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The Best Tools for Wood Carving

The Best Tools for Wood Carving

The Best Tools for Wood Carving

By Garrett Wade

The smell of the wood, the sight of nature’s artistic wood grains, and the feel of the grains against your hand make you feel as though you are in a wood carver’s paradise. But if you’re missing some basic wood-carving tools, you’re selling your wood-loving self short.
 
Perhaps you’re an experienced woodworker looking to upgrade your wood carving tool arsenal. Or, maybe you’re just getting started in the field and need to build up the perfect collection of tools. Either way, it’s critical that you secure a variety of wood carving tools, as different tools are suitable for different applications and users.
 
This begs the question: Exactly what tools do you need to carve wood effectively?
 
Here’s a rundown on the best tools for wood carving to take advantage of this spring.
 
Solid Steel Wood Sculptor's Gouges

Sold out

Gouges

Gouges are basic wood-carving tools that are must-haves for any serious wood carver who plans to complete large-scale projects.

Look for gouges that are 100% steel for the best results. These are among the best tools for wood carving, as they are useful for adding texture to the surface of an object, making grooves, and creating hollow shapes. French gouges especially stand out for being well built and long-lasting.

Rasps

The best tools for wood carving also include rasps, which are machine-cut tools used to remove extra wood from your project’s surface. Known for their coarse texture, these woodworking tools are helpful for evening-out lumps, reaming out holes, and eliminating unwanted curves in your block of wood. Rasps can also serve as handy woodworking files.

What makes a rasp a necessary beast for any wood carver is its aggressive teeth. The teeth are excellent at rapidly removing wood for cutting rough shapes, as well as beveling a corner from a square piece. The steel in these basic wood carving tools provides the added benefit of making this tool difficult to damage. Look for flat, round, and half-round rasp varieties to suit your various project needs.

Sold out
set of three English Made Woodworking Scrapers

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Cabinet Scrapers

After you’ve sanded your woodworking project, you’ll need a metal cabinet scraper to add the perfect finishing touch to your work. These flexible, thin devices can be pulled or pushed along your wood grain to get rid of tiny quantities of wood.

Cabinet scrapers leave beautiful mirror finishes prior to your staining step and then your sealing phase. You can also use these basic wood carving tools to remove materials such as stain or paint from a wooden surface. For an undeniably polished finish on every project, no serious craftsman can go wrong with hardened-steel cabinet scrapers.

Craft Knives

 
The best tools for wood carving also include traditional craft knives. Well-made handcrafted knives are designed to provide you with full control when you are carving wood.
 
Look for a knife with a long handle and a relatively short blade. This will give any wood carver plenty of grip area while also allowing him or her to get extremely close to his or her work. In addition, try to choose a knife whose handle has been wrapped with woven cord, which is generally ergonomically friendly.
 
Elegant Craft Knife and Blade

Sold out

Sold out

Carving Mallet

If you’re asking “What tools do you need to carve wood?”, note that every passionate woodcarver will find a carving mallet one of the best tools for wood carving. A mallet is designed to be used with a chisel while carving and sculpting wood. The mallet’s curved shape allows you to accurately and precisely strike the chisel.

Look for a mallet made from beechwood, as this type of wood offers a uniquely natural feel and is ultra-durable. A well-designed mallet can easily last you for decades, even generations.

Azde

No list of the best tools for wood carving would be complete without a reference to the azde. This timeless tool, which haslong been used by railroaders, carpenters, and shipwrights, works exceptionally well for artisanal tasks like sculpture and beam making. It is short enough that you can use it with a single hand for chiseling away at pieces of wood. And the steel head connected to the tool’s handle is guaranteed to hold up in all situations and stand the test of time.

Sold out

Order the Best Tools for Wood Carving from Garrett Wade Today!

At Garrett Wade, we’re proud to offer quality tools from around the world. Many of our tools are tried-and-true models that have been made in the same way for decades simply because they work the best. Our tools are also extremely unique, as 70-85% of them aren’t available from other sellers in the United States.

We stand behind the novelty and quality of our basic wood carving tools so much that we offer a 90-day guarantee with free returns for all of our products. We also provide detailed tool guides to help you maximize your use of our heirloom-quality tools time and time again. And if you ever have any questions about our tools, we’re just a phone call or message away. We’ll be glad to help.

Sign up for our free tool catalog to explore our extensive tool selection, and order the best tools for wood carving and other projects today!

The smell of the wood, the sight of nature’s artistic wood grains, and the feel of the grains against your hand make you feel as though you are in a wood carver’s paradise. But if you’re missing some basic wood-carving tools, you’re selling your wood-loving self short.
 
Perhaps you’re an experienced woodworker looking to upgrade your wood carving tool arsenal. Or, maybe you’re just getting started in the field and need to build up the perfect collection of tools. Either way, it’s critical that you secure a variety of wood carving tools, as different tools are suitable for different applications and users.
 
This begs the question: Exactly what tools do you need to carve wood effectively?
 
Here’s a rundown on the best tools for wood carving to take advantage of this spring.
 
Solid Steel Wood Sculptor's Gouges

Sold out

Gouges

Gouges are basic wood-carving tools that are must-haves for any serious wood carver who plans to complete large-scale projects.

Look for gouges that are 100% steel for the best results. These are among the best tools for wood carving, as they are useful for adding texture to the surface of an object, making grooves, and creating hollow shapes. French gouges especially stand out for being well built and long-lasting.

Rasps

The best tools for wood carving also include rasps, which are machine-cut tools used to remove extra wood from your project’s surface. Known for their coarse texture, these woodworking tools are helpful for evening-out lumps, reaming out holes, and eliminating unwanted curves in your block of wood. Rasps can also serve as handy woodworking files.

What makes a rasp a necessary beast for any wood carver is its aggressive teeth. The teeth are excellent at rapidly removing wood for cutting rough shapes, as well as beveling a corner from a square piece. The steel in these basic wood carving toolsprovides the added benefit of making this tool difficult to damage. Look for flat, round, and half-round rasp varieties to suit your various project needs.

Sold out

Cabinet Scrapers

After you’ve sanded your woodworking project, you’ll need a metal cabinet scraper to add the perfect finishing touch to your work. These flexible, thin devices can be pulled or pushed along your wood grain to get rid of tiny quantities of wood.

Cabinet scrapers leave beautiful mirror finishes prior to your staining step and then your sealing phase. You can also use these basic wood carving toolsto remove materials such as stain or paint from a wooden surface. For an undeniably polished finish on every project, no serious craftsman can go wrong with hardened-steel cabinet scrapers.

set of three English Made Woodworking Scrapers

Sold out

Craft Knives

 
The best tools for wood carving also include traditional craft knives. Well-made handcrafted knives are designed to provide you with full control when you are carving wood.
 
Look for a knife with a long handle and a relatively short blade. This will give any wood carver plenty of grip area while also allowing him or her to get extremely close to his or her work. In addition, try to choose a knife whose handle has been wrapped with woven cord, which is generally ergonomically friendly.
 
Elegant Craft Knife and Blade

Sold out

Carving Mallet

If you’re asking “What tools do you need to carve wood?”, note that every passionate woodcarver will find a carving mallet one of the best tools for wood carving. A mallet is designed to be used with a chisel while carving and sculpting wood. The mallet’s curved shape allows you to accurately and precisely strike the chisel.

Look for a mallet made from beechwood, as this type of wood offers a uniquely natural feel and is ultra-durable. A well-designed mallet can easily last you for decades, even generations.

Sold out

Azde

No list of the best tools for wood carving would be complete without a reference to the azde. This timeless tool, which haslong been used by railroaders, carpenters, and shipwrights, works exceptionally well for artisanal tasks like sculpture and beam making. It is short enough that you can use it with a single hand for chiseling away at pieces of wood. And the steel head connected to the tool’s handle is guaranteed to hold up in all situations and stand the test of time.

Sold out

Order the Best Tools for Wood Carving from Garrett Wade Today!

At Garrett Wade, we’re proud to offer quality tools from around the world. Many of our tools are tried-and-true models that have been made in the same way for decades simply because they work the best. Our tools are also extremely unique, as 70-85% of them aren’t available from other sellers in the United States.

We stand behind the novelty and quality of our basic wood carving tools so much that we offer a 90-day guarantee with free returns for all of our products. We also provide detailed tool guides to help you maximize your use of our heirloom-quality tools time and time again. And if you ever have any questions about our tools, we’re just a phone call or message away. We’ll be glad to help.

Sign up for our free tool catalog to explore our extensive tool selection, and order the best tools for wood carving and other projects today!

Written by Garrett Wade

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