Everyone aspires to be a good woodcarver but knows that it means a lot of hard work, precision at work and imagination. For a budding woodcarver, these traits are elementary. However, there are a lot of helpful woodcarvers who are keen to help anyone keen to learn this trade, even if only as a hobby. A random search on the Net brings forth many sites full of helpful information regarding woodcarving for beginners, links and aids to be a successful budding woodcarver.
What it takes to be a good budding woodcarver: The “tools” you need to carve something from wood needs thought, training and experience. That apart, you need a few more qualities to be a successful budding woodcarver, whether for pleasure or for profit. Here they are:
- You should look closely and carefully to take in all the details of the object you want to create.
- You should want to go the extra mile by researching to learn as many details of the object you want to carve.
- You need to have enough patience to complete carving an object until you are satisfied with your effort.
At this stage of your interest in woodcarving, it’s important that you learn this craft without making too many mistakes. One way of learning woodcarving is to invest in a good basic woodcarving kit. There are many woodcarving sites on the Net, each offering what it terms as good and complete wood carving kits for beginners. Here are some links you can use:
- Gimars Carbon Steel Carving Tools for Kids & Beginners
- Beginner Wood Carving Kit
- Basic Knife Set for Wood Carving
- Wood Carving for Beginners Tools Knife Set
Here’s a great resource for woodcarving tutorials: L S Irish
Now that you know all about wood carving kits for beginners, take a look at how to choose woodcarving tools.
How to choose woodcarving tools for beginners: As a beginner, it’s understandable that you will be overwhelmed by the wealth of information and products available at the nearby store and online. To clear the mist on this, consider buying wood carving tools for beginners based on the following parameters:
- A set of various tools: By buying yourself a set of wood carving tools, you can enter a world of creating various objects, from simple whistles to letter openers, jars, figurines, etc.
- Tools made of carbon steel: By insisting on a carbon steel set of tools, you can use a harder material on wood, enabling cutting hardwood easy.
- Inspect for quality: Ensure that the set you buy is examined and passed for quality, so that you can use it to work on all kinds of woodcarving projects. Check that the blade, handle and chisel are strong, complete and will not give way while you work.
- Check for sharp chisel heads: If you get pre-sharpened chisel heads, that would be great, but if your set has a sharpener that would be even better since you can sharpen the chisel heads whenever needed.
- Is it affordable? At the beginning of your career in woodcarving, you need to be comfortable with the price you’re paying for buying a set of woodcarving tools.
Types of woodcarving tools for beginners: You want to create the most intricate objects but you can’t do that without tools. If you want to pursue a particular technique, ensure you have the tools to make it happen. Some basic tools you must have include the following:
Chip carving knife: This is the most basic tool beginners like you would have, so ensure you have it too. A typical chip carving knife comes with a blade about 1.5″ in length, with a long handle that gives you maximum comfort and doesn’t hurt your hand if you’re going to be working long.
A good one would cost you roughly $20 but those of premium quality would set you back by $50. No doubt you are serious about woodcarving, but you need to think if it’s really necessary to invest in an expensive knife one now or wait until you’ve gained some mastery. Before you buy, check that the blade is of high carbon steel and won’t give way as fast as a cheap and ordinary knife.
Gouges: These are curved tools meant for woodcarving. With these, you can scoop out big or small wood areas, depending on the width of their sweep. Gouges are of various kinds–V-gouges, U-gouges and spoon gouges. It all depends on the kind of effect you want to create.
Chisels: These sharp woodcarving tools are used in combination with mallets for optimal wood chipping. As a woodcarver or chipper, all you need to do is to put a rubber mallet on the chisel to lessen the noise and prevent excessive wear and tear on its handle.
Apart from all that’s said above, the fact that you need to wear protective gear before launching into this craft can never be understated. You need to buy gloves and goggles and wear them at all times to protect yourself from wood chips getting into your eyes. Take care.
