Frequently asked questions to "Carving"

All of them! The cutting angle should be changed to 25°, because ice is as hard as hardwood, and the tools should be well dried and oiled after work to prevent corrosion.

Carving chisels or Sculpture chisels are primarily used to produce larger sculptures, but they can also be used to produce relief woodwork. These chisels are available in widths from 2 to 60 mm, depending on the cut and design. The blade lengths of the sculptor's chisels vary from approx. 120 mm to 140 mm. Chip carving chisels are suitable for all small to medium sized wood carvings, especially for relief work. The blade lengths for notched chisel are approx. 90 mm. The selection of the cutting forms is less than with normal carving tools. They are also considerably shorter than the sculptor's chisels. These chisels are available in widths of 2-4-6-8 and 10 mm.

We recommend lime wood for carving beginners. This wood is soft and short grain. It is easy to work with carving tools. Small details can be worked out wonderfully. Another advantage is that it has a few branches. Lime wood has a pink-white to light yellow colour.

Which tools you need is influenced by the subject. As a beginner, you should start with larger motifs (the bigger, the easier). Nativity figures and filigree motifs are not suitable for beginners.

The cut numbers indicate the cutting edge shapes. Thus, cut 1 designates a straight edge, cut 3 designates a slightly hollowed cutting edge and cut 11 designates a strongly hollowed cutting edge. The V-shaped blade is available in cuts from 39 to 45, which indicate certain angles. In addition, there are special shapes such as decorative irons for the finest cuts and the somewhat more delicate fishtail tools with a thin shaft.

Straight chisels is the term used to describe a flat, straight blade. Paradoxically, they are mostly used to carve curves. When you try to cut flat into a wooden block with a flat, straight chisel, the wood fibres tear on both sides next to the cutting edges.

All-flat chisels are carving tools that have a slight cavity. This is used to work flat surfaces and curves.

Gouges have a stronger cavity and are used to cut hollows and cavities.

Deep gouges are hollow irons with a strong cavity, semicircular, U-shaped. They are used for carving holes or deepenings. With these chisels, figures are also carved, as they can be used to remove large quantities of wood very effectively.

The V-shaped blade, is available in the cut 39 to 45, which indicate certain angles.

Another shape is the fishtail chisel. This is a tool in which the blade width is tapered backwards and the shank of the iron is only thinly forged. These irons are needed to have enough freedom of movement in small depressions.

The spoon bent chisels, which are only bent in the front third, are very suitable for cavities. The special shape of the wrongly offset shank is particularly suitable for external rounding.

1) Always ensure that the workplace is adequately lit at all times! 2) Always carve away from your own body! 3) Always work with both hands on the tool! (One hand to guide the other hand to create thrust and pressure) 4) Always secure the wood to be processed during work. A clamping device is the ideal!