What tools do you need for wood carving

The skills to design and create wood accessories and interior decor are worth it to master the art of woodworking. Anyone who has creative abilities can learn to hand carve wood.

You do not need to equip a workshop and buy expensive wood shaping tools and equipment. But before you get carried away with the wide variety of beginner projects, there are a few things you need to do beforehand. Follow my simple wood carving guide that will reveal the secrets of this new, sometimes unexplored craft and provide you with a fantastic wood carving experience.

There are a lot of special tools and devices for carving wood. Moreover, the more carvers you know, the more opinions I can name about the importance and necessity of a particular wood shaping tool. Some divide them into standard and non-standard. The first are sold in sets and can be easily purchased. The second ones are made custom or by masters themselves.

Hand Carving Wood Species

If you are a beginner, one of the first questions that will interest you will be the following – what kind of wood is best for woodcarving? The material in this craft is very important. The basic indicators for the selection of wood are hardness and density. The softer the wood, the easier it is to handle.

Here you will find the most suitable wood species for carving:

• Basswood is the perfect option for the first steps in working with wood. It has the greatest softness, so it will let you learn both simple and complex wood carving techniques.
• Alder. Both red and black varieties of this tree are suitable for carving. It is denser than basswood but also works well. It is very convenient to cut it, and the patterns will be clear and beautiful.
• Birch is a denser and more resilient version of wood. But it is also suitable for understanding the basics of woodcarving. Unlike alder, birch can be deformed, so craftsmen usually create small objects from it.
• Oak is a noble material for woodworking by experienced carvers. But it will be difficult for beginners to cope with this type of wood. If you want to work with oak, you need to have rich experience and sharp, professional carving tools.
• Pear is a fruit tree that has good density and uniform structure. Thanks to the peculiarities of pear wood, you can create the most delicate and elegant whittling projects.

Each master should know all the features of all types of wood and choose the most optimal options for work.

Essential Tools and Wood Carving Supplies for any Wood Carver

Woodcarving… For some people, it is a simple way to relieve stress and relax. But for others, it is a professional activity. In both cases, we cannot treat carving as an outgoing form of art. 

Considering industrialization and a market aimed at the average consumer, the works of art created from wood grow in price. 

The production or decoration of custom wooden products, the restoration of environmentally friendly wooden items – all this is the result of carving, which is valued more and more. 

But for good work, you need a quality tool, which we will talk about now.

Simple Wood Carving Tools

A knife is a tool that no woodcarver can do without. I use knives for various whittling projects – small and big ones. But the wide variety of this tool will make your head spin around. They all differ by design, purpose, and manufacturing materials.

As indispensable tools, wood carving knives must be high quality, durable and reliable. They should have a good steel blade and a comfortable handle that will fit easily into your hand. Thus, the knife becomes an extension of the hand and does not cause any discomfort.

Wood carving knives come in many different shapes, but they all have a pretty short blade compared to a simple kitchen knife. If you cut correctly during the wood carving process, the tip will experience little pressure, and the shorter the length of the metal part (blade), the greater chance that it will not break or crack. The best knives have a blade made of high-quality metal sheets that withstand severe loads. 

Bowl Carving Tools and Many More You may need for Your Whittling Projects

Spoon carving knife (hooked knife). The name of this knife speaks for itself. I use this carving tool for cutting wooden spoons and other utensils, but you can also use it when you need to cut round or semicircular holes and deepenings in wood. One of my favorite hook blade knives is the Spoon Carving Knife with Oak Handle. I know many carvers who use this knife to carve spoons, cups, and bowls. Some use it to create various decorative elements on furniture and interior items.

Carving Chisels

In my wood carving projects, I also actively use various chisels. It is a professional tool not only for a carpenter or joiner but also for a woodcarver. I often use such a tool to prepare a wooden base for processing, chamfering, and applying carving ornaments by removing excess layers of wood. The design of a quality chisel is a wooden handle and a sharpened blade of various shapes. If you want to find a good wood carving chisel set, you need to know all their peculiarities and types:

• Straight chisels. 
• Rounded chisels. 
• V-Profile (corner chisel).
• Bent chisel (bent gouge).

Adevena 12 Set SK2 Carbon Steel Sculpting Knife Kit for Beginners & Professions

This set of tools is considered universal. I like this set for its versatility. It helps create geometric shapes, correct lines, and elements and is also suitable for finishing projects. It is indispensable for creating both flat and three-dimensional compositions. This set is ideal for both professionals and beginners (including children). It contains 12 different gauges, differing in size and the specifics of the work performed.

Adevena 12 Set SK2 is designed for manual wood carving without the use of a hammer and mallet.

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Tools are made of high-quality SK2 carbon steel with electrolytic coating. The carving knives of this series are characterized by high elasticity, wear resistance, and good cutting properties.

FLEXCUT KN500 3-Piece Knife Starter Set

The Flexcut Chip Carving Set is used for shaped cutting on wooden blanks. Here you will find the bare minimum required for beginner wood carving – cutting knife, detail knife, and roughing knife. The kit is suitable for creating complex geometric details and inscriptions.

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The tools are comfortable to hold and have sharp cutting edges. Working parts retain excellent cutting properties for a long time, providing comfortable use.

BeaverCraft Basswood Carving Blocks

The blocks from the BeaverCraft BW16 basswood carving kit are perfect for both beginners, and experienced woodcarvers. Carving these blocks, you can make small figurines or wooden accessories that will become a great handmade gift. Particularly useful are these blanks of wood for beginners in wood carving who do not have machinery since the pliable material can be easily worked by hand.

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In the BeaverCraft set, you will find 16 blocks of basswood. Using them, you can cut many small items such as animal figurines, fairy tale characters, small spoons, chess pieces, and more.

Summary

There are hundreds, if not thousands, of different types of knives, chisels, gouges, and so on. But for a novice master willing to try himself at woodcarving, these tools for noobs wood carving is quite enough. Remember that despite the varieties of forms and types of knives and cutters, you should always look at the quality of steel.  Its durability, along with convenience, is the main criterion for choosing woodcarving tools.

Thank you for your attention, guys. I hope you will have a fun and safe wood carving experience.

See you soon! 🙂