Both FlexCut and BeaverCraft make great quality whittling knives and are priced perfectly for beginners and intermediate skill levels. If you want to start wood carving, I would look into either one of these companies.

Still, there are a few differences worth looking into before purchasing a wood carving set from either one of them, so lets cover that first!

Quick Stats

There are lots of things to consider when buying your first wood carving tool set, but as a general overview, the tools are pretty close in overall quality if you look at the tools themselves.

If you want an in-depth review video on most of the tools each company has to offer, I will have them at the bottom of the article, or you can just click here to jump down to the video reviews!

Who Has a Better Wood Carving Tool?

Lets not bury my opinion on the page, you came here to see what is the better knife and why.

FlexCut makes a slightly better overall tool than BeaverCraft when comparing similar knives side by side. FlexCut’s steel quality is a little better, the handles are more refined, and they have thinner blades than BeaverCraft knives.

However, if you are on a budget and want to buy everything you need to get started for a good price, BeaverCraft sells better complete wood carving kits. BeaverCraft kits come with just about everything you will need for about 30% cheaper than buying similar FlexCut versions.

Still, there are dozens of other companies out there so if you want to see my absolute favorite whittling knives you can see them here: https://carvingisfun.com/best-whittling-knives/

What Type of Carvers are BeaverCraft and Flexcut For?

Both BeaverCraft and Flexcut wood carving tools are designed for beginners to intermediate carvers alike, but both companies have some specialties that they focus on more than the other.

Beavercraft tools are great for beginner wood carvers wanting to get into whittling, but they are also great for those looking to get into spoon carving and kuksa carving. This is primarily because BeaverCraft sells much more ridged hook knives and gouges to really get into and scoop out wood.

Flexcut Tools are great for beginner wood carvers wanting to get into whittling, but also great for those looking to get into figure carving and shallow relief carving. This is primarily because Flexcut sells thinner knives that allow for great detail as well as more variety of chisels and gouges.

BeaverCraft and Flexcut Blade Comparison

The side profile between the two companies are very similar to each other and have similar handling. Lets dive deeper and compare the differences.

Steel Quality

Both companies use quality, hardened steel for their blades. This improves edge sharpness and allows you to hone the knife to a super sharp edge.

– FlexCut

FlexCut uses a High Carbon Spring Steel blade with a Rockwell Hardness (RC) of 59 – 61. This steel is very durable and allows you to create a razor edge quite easily.

I can easily whittle for 30 minutes straight without worrying about honing the knife. Compaired to most of my other whittling knives, these are one of the best knives I own for edge retention.

– BeaverCraft

BeaverCraft uses a 30MnB5 Steel blade with a Rockwell Hardness of 58 – 62. This is a good quality steel that both allows you to create a razor sharp edge and is quite durable.

When compared to the Flexcut knives, I find that they need to be honed more often and wear down faster. These knives may be around 58 – 62 RC, but they seem to be more on the lower end of the hardness scale.

Edge Grind

The knife edge on both FlexCut and BeaverCraft have similar flat grinds with no secondary bevel. Both are super easy to sharpen and can easily hold a razor sharp edge.

The only real difference between the two knives on how the cutting edge is formed is that the BeaverCraft knives have a slightly steeper edge angel. This does make the BeaverCraft knives a hair more difficult to whittle with, but not by much.

For most people, this may be purely asthetic, but I really like how the FlexCut Knives come honed smooth out of the box. The BeaverCraft knives have a bit of a rougher grind on the edge. A smoother edge may translate to a better cutting edge, but the BeaverCraft knives can still remove wood quite quickly.

Blade Thickness

Part of the reason for the steeper edge angle on the BeaverCraft knives is due to the blade thickness. BeaverCraft whittling knives are nearly twice the thickness of the FlexCut Knives and can make it slightly more difficult to wedge into tight spaces.

I personally stick with the FlexCut knives for just this reason alone. FlexCut’s nice thin blade has helped me make some pretty nice detailed cuts into wood without any struggle.

If you want to see how these compare when slicing through wood, check out this video below.

Handle Comparison

Both FlexCut and BeaverCraft have similar shaped handles, but the FlexCut knives feel more refined.

FlexCuts’s Whittling knife handles are more rounded and form fitting to the hand. Plus they finish them in what feels like a clear lacquer that still shows the wood grain and protects the wood. The only down side is that it may get a little slick if your hands get sweaty.

BeaverCraft uses what feels like a generic handle that seems to match the economy priced wood carving knives. They aren’t anything special but are still somewhat formfitting to the hands and provide a better grip than some other knives I have used.

Available Tools

Both BeaverCraft and FlexCut have a massive selection when it comes to whittling knives and they both seem to have similar knife styles available. While they may not be a direct copy of each other, they will have tools designed to do the same exact task.

BeaverCraft will have the more affordable options in every knife style, but I think the FlexCut knives are still better quality for just a little more money.

I have some videos at the bottom of the page with a general overview of what both companies have to offer.

Knife Kit Comparison

Both companies have their own knife kits, but this is where BeaverCraft products really shine when compared to FlexCut.

BeaverCraft Whittling Knife Kits

My favorite thing about BeaverCraft is that you can buy an entire whittling kit that will have all you need to get started for less than $45. Some of these kits also come with wood to carve and band-aids in case you accidental poke your finger (I’ve used a few of mine already).

FlexCut tools come in small kits but currently don’t sell a full kit complete with rolling tool bag and sharpening tools like a strop, along with the tools. Some of the knife kits come with some polishing compound to put on an old piece of leather, but that’s it.

They do sell all the extras you may want separately but that can really start to raise the price. The FlexCut knife kits do come with offers inside the packaging to pick up free mail in items or rebates, so that does help a bit.

Full Knife Reviews

If you are looking for more information on each knife, feel free to check out my complete review on each brand by clicking the link below. I honestly believe that you will enjoy the FlexCut tools better than BeaverCraft, but still feel like BeaverCraft tools will still more than get the job done.

BeaverCraft Review
FlexCut Review

If you want to pick up some for yourself, check out the Amazon links below.

Click here to check out everything BeaverCraft has to offer.
Click here to browse Amazon for some amazing deals on Flexcut knives!

Video Reviews

If you want to see a video on the differences between the knives themselves, check this one out!

I also went in detail on different tools offered by each of the companies as well. For a good idea of what BeaverCraft has to offer, this is the video for you!

To get a great look at what Flexcut has to offer, I show a good portion of everything they have in this video!

Full FlexCut Review: https://carvingisfun.com/flexcut-review/
Full BeaverCraft Review: https://carvingisfun.com/beavercraft-review/
Best Whittling Knives: https://carvingisfun.com/beginner-whittling-knives/

If you want to see more cool carving tools, tips, and projects, check out my YouTube Channel Below!

All of these knives listed below have been tediously researched and tested by me to ensure that I am providing you the best possible options regardless if you are an absolute beginner or have years of wood carving experience.

Every knife on the list was picked for you to ensure that you are getting a quality knife that comes sharp from the manufacture, has the proper steel hardness, can maintain a sharp cutting edge while whittling, and are properly designed for carving wood.

There will also be a mixture of both quality and value on this list, so beginners can also find something really nice without spending too much money.

Quick Table of Contents:
– Key Aspects to A Good Wood Carving Knife
– Best Whittling and Wood Carving Knives on the Market
– Best Budget Friendly Whittling Knives for Beginners
– Best Sloyd Wood Carving Knives
– Best Folding Pocket Knives for Whittling

Key Aspects to A Good Wood Carving Knife

Before we start, there are 3 very important things to consider when buying a good wood carving knife; blade length, blade shape, and steel hardness. These factors alone can actually make or break your entire carving experience.

– Blade Length

The ideal whittling and wood carving knife blade length is between 1-1/4 to 2 inches in length (30 to 50mm) with most people desiring a 1-3/4 inch blade (45mm). This is important as if the blade is too long it is harder to add fine details with, if it is too short, it cant remove a lot of wood.

The exception is a sloyd style knife, which is typically longer and curved to remove larger pieces of wood at a time. These are typically between 2 inches and 3-1/2 inches in length (50 to 90mm).

– Blade Style

Then there is the blade style itself, you will see primarily 2 styles of knives; upswept blades and straight blades.

The straight blades basically have a flat cutting edge, and this is where I generally point beginners to first as the edge is easy to maintain and you know where the point is at any given time for detail work.

Upswept blades, or just curved cutting edges in general, have a wonderful benefit of naturally slicing through the wood when using them and making it easier to cut through the wood. However, the curved edge requires some technique for maintaining and the tip may be a little harder to use for detail work.

– Steel Hardness

While you can use most any knife for whittling, steel hardness plays a key factor in maintaining a super sharp cutting edge while using your wood carving tools.

For reference, I will be using Rockwell Hardness (HRC) to judge the steel hardness. Ideally, you want a HRC between 58 and 62. Any less than 58 and the cutting edge will wear out quickly, but any more than 62 and the edge becomes too brittle and may chip during use. For more information, check out my page on whittling knife hardness here:
https://carvingisfun.com/whittling-knife-hardness/

Best Whittling and Wood Carving Knives on the Market

The first several knives on this list are what I believe are the absolute best whittling and wood carving knives currently on the market. These are considered by experienced whittlers and wood carvers alike to be premium whittling knives that are hand made with meticulous attention to detail and decades of experience.

However, as of 2024 there are some on here with long wait times due to popularity, being made by hand, and life disruptions. I will make notes of these so you are made aware.

But still, you will be hard pressed to find better knives than these anywhere. Seriously, if you want the best, this is it. I have bought knives from about 20 other companies that didn’t make it to this list, nobody is paying me to say anything, and I don’t get a commission from anyone not on Amazon (which is the entirety of this section).

– Deepwoods Ventures

First on my list is Deepwoods Ventures! These knives not only look great, but are made with amazing quality control. I can always find exactly the type of knife I need from them at any time and am always satisfied with the result.

These knives come in a wide variety of different blade styles to fit almost any wood carving need, including tools for spoon carvers. So, if you need a good thin detail knife or you like your knives to have some strength to them and look good, Deepwoods Ventures is the way to go!

Many beginners and experienced carvers alike may get nervous when using a super thin blade like Helvie or Drake knives, but Deepwoods Ventures provides options for both thin details and tough roughing knives for a one stop shop!

Not only that, you can upgrade the handles on most any knife for a little more money to a more premium wood handle for extra beauty and uniqueness to may anyone jealous of your knife collection.

Some people may find that the flatter handles on their regular wood carving knaves to be a little uncomfortable or awkward if swapping back and forth between different knife sets. You will eventually find that they naturally fit into the palm of your hand and are easy to curl your fingers around after some use. So stick to Deepwoods for your entire toolbox and you will be a happy camper!

To pick up your Deepwoods Ventures knife, check out their website below:
https://deepwoodsventures.com
If you want a good beginner kit, complete with leather strop, I highly recommend their Level 2 Beginning Carving Set.

– Silvern Works

A relatively new option that is just as good as the others on this list are the knives from Silvern Works. These knives have a well shaped blade and a selection of comfortable handles to choose from!

Since they are just starting out, they only have a few varieties of blade and handle options available but all of them are the right sizes and shapes for just about anyone looking to have a great whittling knife available.

The blade size, shape, edge, and thickness are all ideal for working with basswood and even work great when carving cherry and walnut. Everything from the blade to the handles are well thought out and are perfect for anyone looking for a quality made whittling knife!

Silvern Works is still relatively new to the scene and have plans for future growth with different blade shapes and tool options in the future.

This is definitely a brand to keep an eye on and will be a great addition to the other hand crafted knives on this list. I highly recommend their tools and have had nothing but great experiences using the knives.

You can pick yours up from their website: https://www.silvernworks.com/shop/

– Lee Ferguson Knives

If you are looking for a classy and well made whittling knife, Lee Ferguson will be the perfect fit for you!

Lee Ferguson makes some excellent knives and has a few beautifully crafted wood carving knives available for purchase.

From tip of the blade to the end of the handle, Lee Ferguson wood carving knives are quality knives for an amazing price! The nice and thin blade allow you to make super precise cuts and the smooth rosewood handles are very comfortable to hold for hours on end.

If you are looking for an elegant and effective hand crafted whittling knife, you won’t be able to beat the Lee Ferguson knife prices for what you are getting.

The only thing you may want to be aware of is the handles are on the slender side, so users with bigger hands may find them to be a little small.

You can pick up your knives directly from his website at FergusonKnives.com

– Helvie Knives

If you are looking for what many consider to be the pinnacle of premium whittling and wood carving knives, Helvie is the way to go.

I did move this one down on the list due to availability and an 18 month+ waitlist. Plus, at this time, one of the people running the company is experiencing serious health issues and are currently halting new orders. You can see updates on their home page here: https://helvieknives.com/

Still, if you have one of these, you have my absolute favorite knives out there!

I personally love my Helvie knives and believe that they are, without a doubt in my mind, the best wood carving tools that I own. They come right to you with a professionally honed, razor sharp, blade and just hold their edge for a long time.

The only issue you may run across is that because the are so sought after there is a hefty wait list and, as of today, is over 18 months. If you are willing to be patient, they are absolutely worth it.

To pick up your Helvie knife, check out their website below:
https://helvieknives.com/

– Drake Knives

For the price, Drake knives are very hard to beat. They are exceptionally well made tools that are beautifully crafted from tip to handle.

I did move this one down on the list due to availability and an 8 month+ waitlist. Also, the main person running the company recently passed away and his family is stepping in to continue his work.

Regardless, if you want a classy whittling knife designed to last, Drake knives are hard to beat!

Without a doubt, these knives just ooze “premium” when you hold them in your hands. They are smooth, comfortable to hold, and easily cut through woods like basswood.

These knives are some of my favorite tools on the market to day and all knives are made to order. You also get different types of wood handles with each knife, making every one of your tools a unique work of art on its own!

Since these knives are all made to order, there may be a 2-3 week wait time, depending upon how busy they are and how complex the knife is to make. Still, they are very much worth the wait and are perfect for experienced carvers.

The only things you may want to keep an eye on is the fine tip on the detail knives as they can be damaged if improperly handled. If you are going to do roughouts, I highly suggest the Gil Special for any major cuts and only use the detail knives for fine detail work.

Also, the original maker of the knives has recently passed away but his family is keeping the company going. There is a long wait time on the tools as they are made by hand, which is about 6 to 8 months as of today, so if you are patient these are wonderful knives to have in your toolbox!

To pick up your Drake Knife, check out their website below:
https://drake-knives.myshopify.com/

Best Budget Friendly Whittling Knives for Beginners

– Schaaf Tools 5 Piece Carving Set

This is a new addition to the wood carving market, but I absolutely love this set. I love it so much I bought 2 of them!

Schaaf Tools decided to shake up the whole market with this one. You get really nice steel quality, good and super sharp cutting edges, comfortable handles, an ideal spread of tools for beginners, and a nice tool wrap to put them in.

I’m telling you now, you will not find a better value beginner set for wood carving and spoon carving than this set from Schaaf Tools. End of story, go buy it, just do it. Here’s the link to pick one up for yourself: https://amzn.to/3VOt4yb

– Flexcut Carving Knives

Quite a few of you coming to this page are beginners who are looking for a nice set of knives to star your whittling hobby off right, so these next few knives are going to be your best options for a cost effective price that will last you for many many years to come.

The best and easiest whittling knives to find on the market right now are Flexcut wood carving knives!

If you look up whittling knives on the internet, Flexcut will be one of the most prolific brands available and can be purchased at many different retail outlets that sell wood carving tools.

Flexcut offers a wide variety of different tools to fit just about any wood carving need at a great price. That combined with their excellent steel quality and handle finish, makes it a hard tool to pass up.

These knives are quality made, mass produced wood carving tools that are sharp and ready to use right when from the beginning. Not only that, they sell knife sets and kits to get beginners started off right with properly balanced tools that complement each other. If you want to see my full review, click the link below:
https://carvingisfun.com/flexcut-review/

For the price of the Flexcut tools, they are really hard to beat and are good enough to be the only knives you will need for whittling! If you want to pick up a great starter kit, check out the Flexcut Beginner Knife and Palm set on Amazon: https://amzn.to/37z3XrY

But if you just need a single knife for an all purpose whittling knife, the Flexcut Roughing Knife will satisfy almost all of your whittling needs: https://amzn.to/3PWJq3X

– OCC Tools

For a whittling knife with that hand crafted feel at an affordable price, look no further than OCC Tools!

OCC Tools makes some very well crafted whittling and wood carving knives to fit just about any occasion. Each tool comes with a super sharp and well made blade that is perfectly suited for beginners to experts.

Each OCC tool is hand crafted and made specifically for wood carving. You can find a wide variety of different blade shapes and lengths matched with a wide variety of different handles to fit just about any carvers needs.

The only real complaint that I hear from people is the slightly blocky shape to the handle. Because of the affordable cost of the hand crafted knife, the handle isn’t as refined as many other hand crafted knives but they are still comfortable enough to use for hours at a time. For my full review, click the link below:
https://carvingisfun.com/occ-knife-review/

These knives are primarily sold at smaller and more specialized wood carving stores, here are a list of my favorite places to buy them:
TreelineUSA.com
TheWoodcractShop.com
MountainWoodcarvers.com

If you live in Canada, check out ChippingAway.com

If you want to get into whittling and wood carving but don’t have the budget for some of the more expensive knives, there are a few great options that perform really well at a great price!

– BeaverCraft Wood Carving Tools

When it comes to the bare basics for what you need for a decent whittling knife, Beavercraft has you covered.

These knives may be on the cheaper end of the spectrum, but they shouldn’t be overlooked if you need a decent whittling knife at a good price.

BeaverCraft wood carving tools are a great stepping stone into whittling and wood carving. They have a large selection of different tools to choose from and sell complete wood carving kits that provide you with the tools you need, a way to maintain those tools, plus a way to store them for under $45.

These tools are more on the simple side with a basic wood handle, slightly thicker blade, and no frills design. Even then, they come razor sharp right out of the box and allow you to get started carving right then and there.

One of the only things that I wasn’t fond of with the BeaverCraft knives are the blade thicknesses on most of their tools. They are a little thicker than your standard knives like Flexcut, but even then this makes them ideal for beginners as they are less likely to be damaged from misuse.

If you want to get started whittling with everything you need (minus carving gloves) check out BeaverCraft’s Whittling and Woodcarving kit on Amazon at an amazing price: https://amzn.to/3LXaonG

Best Sloyd Wood Carving Knives

Some of you may just need a tool that can easily remove large sections of wood quickly, and that’s where sloyd knives come in to play. These are typically longer bladed knives with thicker blades and a full tang so you can put some power behind your cuts. These are exceptionally handy for roughing out wood to carve.

– Flexcut Sloyd Knives

My overall favorite sloyd knives on the market are hands down the Flexcut variants. They are more expensive but have excellent edge retention and feel great in the hands.

If you are looking for an absolute workhorse of a sloyd knife made with quality steel, the Flexcut knives are a great option.

The Flexcut Sloyd Knife (KN50) and Stub Sloyd (KN53) are exceptional quality knives that are made to last a lifetime! The edge retention is superb and overall design is top notch. If you are looking for that one and only sloyd knife that will last, grab a Flexcut Sloyd knife.

Like I mentioned, these are slightly more expensive knives than some other variants on the market, but for me they are worth every penny.

Possibly, the only real complaint that I have is the Stub Sloyd does not currently come with a sheath, which Flexcut sells separately for $17 to $20. However the regular sloyd knife does come with a sheath, but costs a little more than the stub sloyd by itself.

If you want to pick up your own Flexcut Sloyd knife, check out Amazon for some great prices:
Stub Sloyd – https://amzn.to/375H4wy
Regular Sloyd – https://amzn.to/3LQffGY

– Mora Carving Knives

For a quality sloyd knife at a much more affordable price, look no further than Morakaniv (Mora) Knives!

Mora knives come at a very affordable price and come with a basic sheath to protect the knife for storage and make them easy to carry with you.

Without a doubt, Mora Knives are the the best choice for an affordable yet quality wood carving knife on the market. With its laminated high carbon steel blade, full tang blade, and comfortable handle, you will have all of your sloyd knife needs fulfilled with a Mora Knife.

My only real complaint about these knives are the laminated steel itself. The core of the blade is made of high carbon steel, but the thin outer laminated layer is made of a slightly softer steel lamination. This can sometimes lead to the edge dulling out with heavy use. Even then, it is easy to sharpen back to a nice razor edge in no time at all.

To pick up your Mora knives, check out Amazon for the best prices:
Mora 106 (longer) – https://amzn.to/3rjZ9hg
Mora 120 (shorter) – https://amzn.to/3xjg7zW
Mora 122 (flat edge) – https://amzn.to/3KCgqK3

Best Folding Pocket Knives for Whittling

For many of you, the whittling knife will have to be portable as you will primarily whittle while camping or just on the go in general. This is where a dedicated and quality folding knife that you can just put in your pocket and whittle wherever you want will be ideal.

– Great Eastern Cutlery (Farm and Field)

One of my favorite whittling pocket knives currently on the market is the Great Eastern Cutlery #62 Pocket Carver (Farm and Field variant). This knife is a little on the pricey end and can be hard to find, but is an amazing pocket knife for what you are getting!

Great Eastern Cutlery (GEC) is known for making quality, hand crafted knives, and with their Field and Stream varieties, you get their quality blades at a more affordable price!

The GEC #62 Pocket Carver is an exceptional whittling pocket knife that is pretty well thought out in design. You get three blades in total with two of them being identical so if one starts going dull on you, just switch to the other identical blade and keep carving!

Even in its simplified version with the Farm and Field logo, you are getting a quality knife that will last you a lifetime. Compared to the collectable, more expensive versions, these were definitely designed to be used every day without any remorse.

If you do get the #62 Pocket Carver, I do recommended grinding back the bevel on the cutting edge for a smaller edge angel. This will make the knife cut through wood just a little bit easier and improve your overall experience.

To pick up your GEC, check out Ebay for the best prices by clicking here.

– Flexcut Detail Jack

If you want what I consider to be the best and most easiest to find dedicated whittling pocket knife available today, it will be The Flexcut Detail Jack. This knife has a permanent home in my traveling wood carving kit

The Flexcut pocket knives use the same quality steel as their regular pocket knives and put them in a compact and portable pocket knife.

If you are looking for a versatile, quality made, whittling pocket knife look no further than the Flexcut Detail Jack. With this excellent folding whittling knife, you get a locking blade and a wonderful knife to both shape the wood and add small details with!

Flexcut makes great knives that are purpose built for whittling and wood carving. These tools are affordable and are most likely exactly what you are looking for!

If you want to pickup your own Flexcut Detail Jack, check out Amazon for the best prices: https://amzn.to/43WGv15

– Mastercarver

If you are looking for a more traditional, single blade pocket knife with a locking blade, Give the MasterCarver Pocket Whittler 2 a shot!

The MasterCarver Pocket Whittler 2 has that classic look, beautiful curves, and purpose built blade to make any experienced whittler jealous.

For those of you who need a locking blade for their carving knife, the MasterCarver Pocket Whittler 2 will be one of the best options on the market today! With its properly hardened 440C steel blade combined with its classy good looks, this will be a hard knife to beat for the price!

Just holding this knife in your hands is impressive on its own as it is finished smooth to fit in your hands without any strange or sharp points bumping into your hands. This is indeed a fine tool that is designed to last.

To buy yours, check out Amazon for the best price here: https://amzn.to/3jseGHj

More Woodcarving Tips

If you are new to whittling and are looking for a place to get started, check out my one stop resource for whittling and woodcarving at https://carvingisfun.com/Whittling/

This is also a cheap way to build the basic motor skills and understand how to cut into the wood by hand as you aren’t making anything large and using a lot of wood.

Supplies Needed to Carve a Chess Set

In order to carve a complete chess set shown below you will need the following tools and supplies:

• 24 small blocks of basswood or dowel (1″ x 1″ x 2″)
• 8 larger blocks of basswood or dowel (1″ x 1″ x4″)
• A 16″ x 16″ sheet of wood for the board
• A sharp wood carving knife
• A leather strop to keep the knife honed
• paints or stains to color the chess pieces

Carving Pawns

If you are new to whittling or wood carving, I would start by making all of the pawns first before moving on to carving the rest of the chess set. This way you have an easy and repetitive process to practice so you can become more comfortable with the knife and wood.

To make all the pawns for a chess board, you will need to make 16 pawns, which will require 16 blocks of wood cut to 1″x1″x2″ or 16 1″ diameter dowels cut to 2″ in length.

Step 1

• Start off by taking your 1″x1″x2″ block of wood and turning it into a dowel or cutting your dowel to 2″ in length
• Then draw on your lines with a pencil as shown on the left

Step 2

• Start carving from the bottom line upwards and ending at the second line from the bottom.
• For best results, carve at a 25 to 35 degree angle. If you cut too steep, the center will be too thin and brittle.

Step 3

• Starting from the middle line and the top line, cut towards the middle of the two lines as evenly as possible.

Step 4

• Turn the top portion of the carving into a sphere by first creating an octahedron and cutting off the corners.
• When you are done, finish with the color stain or paint of your choice and repeat until all pieces have been made.

Pawn Video Instructions

Carving Rooks

Once you have finished carving pawns and mastered working with the wood, it’s time to move on to carving the rooks. These are just as simple as the pawns and will be quick to make.

To make all the rooks for a chess board, you will need to make 4 rooks, which will require 4 blocks of wood cut to 1″x1″x2″ or 4 1″ diameter dowels cut to 2″ in length.

Step 1

• Start off by taking your 1″x1″x2″ block of wood and turning it into a dowel or cutting your dowel to 2″ in length
• Then draw on your lines with a pencil as shown on the left.

Step 2

• Start carving from the line second from the bottom downwards and ending at the bottom.
• Try not to go down past the line or the base of the piece will be too thin. You can always stop before the line if needed.
• For best results, carve at a 25 to 35 degree angle. If you cut too steep, the center will be too thin and brittle.

Step 3

• Repeat the process in step 2 but go upwards as shown in the picture to the left.

Step 4

• Round out the sharp edges on the top piece and if you wish, hollow out the top a little with a hook knife.
• When you are done, finish with the color stain or paint of your choice and repeat until all pieces have been made.

Rook Video Instructions

Carving Knights

Now that you have gotten use to making some of the simpler carvings it’s time to move on to something a little more complicated, making the knights. These will require some shaping of the wood to get a simple horse shape.

To make all the knights for a chess board, you will need to make 4 knights, which will require 4 blocks of wood cut to 1″x1″x2″.

Step 1

• Make a sweeping cut on two opposing sides from about 1/2″ from the bottom as shown in the left.

Step 2

• Turning the pice sideways, make a stop cut under the back of the horses mane (on the left side of the picture shown) and under the horses face (on the right side of the picture shown). These do not need to be exact but at least make them consistent.
• Then make basic shapes on the top of the head to outline the top of the horses face and the back of the head.
• Leave enough wood to work on the ears later.

Step 3

• Start rounding the bottom of the knight to about 1″ in diameter and start smoothing out the horses face to add features
• Draw a line about 1/8″ from the bottom and 1/4″ from the first line.

Step 4

• Before carving the base of the knight, finish the horses face. This can be as simple or as complex as you like. You can use the picture on the left for reference or use the video below to get the final features.
• Just like with the pawns and rooks, carve from the bottom line inwards to create a cone up to the second line.

Knight Video Instructions

Carving Bishops

Now At this point, we are going to start making the larger and more intricate pieces of the chess set. While they look complicated, they have many of the same cut patterns you already made on the previous pieces you just made.

To make all the bishops for a chess board, you will need to make 4 bishops, which will require 4 blocks of wood cut to 1″x1″x4″ or a 1″ dowel cut to 4″ in length.

Step 1

• Start off by taking your 1″x1″x4″ block of wood and turning it into a dowel or cutting your dowel to 4″ in length
• Then draw on your lines with a pencil as shown on the left.

Step 2

• Make your first cuts towards the halfway mark from the lines directly above and below.
• Then make cuts from the second to bottom line to the third line as shown to the left.

Step 3

• Then start making the bottom half of the rounded top as shown to the left and making a flat shelf for it to sit on.

Step 4

• Continue rounding the top to an egg shape but leave enough wood at the top to create the little hat at the top as shown to the left.
• Add any extra details as desired.

Bishop Video Instructions

Carving Kings and Queens

Finally, it’s time to make the Kings and Queens! These will start off similar to each other but will differ with the crowns. While they look complicated, they have many of the same cut patterns you already made on the previous pieces you just made.

To make all the Kings and Queens for a chess board, you will need to make 2 Kings and 2 Queens, which will require 4 blocks of wood cut to 1″x1″x4″ or a 1″ dowel cut to 4″ inches in length

King and Queen Prep Step 1

• Both King and Queen will start of the same but the crowns will be different.
• Start by rounding your 1x1x4 inch wood block or cutting a 1 inch dowel to 4 inches in length
• Add the lines as shown in the picture

King and Queen Prep Step 2

• Start making the bottom skirt from the first line to the second line shown in the picture

King and Queen Prep Step 3

• Create the second skirt from the 3rd line to the 4th line as shown in the picture
• Then from the 2nd line from the top, carve towards the 3rd line form the top as shown in the picture

King and Queen Prep Step 4

• Round out the center block as shown in the picture

Finishing the Queen

• Now lets start adding the details for the Queens. You will need 2 of these per board.
• Start at the top line and make a cone as shown in the picture. do not carve to a point, but a round circle at the top.

• Start adding small details like rings on the top and a little ball as shown in the picture

Finishing the King

• The King is pretty straight forward, start by drawing a line in the middle of the top cylinder that you haven’t carved yet and then one more line 1/4″ above it.
• Cut a cone pointing downwards to the next line as shown.
• Then carve in the style of crown you desire, see the video below for extra details for how I carved mine.

King and Queen Video Instructions

Making the Chess Board

All you need to make your own chess board is a flat piece of wood, some paint or stain, and if you want to get fancy, a v-gouge or knife.

The Ideal square size is about 2.25 inches, but if you are making one for fun, make the squares about twice the size of the chess piece diameter and you should be good!

The chess board needs to be an 8 x 8 layout to fit all the chess pieces properly.

Here is what you will need to make the dog:

• Sharp whittling knife
• 4″ x 1″ x 1″ block of wood
• Pencil
• Leather strop

If you want everything you will need in one kit to get started, I highly recommend this affordable set from BeaverCraft: https://amzn.to/3yDmJf7
The kit comes with everything you will need and is of much better quality than the cheap stuff you see everywhere else.

You can using a larger block of wood if you want to, but it will take longer to whittle.

Before starting, make sure your whittling knife is nice and sharp. It is always a good idea to hone your knife with your leather strop before starting to whittle. If you feel like your knife is starting to dull out while whittling, strop each side 10 to 20 times and continue.

Downloadable Template

Video Guide

Picture Reference

Follow the steps below to carve your own little fox!

– Step 1

Draw the fox template on to your 1 x 1 x 4 inch block of wood

– Step 2

Remove the sections below the lines on the right and left hand side. The left side will be the tail and the right will be the head.

– Step 3

Start to shape the back of the fox, this will help to refine the head and body. From here we will be working from the tail to the head.

– Step 4

Shape the tail and the butt of the fox

– Step 5

Smooth out the top of the body as well as shape the back of the head.

– Step 6

Remove the wood under the body as shown, but don’t separate the front two legs or the back two legs from each other just yet, that comes in step 9.

– Step 7

Roughly shape the front of the face, but don’t take off too much wood yet. This is just to start getting an idea for proportions.

– Step 8

After you get an idea for where the ears and nose will be, further refine them.

– Step 9

Finish shaping the face to the right proportions and then separate the legs. After this, smooth everything out and you are finished!

– Painting!

Painting your fox is really easy, I used watercolor for mine but you can also use acrylic paint. Start with the lighter colors first as the darker colors show through the lighter colors.

For the picture below, I used this water color set from Amazon with Chinese White, Orange, Burnt Sienna, and Flesh as highlights.

There are lots of factors that can make wood harder to carve, like moisture, wood grain, knots, sap, and age, but one factor that needs to be considered is wood hardness. A common, and very practical, hardness scale to use is the Janka Wood Hardness Scale.

In short, Janka hardness measures the resistance of a sample of wood to denting and wear. This plays a factor in how resistant the wood is to cutting with our carving tools. This is measured by seeing how much force is required to push a 0.44 in (11.28 mm) diameter steel ball into the sample of wood.

Using this measurement in addition to other wood factors can help you get perspective on how difficult the wood will be to carve before you buy it or even start the project.

Common Carving Woods and Their Hardness

There are lots of different types of woods out there, which will be shown further on, but these are some of the most common woods I see people carving with today. These are within range of what I find myself able to carve by hand and what most people use.

Wood Hardness Scale

Of course, there are hundreds of species of trees out there. So here is a list of species from around the world to help you find what you are looking for.

I have seen hand crafted, custom made pens easily sell between $50 and $200 for basic builds and some very high quality hand crafted pens sell for over $1000 to the right person!

Lets go over how you can make your own pens at home!

Gathering tools and materials (pictures in Required Materials folder)

The starting required tools for pen turning, aside from a lathe and lathe tools, are a pen kit, bushings, a drill bit, and a pen mandrel.  It is possible to do it without a mandrel, but vastly easier and will save a lot of time and headache. 

CA glue (super glue) will also be needed to attach the pen barrel to wood, as well as sand paper and some kind of wood finish.  Lastly, and most important of all, is the pen blank.  There are a few other tools I will mention that make life easier as we create.

Pen blanks are small pieces of wood, usually cut offs and scraps, that are turned into pen barrels.  They can be made from any wood (even punky or dry rot wood that has been stabilized), but harder woods are easy to sand. 

Softwoods will have tear outs if your lathe tools are not super sharp, but can work perfectly fine.  A nice figured cedar is excellent, or use a scrap cut off from a 2×4.

Other materials can make excellent pens, like the vast variety of resins or hard substances like antler, and even soft clay that is baked in the oven.  Most blanks are ¾ of an inch square by 5 inches long.  That’s large enough for just about any kit.

Pen kits are sold at many different online retailers, but I would suggest you buy good quality.  I get all of mine from Penn State Industries or Woodcraft locally.  The cheap sets I have purchased in the past had problems, and these two retailers will fix any problem you have with the kits. 

Quality kits aren’t that much more expensive either.  Regardless of the kit you purchase, make sure you get the correct matching bushing set.  Bushings will be your gauge on the diameter of the pen barrel as you turn and can differ from style of kit.  If you buy an assorted set of one style, often they will include a package of bushings. 

Also take note what size drill is required.  Most kits use a 7mm bit, but some thicker and fancier kits require an 8mm or larger.

Safety note: when turning always wear a face shield.  You are taking a small block of wood and shaving it down to a fraction of an inch thick.  A blank fracturing apart is possible.  Something simple like the Sellstrom Face Shield is cheap, gives enough room to breath and is less likely to fog up on you as it allows your breath to easily disperse. You can pick them up for cheap on Amazon here: https://amzn.to/3x8L0GA

Furthermore, I would highly suggest wearing a respirator or at least a dust mask as it will help with most woods, but some, like cocobolo, are toxic.  It’s like inhaling pepper spray while you turn.  Other materials like polyester resin and especially horn or antler stink to high heaven and a respirator helps dramatically.

A good low profile respirator with replaceable filters is ideal as you can wear it behind a face shield. One of the best options available right now is the Elipse P100 Respirator on Amazon is a great option, you can pick one up for a good pirice here: https://amzn.to/3TTpr6C

Pen Blank Prep

Rulers and measuring tape are not required.  Line up the brass tube with your wood and mark it (fig 1a,b,c).  Give yourself a little wiggle room on either side. 

Next you will need to cut your blank.  Use whatever method you are comfortable with, such as a band saw, hand saw, etc.  You do not need to be precise, it’s ok to be sloppy.  I can’t cut a straight line with my band saw to save my life, but that doesn’t matter (fig 2a,b).

Drilling the hole through the blank can be done before sawing, but the longer the piece is, the easier it is to make a mistake.  To drill the hole, you can use a vise (fig 3) or a specially made pen vise from Penn State Industries (fig 4) with a drill press or a steady hand with a cordless drill. 

My preferred method is with pen jaws and drill chuck (fig 5a).  This gives me the straightest hole with the least worry (fig 5b).

With the hole drilled in both pieces (assuming your kit has two barrels in the pen), check to see if your brass tubes are smooth or roughed up.  Some come pre-scuffed.  If they are smooth, you will need to sand them with a 150 or 220 grit paper, so that the glue has something to cling on (fig 6).

Apply CA glue (superglue) to the brass barrel (I like to use the “thick” CA glue for this part), and then insert it into the blank, gently spinning the tube as it goes in (fig 7 and 8). 

This will insure an even coat to bond well with the blank.  The tube should be just below the wood on both sides of the blank (fig 9). If you have accelerator spray, you can spritz the CA glue to harden it faster.  Now is a good time to do more drilling and cutting off blanks while this one dries.

The last step of prep is to trim the blank to the tube.  Some people get a specific miniature saw for this, but it is easy to use a disc sander if you have one (fig 10). 

If your blank is too long, trim it shorter before sanding it flush.  My preferred method is to use a tool called a barrel trimmer.  You buy it as a kit to work on just about every size you’ll need.  Get the more expensive carbide version so that you don’t need to sharpen it (fig 11a, b, c).

Mounting

There are several different styles of pen mandrels on the market.  I have and use both a direct mount mandrel that uses a brass nut to tighten the stack together and a #2 MT that uses a tailstock center.  The later one is a little more expensive, but works much better in my option. 

After a lot of use, the brass nut gets annoyingly stiff to tighter or unscrew, and too much pressure can be accidentally applied to the mandrel, causing it to bend.

With either style, use several spare bushings (with mandrel kits, you get a few extra) to space yourself away from the head stock.  Put your first blank half, then any special bushings you need in the middle, and then the back bushing. 

Some kits will have odd sized bushing, but the instructions will always tell you the order.  If it matters to you, make sure your wood is aligned so that the grain matches, as it will be too late after we start turning.  I like to visualize the pen tip as the piece closest to the head stock.  Tighten your mount or tailstock and you are ready to make chips.

Shaping the Pen Blank

Start off with turning the blanks to round.  It is a good idea to have a design in mind and make a sketch of the profile before trying to make shapes, though freestyling it can produce interesting results at times.  As you turn the material down, take fairly light cuts. 

It your wood catches on your tool, you are either being too aggressive, or your bushings are not tight enough together.  Use any tool you prefer to get it to round, such as a roughing gouge or chisel.  My go-to is a thick scraper. 

I use a chisel to mark where I want to make dips or other figures, and for close up work on the ends.  Think of how the end user will hold the pen, and what will be comfortable.

Take it very slow around the bushings or when you are trying to get flush with the bushings.  You can easily take more material off but it is a lot harder to put material back on.  The bushings themselves will be scratched and beat up from time to time. 

They are consumables, and may need to be replaced every two dozen kits if you are sloppy.  If you make a mistake and trash the blank, don’t fret.  They sell packages of just the brass tubes at reasonable prices.  It’s wise to pick up one just in case.

Sand and Finish

Once you are finished shaping, turn your lathe to a low speed and get the tool rest out of the way.  Depending on how many tear outs you have and how sharp your turning tools are, you’ll want to start with a 100 to 220 grit sand paper. 

If your lathe is turning too fast, you will build up a lot of heat and wear out your paper faster.  I also like to use a sanding sponge. 

In between grits, stop the lathe and sand laterally so that you take off your sanding rings before moving on to the next grit.  If your pen blank is wood, I recommend going up to a 320 grit max, otherwise, you might lose the wood feel.  It’s the texture that sells it. 

At the last sanding grit I use, I will start to apply a finish and sand at the same time.  A drop of Doctor’s Woodshop Walnut Finishing, or actual walnut oil, on sand paper will act as a wood filler while you sand and leaves a nice subtle finish. 

I also use Doctor’s Woodshop Pens Plus as a friction finish to polish it up to a high gloss.  Both of these products are not very expensive and last a long time.  I’ve done about a hundred pens and used less than half a bottle.  It also works great on any bowls or spindles you turn. 

Regardless of finish, as a pen gets used lovingly over the years, the finish will ware.  I have found that these two keep the wood looking and feeling like smooth aged wood, and my daily use pen stays in a pocket with keys every day.

If you use any of the resins, or decide to do a CA glue finish on the wood (if it is fragile or full of holes, do this), take that sanding up to the max.  After 320, I start wet sanding with 600 grit, and then move on to a product called Micro Mesh that gets up to 12000 grit. 

The small pads are not expensive, and they last a long time.  The whole process is much more time consuming, but gets you the super smooth feel with no scratches at all.  Safety warning: if you use a CA glue to finish, make sure there is no cotton in your rag or paper towel as you apply the liquid.  Cotton reacts chemically, and produces a foul vapor that will sting your eyes something fierce, like onions on steroids.

Assembly (pictures in Assembly folder)

Final assembly of the pen should be done with care and patience.  You can use a bench vise (fig 12) or a pen press like the one from Penn State Industries (fig 13). 

While the vise is incredibly accurate, a pen press has the ability to take apart the pen should you make a mistake.  Assembly order should always be on the instructions that you get with your kit.

Start with pressing the pen tip into the first barrel, making sure you are using the correct side of your pen blank (fig 14). 

If using a bench vise, don’t let the steel come into contact with either the pen tip or the wood of the barrel to prevent damage.  Use a soft wood or scrap of leather as a buffer.  For a twist pen, the most common you will start out using, place the brass end into the front tube, and slowly press it in until the brass is no longer showing (fig 15). 

Take it out of the press and put the ink cartridge into the pen, screwing it in like you would when finished (fig 16). 

You are checking to see how far the pen extends and retracts.  It is critical that you take your time and then make small adjustments to the depth of the twist assembly.  Should you go too far, you will need to disassemble the whole thing (which is a pain, but possible with a pen press).

Press the back end cap and the clip to the rear pen barrel (fig 17). 

Slide the decorative ring over the installed ink cartridge and hand press the two halves together.  Line up the wood grain if you need to, and you are now finished.  Take a moment to admire what you created.

Pen Turing Idea Gallery and Examples

All pens and instructions were written and taken by my friend who wishes to stay anonymous and has given permission to share his skills on Carving Is Fun.

Don’t worry, it’s pretty straight forward. Keep reading, because in this article we’ll go over everything you need to do to prepare your strop.

Choose Your Compound for Loading Your Strop

You can’t prepare your leather strop if you don’t have a honing compound to use! These compounds typically come in one of three forms:

• Diamond spray
• Diamond paste
• A polishing block

As you choose your polishing agent, there are two factors you should consider: the agent’s “bite” and its polishing effect. 

The coarser the agent is, the more bite it has and the more material it will take off, but the finer an agent is the better it will polish. You can get both your desired bite and the polish you want by buying two honing blocks, one coarse and one fine for the perfect combo.

Diamond sprays will actually usually have a good balance of both bite and polish and come in a convenient spray. Diamond paste is also really good, but remember that compounds and pastes have different grain sizes, and it’s not obvious by the color.

One company may use green to denote its coarsest option while another uses it to denote its finest. So read the packaging carefully. If you’re new to stropping, it’s recommended that you use 3,000-12,000 grit compounds. After that, woodworkers usually opt for 0.5-microns (50,000 grit) compounds.

Gather Your Materials

Now that you know what honing compound you want, you need to collect the rest of your supplies. You will need,

• Your leather strop
• Isopropyl alcohol
• 320 grit sandpaper
• A stove
• Your compound
• A knife
• Paper towel
• A cloth

Clean Your Strop

If your leather is clean, you don’t need to worry about this step, but if your leather strop is brand new, has been gathering dust, or got stained, it will need to be cleaned.

To clean your strop, apply your isopropyl alcohol and rub it down with a cloth to clean it thoroughly.

Next, use 320-grit sandpaper to clean it even better and to give the strop a texture that your compound will be able to hold on to. I wouldn’t use the sandpaper unless you have a brand new strop though. And remember to be gentle! You’re not trying to skin your leather.

Apply Mineral Oil

This step is really quick. If your strop is new or hasn’t been used in a long time, it would be a good idea to put a thin coat of mineral oil on the leather before you put on the honing compound. The mineral oil will help keep the leather flexible instead of brittle.

Warm Your Compound

Stropping compounds are often sold in a block, and that block can get pretty hard. You may need to warm up your compound block a little bit so that it applies itself more easily.

You can warm it by putting the block in the microwave for about 5 seconds, holding it in your hands if they’re warm, or holding it over a heat source. Be careful not to overdo it! You don’t want to smother the leather.

Naturally, this doesn’t apply to use if you opted for the diamond paste or spray.

Apply Your Compound

Now is the time to apply your compound. Regardless of which compound form you chose, all you want is a thing layer over the whole leather strip. Each is applied a little differently, so we’ll go over each one.

Compound Block

Use your block like a big crayon. You don’t need to cut off a piece, just hold the whole stick. You can use light, fast strokes in the same direction, or just rub the compound back and forth. The second way is a little better because you want to warm up the leather through friction so that the compound melts a bit and absorbs into the strop. You can rub it into the strop if the compound isn’t absorbing evenly.

Diamond Spray

The spray is very simple. You just spray it! The only difficultly may be in trying not to accidentally spray to much. Try to apply two even layers to cover the leather entirely. Remember that this stuff is extremely coarse, and getting it into your eyes in any way would be disastrous.

Diamond Paste

Lastly, to apply diamond paste, squeeze just a couple of pea-sized dots onto the leather and massage it into the strop with your bare hands. The paste will work fast. If your leather feels dry after you apply the paste, add a couple more dots. You don’t need much of this stuff so be careful. ALWAYS start with the finest grain paste possible. Applying a fine grain on a coarse strop works great, but vice-versa is messy.

Once you have applied your compound, use the edge of a knife at a low angle and pulling away from the knife’s edge to press the compound into the strop. 

Heat up Your Strop

Now your leather strop is “charged,” as we like to say. Now, to really get the block compound properly absorbed into the strop, start up a burner and hold the leather over the flame so that you warm it but not burn it. Once the compound melts a bit, you can take your paper towel and rub it in. If your strip warps, you can easily fix it by laying it flat and putting a heavy book on top.

Be careful not to have the heat too low because the compound might flake off. You would have to try again in that case.

Start Stropping Your Tools!

Once you have smoothed out your stropping compound to a nice thin layer, start stropping your tools.

Remember to strop with the cutting edge trailing. Never strop with your cutting edge leading or it will cut into the leather and damage your strop.

Conclusion

While stropping isn’t a difficult task, you might be asking yourself, “why bother?” especially when a casual sharpening stone seems to do just fine. It’s primarily for its polishing factor, removing any and all imperfections. Compare sharpening with just a honing stone and then with both the stone and strop, you’ll be surprised.

Wood carving does not have to be an expensive hobby. A beginner can start whittling with some sticks or saplings, a pocket knife, and a sharpening stone for approximately $30. Pretty good news, right? The expenses start racking up with the more tools you buy, the wood carving style you choose, and any extra workshops or training.

Want a breakdown of the costs? Keep reading to see what it takes to get started and how much you can expect to pay once you become a more experienced wood carving hobbyist.

Does Wood Carving Cost a Lot of Money to Start? 

Wood carving can be considered expensive if you intend to arm yourself with all the tools, trimmings, and your own workshop in your garage. However, you can get started with just a pocket knife and some branches. 

With these simple supplies, you can get a number of projects made, such as kitchen utensils, wooden ornaments, spearheads and fishing spears, tent stakes, guitar picks, or even your own carving tools, to name a few. 

When it comes to getting started, all you need is the following:

• A pocket knife ($6 – $60)
• A sharpening stone ($10 – $30)
• Some branches (Free)

So you can get started with as little as $30! 

While I do not recommend getting the very best, professional-grade tools at first, I would avoid buying very cheap tools. You don’t want to carve with a knife that is poorly made because it will either quickly break, or blunt very easily. As for the sharpening stone, I recommend a good quality stone that’s easy to use and take care of. These don’t have to be expensive at all, like the Sharp Pebble Whetstone on Amazon, its easy to use and can get your blades nice and sharp. You can buy yourself one here: https://amzn.to/3CEVQGF

The starting costs of wood carving can also depend on which style of wood carving you want to get into, some are more expensive than others.

Types of Wood Carving Styles and Their Associated Costs

There are 6 different wood carving styles that all produce extraordinary pieces. Each of these styles is unique from the others and often requires its own sets of tools in order to get started. Let’s take a look.

Whittling

This is easily the cheapest style to start with. Ultimately, all you need to start is your pocket knife. If you want a more expansive tool kit, whittling does offer different types of knives to satisfy different cuts like removing large sections of wood or adding fine details.

• Sloyd Knife ≅ $15 – $50
• Roughout Knife ≅$15 – $40
• Detail knife ≅ $12 – $40

A really good and affordable kit to start out with is the Beavercraft Whittling kit as it comes with a few different knives, a tool organizer to store them, and a leather strop to keep the knives honed sharp. You can pick one up on Amazon here: https://amzn.to/42NhtPt

Chip Carving

Chip carving involves taking off multiple tiny angular chips with a single stroke. The result is a beautifully intricate design, but in order to achieve that design, you need specialized knives such as a long skew edge knife, straight edge, or double-sided curved knife. 

• Straight edge ≅ $15 – $35
• Long skew edge ≅ $15 -$35
• Double-sided curved edge ≅ $ 15 – $35

For those of you looking for a really nice chip carving knife set to start your carving journey, I highly recommend the Flexcut Chip Carving Knife set. You can find it for a great price on Amazon here: https://amzn.to/433A1eN

Power Carving

As the name suggests, this style requires power tools such as motor-driven, rotary, or reciprocating burrs and chisels in order to carve. Power carving tools are fantastic when you’re dealing with harder woods such as walnut or oak, but they tend to get pricey. Common power carving tools include:

• Power chisel ≅ $100
• Burrs for power tools ≅ $20 – $30 per bit
• Air compressor ≅ $600
• Micro-detailer ≅ $200 – $500
• Basic rotary power carver ≅ $330

As you can see, this style can be quite expensive and is usually not recommended for beginners. But if you do want to get into this type of carving, don’t start cheap. I have burned through 5 different rotary tools that only lasted me a few months tops. Get something that will last, like the Foredom rotary kit. It’s powerful, durable, and comes with lots of accesseries. You can pick one up on Amazon for a great price here: https://amzn.to/3Nhagl7

Wood Burning

Wood burning, the art of burning detailed images into wood, also requires a distinct type of power tool: the burner. More specifically, you need an appropriate power supply with a transformer, a wood pen, burning iron, and burning tips.

• Wood-burning pen ≅ $10 – $50
• Wood-burning tips ≅ $5 – $20 per tip
• Power supply ≅ $60 – $120+

Getting a cheap pyrography kit will help you get into the craft, but if you want something that will last you will have to get something with some real power and made with durability in mind. The Burnmaster Hawk kit is perfect for those of you looking for something that will last and give you nearly endless options for what kind of tips you can use. Pick yours up on Amazon here: https://amzn.to/3NCJoxh

Relief Carving

Relief carving can be very intricate, but the results are definitely worth the effort. It is typically performed with hand tools, usually gouges, chisels, and mallets. Relief carving is one of the more affordable styles of wood carving.

• Individual gouges and chissels ≅ $15 – $50 each
• Chisel and gouge set ≅ $80 – $500
• Wood-carving mallet ≅ $15 – $60

You really don’t have to spend a lot of money to get a decent carving set to start off with, and you can get a really nice set of 12 tools that come razor sharp and ready to use right out of the box for a really good price.

If you are lost in the sea of tools to look for, pick up the Schaaf 12 piece carving set on Amazon. It is by far the best value of the sets out there and will last you for years. Pick up a set here: https://amzn.to/3NCxd3y

Carving in the Round

Of all the wood carving types, carving in the round requires the least amount of tools. All you need is a chisel and mallet to remove chunks from a chunk of wood until you have a 3D sculpture. You can use many different sized chisels across a variety of carvings, making a multi-chisel set a good investment.

• Wood carving chisel set ≅ $20 – $60
• Mallet ≅ $20 – $60

What are Other Costs Associated with Wood Carving?

As we’ve seen, wood carving is not an especially complicated hobby when it comes to the supplies you need. Still, it would be nice to know how much common tools, materials, and other accessories cost so that you can save for them accordingly.

Common Tools of the Trade

I know we’ve just covered several lists of tools, but these are only the tools specific to each style. We haven’t even touched the files, saws, or lathes that are used across many different types of carving. So let’s see what other tools you should consider buying.

• Coping Saw ≅ $5
• Files ≅ $4
• V-tool ≅ $50
• U-guage ≅ $15
• Wood Lathe ≅ $300 – $1000
• Sharpening strop ≅ $30 – $40

Primary Wood Type Costs

We can’t have an article on wood carving costs without talking about some common wood. Technically all wood is fair game for a carver, but not all types of wood are created equally – some are naturally better for carving than others. 

Apple

Applewood, while a favorite for its gorgeous appearance, is not cheap. It is often featured in furniture, but the best material you are likely to get is the applewood chunks used for BBQ on eBay for $30.

Balsa

Balsa is very popular for beginners and carvers wanting to create things like their own utensils because it’s very soft. You can get a 12”x2”x2” block for $15. Baltic birch sheets, good for wood burning, cost $15 for a 3 pack of 12”x12”x1/4” panels.

Basswood

Basswood is a lot like Balsa – it’s soft and cheap. At less than $15 per block basswood is a great choice for beginners. A 5”x2”x2” block can even be $5.

Birchwood dowels

Dowels are a great way to get a head start on certain projects, such as chopsticks or furniture legs. Birch is an inexpensive wood, ranging from $8 – $60 depending on the circumference and quantity of the dowels.

Black Walnut

Black walnut is highly sought after for its rich color, but its grain patterns make it prone to chipping the wrong way. You can get a ¾”x2”x12”block for $15.

Maple

Maple, specifically sugar maple, is exceedingly cheap at $3.50 – $5 per sq. ft. and may not give as much trouble as walnut because it has a fine grain.

Oak

White oak is one of the cheapest options on the list. Its cost ranges between $4-$6 per 4×4 board. It’s very difficult to get a hold of a natural section of an oak tree.

White Pine

White pine is also considerably cheap, especially compared to fruit tree wood. Pines of various sorts are readily available online. A set of ¾” White pine blocks are about $18 – $40. Bowl blanks are also available.

Wood Carving Tutelage

While you can learn from a series of wood carving YouTube videos, which is certainly doable, and free (minus internet provider costs), it’s a good idea to learn at least the basics from a pro in person. Otherwise, you don’t have the benefit of having a teacher with you to give you one-on-one guidance. 

When you’re taught in person, your teacher can give you the best angles and close-up views of what they’re doing and correct your strokes or answer your questions in real-time. With videos alone, you can still learn how to carve wood, but this probably will take more time and the learning curve will be steeper.

Course videos from wood carving academies may require a weekly, monthly, quarterly, or annual subscription which can range from $20 – $140, depending on which subscription plan you choose.

Wood carving workshops are fairly cheap and extremely informative. They tend to range between $100 – $800. The cost will depend on the length of the course and the level of difficulty of the project. 

Lastly, wood carving retreats are for serious carvers who are willing to pay to learn from masters. Retreats such as those hosted by Raymond Kinman will cost $1,650 per person for a 3-day retreat.

How to Save Money in Wood Carving

In addition to starting with only the most necessary equipment and cheaper wood to practice on, there are some other woodworking budget tips I can give you.

Measure Twice, Cut Once

A good way to save on wood (especially if you intend to use expensive wood) is to take accurate measurements and to effectively trace your design. Don’t just sketch, though that’s a great first step. 

Know the Moisture Content of your Wood

When the wood you use has too much or too little moisture, you can quickly run into problems with your wood’s workability – wasting money and time in the process.  

Too much moisture in greenwood can cause your marks to erase themselves over time as the wood dries. On the other hand, wood that is too dry won’t allow you to easily make smooth cuts, which can also lead to injuries.

You can tell if your wood is too dry by taking a small sample of it and putting it on a baking sheet. Stick it in the oven at 212℉ (100℃) for half an hour. If it turns to ash, it’s too dry.

Label your wood

Organization can be a priceless time and money-saver. If you are working on multiple projects at once, it would be devastating to mistakenly carve the wrong design on the wrong piece of wood. You can save on materials by labeling pieces with a marker. 

Oil and Seal your Work

It would be a shame for all of your hard work to degrade and get ruined in a short amount of time because of weather conditions. If you live in a drier climate, for instance, you are probably familiar with the need to regularly oil wooden tools and furniture so that they don’t split. You can also seal your wood to prevent damage from moisture or the sun.

Get to Know Each Type of Wood You Work With

Over time, you will start to become familiar with the kinds of wood are the best for the project(s) you want to do. You’ll start to pick up things like how yew is great for making a bow because it’s stable, strong, and elastic, or that maple is awesome for cutting boards because of its close-grained cellular structure that resists bacteria. 

The more familiar you are with various wood characteristics, the less likely you’ll be to use the wrong wood for your project.

Keep Your Blades Sharpened

Keeping your tools sharp doesn’t just prevent injuries, it allows you to work more efficiently and accurately so that you can avoid making devastating cuts that ruin your work. Before making any cuts, inspect your tools and sharpen any that appear dull or chipped.

Conclusion

There you have it! Wood carving is not an expensive hobby. It just costs more the deeper you dive into the wood carving passion. Out of all of the hobbies, woodworking may be one of the most valuable as its own trade. In other words, with enough practice, you might be able to enjoy a nice return on investment for those tools and supplies.

Generally, using mineral oil on wood carving projects and special food-grade mineral oil on kitchen cutting boards will seal, hydrate and protect it from drying out or cracking for years to come as long as you regularly apply the mineral oil. 

Keep reading on to discover more about mineral oil that can be used for wood carvings and food-grade mineral oil for kitchen cutting boards in the following sections. 

How to Apply Mineral Oil to Wood Carvings and Cutting Boards

When you have finally finished your wood carving project or if you have looked at your well-worn cutting board and wanted to do more to make them shine and last long, you probably have considered using mineral oil to restore these items. 

Mineral oil, in various forms, can be used to treat, hydrate, restore, seal, and protect your wood items from cracking and accelerated aging. You might be surprised to know that there are a few types of mineral oil on the market, and it DOES matter which one you use with each project or item! 

Continue reading to discover how to apply mineral oil, which mineral oil is best for cutting boards and what makes it different from basic mineral oil. 

Mineral Oil Use for Wood Carvings

You can find mineral oil that is used for basic wood carving projects at almost any hardware store, grocery store, online, or any place that sells house cleaning and wood finishing products.  What I personally use for all of my cutting boards and spoons is Bayes Food Grade Mineral Oil as it is safe for everyone to use and is super affordable. You can pick some up for yourself on Amazon here: https://amzn.to/3CDf4MO

Mineral oil can be applied to carvings in just a few easy steps. 

1. Sand your wood carving down and get rid of all rough edges
2. Clear off all wood dust
3. Pour mineral oil on a small section of a cloth or rag
4. With the rag, apply mineral oil across the entire area of your wood project

The application process is the same for wood cutting boards as it is for wood carving projects with only one key difference, the mineral oil used is deemed to be food-grade and safe to use on a cutting board. 

Food-Grade Mineral Oil for Cutting Boards 

Mineral oil labeled food-grade or for kitchen use is considered to be highly refined and non-toxic, making it safe for use on cutting boards where you will be preparing food. Unlike basic mineral oil, food-grade mineral oil is only used for certain wood projects that are meant for personal use and consumption. 

One might also find food-grade mineral oil in many everyday products. It can be found in make-up, food, vitamins, skin care products, cleaning products and of course oils for use on cutting boards! 

Pros and Cons of Using Mineral Oil on Wood

Mineral oil is a wonderfully versatile tool to have in your stash and can save your wood project from a premature trip to the trash bin. But, like everything, mineral oil also has its own downfalls to consider when deciding to use mineral oil on any of your wooden projects. 

The following sections will cover the pros and cons of using mineral oil for projects like wood carvings and cutting boards. 

Pros of Using Mineral Oil 

The pros of using mineral oil should be considered when researching its use on your wood carving projects or cutting boards. 

• Mineral oil is easy to use and apply.
• It does not discolor your wood projected when applied.
• It can seal your wood project and keep it safe for years.
• Certain mineral oil can be food-safe and used on cutting boards.
• Mineral oil will condition the wood and bring out the natural wood grain look.

Applying mineral oil to your wood project can be a good choice that will leave your project looking and feeling like new. 

Cons of Using Mineral Oil

As with any method of sealing and conditioning a wood carving, mineral oil also has drawbacks and limitations you should keep in mind.

• Mineral oil does not make your wood carving project or cutting board waterproof.
• Using mineral oil does not prevent scratches from appearing on your wood carving project or cutting board.
• A wood surface treated with mineral oil can eventually appear worn or dry if mineral oil is not re-applied on a regular basis. 
• Mineral oil does not make your wood carving or cutting board durable against other external factors that may ruin them.  

Having a good understanding of what mineral oil can do to your wood carving will spare you from having any issues down the road and keep your projects in good working order. 

Be sure to always read the labels of mineral oil bottles before applying to your wood project. Not all mineral oils are meant to be applied to wood projects or cutting boards! 

How Often Should You Reapply Mineral Oil to Wood Carvings and Cutting Boards

Once you have applied your first coat of mineral oil to your wood carving project or cutting board, you will want to reapply mineral oil every few months or when you start to notice that your wood item is starting to dry out. Remember, you can tell that your board needs more mineral oil if the shine is missing from it, the color starts to fade, or if it starts to feel dried out. 

By applying a few coats of mineral oil every now and then, you can keep your wood carving or cutting board lasting for many years to come. 

I’ll give you beginner pyrography tips that span from the start to the finish of your project. In this post, I want to impart a few tricks, like what tools you may want to have, how to use those tools, beginner-friendly woods to use, and different resources.

Keep Long Hair Tied Back

There are two old sayings everyone should hear at least once:

1. “Don’t play with fire”
2. “Don’t tempt fate”

This tip is a combination of the two. If you have long, luscious hair, you should NEVER tempt fate while practicing pyrography by having very flammable locks anywhere near the wood-burning tip. 

Long hair can absolutely have the tendency to

• Obstruct your vision
• Get too close to the wood-burning tip
• Get caught in every nook and cranny of your pyrography pen
• Sometimes its just annoying and can ruin your concentration 

If you don’t have a hair tie or wide headband to pull your hair back, rubber bands also work in a pinch and are sometimes a bit more available if you’re in the shop.

Use a Quality Wood-Burning System

As someone who needs to get a hang of pyrography techniques, you may not want to sink your money into the most expensive premium wood-burning system. While these systems are really nice, there are cheaper options that still provide you with a wonderful system that will last you years. What you may actually need is a quality wood-burning system that is affordable and flexible. 

I would personally suggest the Burnmaster HAWK wood-burning kit as it provides the user with a massive amount of burning tips as well as pen options and has the power to allow you to apply your art to almost every type of wood on the market. I and other professional wood crafters have praised this particular system because it has everything you need to get started for a moderate price.

A wood-burning kit should come with a wood-burning machine that reliably allows you to adjust the temperature of your wood-burning tips. That’s why I don’t care for the $20-$30 kits that just have the pen that you plug into the wall. The temperature dial will sometimes be on the pen itself which you can easily bump with your hand, or burn yourself trying to adjust.

Choosing a Wood-Burning System with Interchangeable Tips

There are a lot of kits to choose from, and it can be difficult to tell one from another, but you don’t want to waste your money! So, how can you tell you have a good kit? A hallmark of a good system is that it has interchangeable tips and/or pens that allow you to create different patterns and are easily replaced.

Most mid-range wood-burning systems have quality-made tips and pens that allow you to swap out tips. Some higher-end systems actually have a switch that allows you to quickly switch back and forth between your favorite tips.

A good feature of the Burnmaster HAWK kit, mentioned above, is it actually allows the user to use tips and pens from other brands and is one of the most universal and adaptable pyrography kits on the market.

Using Different Tips

When your new multi-tipped kit arrives, shiny and ready to go, the desire to jump in is incredibly strong. That’s definitely an encouraged way of getting started, but many of you are confused about what tip is used for what kind of pattern.

This is where I would encourage you to make a sort of “swatch” board for a quick reference for each tips patterns. Practicing wood-burning techniques with each tip at different temperatures and getting a feel for which techniques come easily to which tip, and which techniques are almost impossible! 

Then, with this swatch board, you don’t have to be confused about which tip does what. Be sure to avoid pressing down hard on the burning tips! It only takes a second of lightly pressing the tool onto the surface to get a solid markdown.

I recommend checking out Burnsavvy, they have excellent examples to give you a good idea of how to make your own swatch board.

The best place to start is by practicing with the universal tip first. It can do almost everything the other tips can do and will give you an idea of how to use the system for most of your projects. This point looks like a chisel and is the tip second from the right in the picture above. 

Never Touch Wood-Burning Tips

I know, I know! This seems pretty obvious, but you would be surprised how often this gets us. Why? Because we underestimate the temperature of a tip we were using when want to switch to another tip.

The tips are extremely conductive and will heat up almost instantaneously, so it’s easy to burn yourself even when you know what you’re doing. 

How are you supposed to switch tips out?

Different pens will have varying instructions but for most universal style tips all you need to use is flat-nosed pliers with rubber-covered handles, loosen any screws holding the tips in place, hold the tip tightly with your pliers, and then pull away from the pen to get each tip off. This will prevent damage to the wood-burning tips.

You should also have a safe place to place the tips so they are out of the way and dissipate heat. A simple piece of aluminum or even a makeshift tray of aluminum foil that has been folded over several times will help quickly dissipate the heat and act like a heatsink.

I personally do NOT recommend dropping a hot tip into a bowl of water. This sudden shock of cooling will cause stress fractures in the metal and shorten the tips lifespan.

Use Beginner-Friendly Woods

Not all wood options are the most suitable for pyrography. There are certain qualities you want from your wood in order to get the best image you can. Your wood should be,

• Light-colored to show fine details
• Evenly colored for finished projects
• Hard or soft according to the techniques you’re trying to do

Here are some examples of beginner-friendly pyrography wood types, along with their most notable strengths and weaknesses. If several sound good to you, opt for the cheaper to start with.

Balsa

If you are a fresh face to pyrography, balsa wood is a great place to start. It is best for practicing your techniques because of its closed and minimal grain, light color and you won’t beat its softness. It has every quality for perfecting your skills.

While balsa is easy to work with, it is often too soft to add intricate details and is easily damaged if dropped. This wood is best used for simple carving projects for beginners just learning how to manipulate the wood.

Basswood

Basswood has a beautiful even creamy color, is soft enough to add texture while burning, and easily darkens with just about any pyrography setup. Basswood can create great contrast creating beautiful finished pieces of art, this is why the majority use it for wood-burning.

Finding basswood can be troublesome for some depending on where they are in the world as these trees primarily grow in the North Eastern regions of the United states. If you have trouble finding the wood, you can try looking up Linden wood or a similar species in Europe, Lime wood.

Beech

If you want a light-colored but harder wood for a more practical application like handles, utensils, and signs, beech can work well. The only con is that it often has sap in the darker grains that can leak out after burning. Make sure the wood is dry and properly prepped before burning for best results.

Willow

Willow has smooth grains making it easy to burn curving or intricate patterns. Willow also retains its color after finishing instead of getting darker. It can be perfect for when you’re ready to create your beautiful finished product. The downside is that it can be harder to find, slightly harder to work with, and more expensive.

Maple

Maple is a beautiful wood with its minimal grain and light color it is great for finished projects. Maple though is high in hardness, therefore you need to use high heat to combat this. This will require an intermediate to professional-grade wood-burning station.

Woods to Avoid for Pyrography

A master can take a variety of woods and learn how to use their characteristics according to their intended project. However, if there is one type of wood that both novices and masters should avoid, it’s any man-made wood product, such as plywood or medium-density fireboard (MDF).

These might be tempting because they are readily available, but they are the worst to use because,

• They’re rough
• Splinter easy
• Are cumbersome
• Are often made with formaldehyde, causing toxic fumes while burning

Always Prepare Your Wood Surface

While you’re waiting for your pyrography pen to warm up, this would be a good time to prepare your wood surface. Splinters, raised knots, and other bumps or irregularities can make your image look odd when you’re finished, so it’s a good idea to sand new wood pieces to make everything smooth. 

Even if you buy pre-prepared wood online, you should carefully inspect each piece you intend to use at the beginning of each project. Keep an eye out for rough spots, darker spots that could contain sap, residue on the surface, and/or dust.

If you do need to remove some minor imperfections on the surface of the wood, you can simply remove most imperfections away with 300 to 600 grit sand paper. Just be sure to brush away all of the dust when you are done!

If there are some minor nicks or dents, you don’t need to sand the entire piece of wood to get everything smooth! Instead, take a damp wash cloth, fold it once to make a decent barrier, and place it over the dents or nicks. Then, take a hot clothing iron and press on the cloth to raise the wood grains. Once the wood dries, use some sandpaper to smooth everything out.

Image Transferring Methods

When it comes to image transferring, there are three methods:

1. Stamp
2. Iron
3. Trace

Stamping is perfect for beginners, so long as the design you want to attempt comes in an ink stamp. You should be able to find tons from craft stores. Once you have an image stamped on the wood with light ink (be careful of bleeding), that’s when you go over the stamped image with your wood-burning pen.

Ironing needs you to print your image on some paper with a toner-style printer instead of an inkjet. Gently iron the image onto your wood with the cotton setting. I recommend stamping instead.

Tracing is where you have your image on a thin sheet of either carbon, photo, or graphite paper. The image is covering one side with a substance like dark chalk, charcoal, or pencil lead. With careful, firm, and precise tracing with a pen or stylus your image will appear on the wood.

For details and some examples of these methods, take a look at this guide for help.

Using Books to Learn Wood-Burning

Using books to learn pyrography can really feel like a gamble. What if they don’t have everything you wanted to know? Why shouldn’t I just watch some YouTube videos of what I want to learn?

And yet, on the other hand, books don’t require 

• Having to be replayed, 
• Trying to find the exact spot in the training video you need over and over, 
• Often they can have better angles and better quality photos

When it comes to finding the right books for you, you will most likely need a few different books to help show you everything there is to offer

One book may teach you how to prepare your tools, how to prepare the wood, and teach you the basics of wood-burning techniques. Another book may teach you simpler designs, and another may cover more complicated designs you’re looking for. 

Keep in mind you need a solid foundation of pyrography principles and basic techniques to be able to do the more complicated designs. Be patient with yourself. Even Michelangelo couldn’t draw a decent circle at the beginning. 

Invest in a Smoke Collector

This is extremely important! None of us are trying to set fire to our wood supply or home, but nevertheless, fumes and smoke inhalation are a real danger in pyrography. Most of us work in an enclosed area such as a designated workshop room, or a garage, but when the weather is cold or hot we close the windows and doors. the fumes and smoke from pyrography can cause health issues.

Whether you’re working In good weather or bad weather, you need to have a smoke extractor on your desk because you are constantly inches away from the fumes. Yes, wood smells good, but the resins within can cause skin and eye irritation.

Some wood fumes are more toxic than others, and the small particles can make heart conditions worse by preventing oxygen from being carried to your tissue.

This is one example of a desk smoke extractor, which should be sufficient at the beginning for small projects.

Conclusion

I know you’ve got this squarely in the bag, but it sure doesn’t hurt to have the advice and expertise of someone who’s been where you are. I hope this small list of tips and tricks did something to help you get a sure footing on your path to pyrography.