Lathe tools for carving?

[hbmcc]

No wonder I have stayed away from carving. I keep thinking a pocket knife does everything; why can't other carving tools? So, there really is no general catch-all patterns. 

For myself, I ordered the cheap set covered in the other thread. It sounds like a good one to beat up, experiment with, and possibly burn up trying my hand at tempering. I also picked up a North Bay Forge carving knife, and some blanks. The knife fits a specific purpose, and more, like you advise. The blanks can be shaped and burned up, too. If these fail to inspire, I can chip carve; but not the standard bowls, plates, and other dust collectors. 

Thanks to everyone who came to my rescue.

[Cecil]

No wonder I have stayed away from carving. I keep thinking a pocket knife does everything; why can't other carving tools? So, there really is no general catch-all patterns. 

For myself, I ordered the cheap set covered in the other thread. It sounds like a good one to beat up, experiment with, and possibly burn up trying my hand at tempering. I also picked up a North Bay Forge carving knife, and some blanks. The knife fits a specific purpose, and more, like you advise. The blanks can be shaped and burned up, too. If these fail to inspire, I can chip carve; but not the standard bowls, plates, and other dust collectors. 

Thanks to everyone who came to my rescue.

Bruce:
I need to avoid Woodnet.  It is costing me money.

I am thinking now that I will buy the set from Leigh Valley.  I get 6 chisels for the price of 1.5.  I can then order a back bent gouge, per Dave's recommendation.  I will read a bit more this weekend regarding what tools others use to carve simple emboss and deboss patterns.

[Skip J.]

Bruce:
I need to avoid Woodnet.  It is costing me money.

I am thinking now that I will buy the set from Leigh Valley.  I get 6 chisels for the price of 1.5.  I can then order a back bent gouge, per Dave's recommendation.  I will read a bit more this weekend regarding what tools others use to carve simple emboss and deboss patterns.

I did this exact same thing with a woodworking chisel set, a Narex special from LV a few years ago.  It was a set of cranked/bent neck chisels for a very low price. Warren had warned us that bent necked chisels were no better to work with than straight chisels, but the set was CHEAP so I did it anyway. I was cutting some dados at the time and thought by allowing me to stand up more that they might help my back out. When they came in they were already sharp and I appreciated that.

I'm sure it is my lack of experience with them, but I have a harder time getting a flat bottom with them than a regular chisel. Something about standing up and using them - the expected benefit - gave me a different perspective when looking down onto the slot from above, instead of bending down and looking straight across the bottom.  I wound up making them all a little deeper than I wanted correcting the hump in the middle. And I had to bend over anyway to see which way they needed corrected.  And then I had to use the "straight" chisel for that. And then when it came time to sharpen them, they did not hold an edge as long as the "good" steel.

Since my "good" ones are all "vintage", I only paid $2 to $5 for each of them.  I did buy quite a few over the years that didn't work out, maybe $25 dollars worth, and there was a lot of time involved in the rehab, and they don't match each other; but when I absolutely need a good one to cut a critical slot.... vintage it is....

But, the Narex are worth what they cost....  but maybe not more than that.  If so, LV wouldn't sell any "good" chisels...

[Rob Young]

There are a few free lessons here : https://www.marymaycarving.com/carvingschool/

And her upcoming book should be good.

[Alan S]

There are a few free lessons here : https://www.marymaycarving.com/carvingschool/

And her upcoming book should be good.

Her book is good.  And it's out, at least the pdf form that you can download immediately when you preorder the paper book.  https://lostartpress.com/collections/boo...nthus-leaf

If you look at Mary May's website, she shows you how to carve various things, and specifies at the start of each video which tools will be needed.  You can get a lot of stuff with free registration there, and of course more if you pay for it.

[hbmcc]

Bruce:
I need to avoid Woodnet.  It is costing me money.

I am thinking now that I will buy the set from Leigh Valley.  I get 6 chisels for the price of 1.5.  I can then order a back bent gouge, per Dave's recommendation.  I will read a bit more this weekend regarding what tools others use to carve simple emboss and deboss patterns.

You and me both!!!! 
  I haven't purchased any tools in about a year, so wave that banner while adding to the cart.  You can follow the forums, even participate, and still be cheap. 

One thing I have done generally all my wood working life is adapt procedures and techniques to the limited tools I have; even my skill sets. I never owned big clamps until strength and arthritis crippled the ability to wrap and twist cords and rope. I still use framing squares for finer work. At 4 to 6 feet long, my straight edges came from both the titanium scrap bin and tool crib of Boeing Surplus.

So a single-use tool (so to speak) is really hard for me to justify. Dave D. builds beautiful furniture, and has perennial need for the tools and uses they serve. Any furniture or projects I do will be one-off; and, I am terrible at buying and selling stuff when the need is gone.

[Dave Diaman]

Bruce, you are right. I was my carving tools for weeks on end sometimes. I am currently working on the piece below which probably has 150 hours of carving before I even think about the rest of the piece. For me paying $35 per tool is a necessary evil. The set you ordered will be a good set to start with. They are a little too small to use a mallet with but will be good to get your feet wet. They will also be hard to use with too hands but it should still be possible. That is one caution I will give any one starting carving. You should ALWAYS have two hands on your tools. If you don’t you are going to stab yourself. I personally have never stabbed myself but I have several friends with multiple ER visits because they don’t follow that rule. One of my friends was out of commission for months because he cut a major nerve and tendon in his wrist.

[Cecil]

... They will also be hard to use with too hands but it should still be possible. That is one caution I will give any one starting carving. You should ALWAYS have two hands on your tools. If you don’t you are going to stab yourself. I personally have never stabbed myself but I have several friends with multiple ER visits because they don’t follow that rule. One of my friends was out of commission for months because he cut a major nerve and tendon in his wrist.

Dave, I spent 10 years in the meat plant.  I am well aware of what a sharp tool will do.  I wear cut resistant gloves while using chisels.  They will not stop a sharp tool from a direct strike, but they should slow it down a bit.  In the meat plant we wore wire mesh.  They do not fit snug, like the cut resistant gloves I don, so I am not sure I would have the control I like.

When I carve my first fan I will think about your work.  I will imagine I am emulating your carving.  On a good day, I might get my imagination to last for 5 minutes.  :-)

[Dave Diaman]

I ordered a set of the Lee Valley carving tools for my sons to carve with. The tools seem pretty good. They are actually larger than I thought. I haven’t sharpened them you and don’t know how well they will hold an edge but I would imagine if you are carving in basswood, mahogany or Walnut you shouldn’t have any issues

[Cecil]

I ordered a set of the Lee Valley carving tools for my sons to carve with. The tools seem pretty good. They are actually larger than I thought. I haven’t sharpened them you and don’t know how well they will hold an edge but I would imagine if you are carving in basswood, mahogany or Walnut you shouldn’t have any issues

Thanks Dave.  I will take the plunge.

Edited to say I pulled the trigger on the Lee Valley set. Did not order the back bent gouge yet. I will practice with these on some scrap for a bit and go from there. Thanks again.