Question: Wood chisels

[DKanger]

Has anyone used the chisel and gouge set that GRS offers, especially the smaller ones? How well are they suited for detail carving on gunstock woods?

 

[Mike Frakes]

Carving gunstocks are what they are designed for. GRS sells a DVD video by Bill Janney in which he uses the GRS tools. I just bought the video and it looks to me like they work remarkably well.

Mike Frakes

 

[M. J. Atkinson]

Neal, you need to try the little chisels in your air powered graver. I haven't even given them a proper sharpening and you have great control and make the purtiest little shavings you ever saw. Mike

 

[DKanger]

Neal, you need to try the little chisels in your air powered graver. I haven't even given them a proper sharpening and you have great control and make the purtiest little shavings you ever saw.

Fergit about Neal.....he's just a tool collector. I'm the one trying to find out how they work from those who have actual practical experience using them.

Lots of the wood that I work with isn't hard, dense stuff, but can often be stringy and cantankerous. It doesn't always cut cleanly with palm chisels and requires a lot of putzing around for detail work. I'm wondering if the small set mounted in an air graver overcomes that.

 

[M. J. Atkinson]

I'd have to give that a narrowly qualified yes. I don't do much carving, except a little on gunstocks, which for me means walnut. I have played some with cypress, which is about the softest hardwood I can imagine. Of course you already know that your tools should be shaving sharp, and sometimes you still have to turn around and cut in the other direction because of the grain. I say give it a try, you'll enjoy it. Mike

 

[MICHAEL]

Here's my "limited" experience: Take it for what it's worth.
NGraver V-gouge: I had to belt grind the shank to make it fit my GRS quick change graver holder, wasn't very sharp and very hard, so was hard to sharpen. Way too big for knife engraving (walnut / rosewood) and still had trouble on large pieces of walnut. Lot's of slips, gouges, and destroyed my scroll work.

GRS small V-gouge: Very dull but easily sharpened. I was happier with this but still got slips and gouges.

Wood Crafters Micro- woodcarvers set: Paul Hammler told me about these and I ordered them. I had to get some small brass tubing from a local hobby shop to place the gouges in, so the quick change holder would hold the tool. After you tighten the tubing down on the tool in the quickchange holder once the tubing will crimp down on the gouge. I have been using these since Scot's engrave-in and only resharpen them on a piece of leather with diamond spray on it. They are SUPER sharp out of the package and I only use these for woodcarving now. Jerry Harper who is helping me learn to engrave / woodcarve used these and said he was very impressed. That he was going to order a set also.:thumbs up:
I posted all the info on how to take off the handles and get them to work in the quickchange holder in an earlier post.

If you have any questions I would direct you to Paul Hammler, as i feel he is the expert. I hope this helps you.

 

[jerrywh]

It is my experience that nothing will compensate for bad wood.

 

[MICHAEL]

DKanger, the micro tools came from woodcraft I believe and not woodcrafters.
I wanted to thank you for posting your question. It has motivated me to start carving again. I had stopped for a while to focus on my engraving. I would really like to see more posting of woodcarving and helpful hints as I am a beginner to both engraving and woodcarving. Thanks Again!:thumbs up:

 

[monk]

i have used xacto blades (don't laugh) to do power carving on a limited basis. but you have to sharpen and hone the blades beyond what the factory does for useful results.

 

[Peter E]

At Scott's Engrave-In this, year Paul Hamler showed some carving and inlay he accomplished with some wood carving tools he fabricated himself. He made them from allen wrenches if I recall.

Perhaps someone that also saw them (or Mr. Hamler) could provide some more information. The work he did with them looked VERY nice. It was for his miniature Kentucky rifle project.

 

[MICHAEL]

Peter, I know he told me how to make the tools from piano wire. I spent most of the day between him and CJ Allen. I never remember him saying he made any tools for woodcarving from allen wrenches but it is possible. Paul Hammler told me he doesn't visit either forum very much but when I sent him a private message he responded after some time passed and gave me his phone number and helped me over the phone and even offered to have me come to his home for a visit and give me hands on instruction. A great guy.:thumbs up:

 

[Peter E]

COOL Michael. Paul is an amazing guy and i've not had the opportunity to visit his shop, but from all accounts you will have an incredible time there!

Now that you mention it, he did say he made some of those chisels from piano wire, but I think he also mentioned using small allen wrenches, as they already had a usable bend in them.

Tell Paul i'm still waiting for a meeting on the billiards table:big grin: