Carving Tools

A beginner needs a small set of palm chisels or gouges, a carving knife, and a strop for keeping edges sharp. The Narex 5-piece starter carving chisel set is a practical first purchase that covers the most common cuts.

A chisel has a flat cutting edge and removes material in a straight line, while a gouge has a curved or swept edge for scooping out hollows, carving rounded surfaces, and cutting curves. Most carvers use both types together depending on the cut required.

A straight gouge has a relatively flat profile along its length and is used for general carving and V-shaped or U-shaped cuts. A spoon gouge has a bent shank that curves upward at the tip, making it easier to scoop into bowls, hollows, and tight concave areas without the handle catching on the workpiece.

A drawknife is a two-handled blade pulled toward the user to shave and shape wood surfaces. Its commonly used for shaping chair legs, spindles, curved rails, and green-wood projects where rapid stock removal with directional control is needed.

Basswood is the most widely recommended carving wood for beginners due to its consistent, fine grain and soft texture that responds predictably to cutting tools. Butternut, white pine, and soft maple are also good choices. Very hard species like hard maple or hickory are best left to experienced carvers with sharp, well-tuned tools.

It depends on the tool style and the work. Palm chisels and carving knives are used by hand alone. Larger straight gouges and bench gouges can be driven with a carving mallet for faster material removal or guided by hand for fine finishing cuts.

Carving tools are sharpened on whetstones or diamond plates to establish the primary bevel, then polished on a leather strop loaded with honing compound to refine the edge to a razor sharpness. Gouges require a shaped slip stone on the inside flute to remove any wire edge from the concave side. Visit the Infinity Tools learning blog for sharpening technique guides.

Narex carving tools are manufactured in the Czech Republic from chrome-manganese steel, hardened to a level that holds a working edge without being brittle. They are widely respected among woodcarvers as an excellent valueprofessional performance at an accessible price point.

Carving tools should be stored with edges protected from contact with other metal tools. A canvas or leather tool roll like the 7-pocket tool roll is a compact, protective option. Never toss loose carving tools in a drawer where tips and edges can be damaged.

Bench chisels, mortise chisels, and paring chisels handle joinery and material removal tasks that carving tools are not designed for. Browse the chisels collection for a full range of Narex bench and specialty chisels to complement your carving toolkit.