LV Special Buy carvers

[hbmcc]

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It wont be "forging",,hardening is much easier...There are plenty of Youtube videos on hardening ordinary tool steel..If the tools are large you may need more heat than a propane torch can deliver..There are at least two easy ways to offset that..One is make a charcoal fire and hold the tool over the charcoal while you apply heat with your torch until the hot steel will not attract a magnet..Then quickly quench it in any type of oil...Another way is to hold the tool close to the surface of a clay flower pot..The pot will reflect the heat back onto the steel, allowing the torch to supply enough heat...Quench when non-magnetic....If after hardening the tool, try filing the edge..if you can cut it with the file, the steel probably wont get any harder with an oil quench..You will then need to temper the steel..Do this by applying heat from the torch starting high up from the edge until it turns a straw yellow...Let this color run all the way down to the edge at which time you need to quench it in oil again.  You should not be able to file the edge...I would not give up on the tools until I have tried this..You may be surprised at how well it can work.

Ok
 Crispy critter fingers here we come! (Just kidding. The 'forging', too.)

[hbmcc]

My kit of cheapy carvers arrived. With the exception of two, big[ger] gouge and V-tool, they all look the same--U-channels?, square gouges?.... And, really small, like micro tools.  So, I will probably don my crisper gloves, heavy duty flip-flops--we don't call them thongs anymore--and wale away with hammer and modified screw drivers.

Or, I will send them back. I have another single, 3/8 gouge that is going back anyway. It's asymmetrical. (I don't think they have a number for that.) For another $10 or $15, maybe, can get a decent finger sticker. I wonder??? Seattle Woodcraft? Gads! I hate going to Seattle anymore.

So, there you have it. Opinions from the cheapest seat.

[Dave Diaman]

My kit of cheapy carvers arrived. With the exception of two, big[ger] gouge and V-tool, they all look the same--U-channels?, square gouges?.... And, really small, like micro tools.  So, I will probably don my crisper gloves, heavy duty flip-flops--we don't call them thongs anymore--and wale away with hammer and modified screw drivers.

Or, I will send them back. I have another single, 3/8 gouge that is going back anyway. It's asymmetrical. (I don't think they have a number for that.) For another $10 or $15, maybe, can get a decent finger sticker. I wonder??? Seattle Woodcraft? Gads! I hate going to Seattle anymore.

So, there you have it. Opinions from the cheapest seat.

The set contains two #4 and two #6 sweep gouges. The gouges with the same number should have similar curves with different widths. As I said I ordered a set for my boys. The cheap tools are basically the same curvature as my Pfeil tools. My plan is to use them as they are and see how they hold an edge. No point in trying to fix something that isn't broke. If the edge retention is really bad I may try to harden them but I don't want to risk making them brittle either.

[hbmcc]

Hi, Dave. Your experience and knowledge certainly trumps my lack. I respect that and do appreciate your guidance. I was expecting greater variety of widths and didn't pay attention. One goes back, so it's easier to return the kit; and binder of lettering which didn't help me. I think it was Chris Pye who had a good book on lettering. 

I need to buck up and face the traffic mess for Seattle Woodcraft.

[hbmcc]

All this discussion and here I am sitting on a very good carving site..... (Unless there is an earlier link?)

http://www.woodworkersinstitute.com/wood...rving-set/

I think I will study a bit....