How to Get Started Woodcarving, Part 2 of 2

A Start in Woodcarving 2 of 2

Our next stage is to bring the roughed out fish to the studio and set it up in a vice. There are specialist vices for this – but all I needed to do was use my standard bench vice. Now let us look at the tools required? It is possible to purchase quite inexpensive box sets of special gouges and chisels, but also look out at car boot sales etc. for odd items and bargains!

You may even make one or two special tools from old ordinary mortice chisels by grinding them to your own shapes? On the left are my basic collection, the toll I am holding on the right is a small adze, a modern version of a tool used before the time of Christ, but remains very useful!

Above left I am holding two small rasps, one finer than the other and each having a straight and curved end. On the right a heavier version of a file with the “surforms” I mentioned earlier. They have replaceable blades and are excellent for first smoothing and curves, followed up by the rasps and then sandpaper.

Above left a carving mallet which is very different from an ordinary woodworking mallet as it is round. You may think that this will be dangerous and miss the chisel you using, but no! In fact it is easier and can be used at different angles and more versatility. This mallet is a heavy one in “lignum vitae” wood, my other is lighter in ash! On the right you see two V chisels used for cutting a v shape for lettering or lines. Plus a spoon gouge for getting into recesses or bowls.

Ordinary gouges may vary in depth and width. To sharpen them you will require a flat slip stone plus a half round smaller slip to get into the inner curve and remove the burr.

Before you start chopping away at your valuable wood you must understand another basic. Wood always has a grain, some woods have finer grains than others and are easier to carve, such as lime or apple. Others such as pine or oak split easily so you must have sharp tools plus understand the dangers? Above left you see the curvet grain in pine. if I were to use a chisel in the direction I am pointing with my finger it would catch the grain and split it straight down! On the right I am using a chisel as the grain comes up, and it is correct and will not split. Also, notice that the bevel or angled edge of the chisel is against the wood and not upwards to give you control. If you hold it upwards you will cut directly into the wood!

Above left you see the fish being cut with a flat chisel to remove the first waste and round up the body, just as I have told you above? On the right I am using one of the rasps to remove and shape around the gills.

Then I will use the curved gouges and v gouges to continue shaping and details, e.g. finishing up with the surforms and rasps and finally sanding.

At this stage you may wish to stain your wood as I have with the owl? I use coldron wood dyes and mix my colours. With the zander above I first sealed it and then painted on the dye, giving several coats of exterior varnish afterwards.