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PRINTMAKERS>>> Question about carving tools?

Up until recently I’ve solely been carving on linoleum blocks. I’m looking to get into carving wood. Thing is, tools are a bit pricey, and I don’t want to buy something thats either not good or don’t need. We don’t have any proper art stores in my area and I can’t really go in and check stuff out, so I’m pretty much limited to ordering stuff off the internet. I’d like to get a decent set of carving tools, and I assume I need some sharpening tools like a whetstone or a strop (both?). I don’t want to spend much over $150, but I don’t want to buy a bunch of crappy tools that take all the fun out of the process. Can someone give me some direction?

For carving woodblocks I like using a small Asian carving set. They are made for carving woodblocks and are pretty cheap. You don’t need a strop a very simple whetstone will work just fine.
Niji makes one set that is sold through many retailers in the US but I really don’t like them, they work fine to start but I always end up bending the metal. To get started those would work just fine with a simple cheap whetstone.
I had a chance to travel in Asia and realized that the Niji company sets that are sold in the US are not very good.
Here is a different company that I am very happy with sold to school children in Taiwan: (about $4 US)

http://www.boly.com.tw/osc/product_info.php?products_id=1708&osCsid=838e723ebe5d20faf2a92a951fed8598

Best of luck. Start simple and find some tools that you like. Any set of about 5 chisels including at least one V gouge, A U gouge and a straight knife will work great.

Wood carving on the Strasmax / Wood Masters cnc router

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