larger chunks if needed.

While I prefer to use a chisel for larger hogging of chunks there are times when the bench knife is just needed. When using just keep safety in mind. This blade can do a lot more to your fingers than it will the wood if you are not careful.

The Wood Riffler

Many people may have never heard of a riffler before. Yet these are wood files. They are made in different ways and have a variety of shapes. Most commonly the portion of the handle you grip is in the middle of the tool.

Both ends of the riffler are typically made to be used for filing. They are great for reaching those difficult spots in wood art to smooth the wood. This is ultimately their purpose.

I would not use them as a carving tool. Consider them as a finishing tool. You could think of them like sandpaper but it being a steel file.

For a beginner I would not say that they are absolutely essential to have. Yet if you can get them then do so. As you begin to refine your work it will be important to have so that you can begin learning how to use them.

As you gain some experience you will discover how they can be used to shape fine details and add some light contours. Keep in mind I am speaking of very fine touches to the finishing of a work.

Assorted Other Wood Carving Tools

There will be many other wood carving tools that can be had or that you may eventually need. Yet the above will cover virtually all the key essentials when learning.

For example there are other kinds wood carving knives, one specifically for whittling that is called the Sloyd Knife.

Yet for many we use other blades as multi purpose such as the carving knife for whittling. There may come a time when the sloyd is what you desire. Yet it is not a critical essential in starting.

Also tools such as a marking knife which is special for its use. It marks lines into the wood by small cuts. This traces a boundary for cuts to be made with other tools.

A coping saw may also be a nice benefit to have. There are an assortment of hand saws I recommend to have yet they can come in time.

If one has a band saw, table saw, or a scroll saw then you have most of what you need already there. A coping saw may be needed for some fine cuts and you might want to consider it as an option.

Of the many tools I would personally look into getting early on is at least one woodworking vise. It will tremendously help you on your work. The key here is to help someone get started as cheaply as possible and exploring a new world in wood carving.

Note On Tool Steel From West To East

I stated earlier in this article that I wanted to detail a few notes on tool steel from Western carving tools compared to that of Japan. This information is critical for you to be aware of.

Typically Western made steel for wood carving is softer. This makes them easier to sharpen and are a lot more forgiving when wood carving. This is not the same with Japanese tools.

A common steel you will find in Japanese carving tools can be laminated Aogami Steel. This steel for example is much harder than we are accustomed to in the West. It is therefore more brittle and can chip more easily or break.

When using Japanese tools it is essential that one stays within the parameters of what the tool is designed for. In other words no prying or hard impacts, no deep carving beyond realistic expectations and so on.

Why use Japanese made tools then if they are more brittle? It falls into two key categories. Lifespan and the sharpness of the blades edge. There just is no other wood carving tools that can compare to genuine Japanese made.

They do require a lot more love and care. There is more work needed in preparing them for use before you ever use them the first time. They also like to be oiled and pampered. Yet they will outlast and outperform other chisels you have.

If you at some point decide to go this route I would first suggest experimenting with them to get to know them. Not everyone likes these chisels. There are also European made chisels that others prefer to their style of carving.

I wished to give these few notes on the differences in the steel to help save some frustration and potential loss before you buy them. It really is something to potentially grow into rather than begin with for your first time wood carving.