bugbear":2q5d7l96 said:
Lons":2q5d7l96 said:
chrisbaker42":2q5d7l96 said:
the idea of belting a chisel with such a nice piece really goes against the grain.
If you need to "belt" your carving chisels then they ain't sharp (hammer) :lol: :lol:
Depends on the scale of carving being done. If you watch a carver working on a 6 foot piece, and in the early stages of roughing out with a inch and a half gouge,
belting is most definitely involved!
BugBEar
Yep BugbEar - wouldn't disagree with that as I've seen it as well - and it's made me cringe!
The mallets we are looking at aren't really meaty enough to "belt" the type of large roughing out gouges used in those instances and I still maintain that it isn't necessary to use brute force to carve effectively.
It usually means that:- the chisels are blunt, the carver is impatient or in a hurry and trying to take far too big a cut. There are better methods of removing large quantities of waste quickly using both hand or power options.
A very sharp tool, frequently stropped will cut almost anywood if used within it's limitations and without excess force. I have a couple of heavy duty 1 1/2 and 2" gouges and if I can do it then so can much better carvers than me.
As a comparison, I've watched an old craftman effortlessly chop out mortices in oak doors using minimal blows but other so called "joiners" butcher a softwood door using a mallet as if wielding an axe #-o
Would this set be a reasonable place to start?
http://www.axminster.co.uk/axminster-se ... rod783394/
If you're happy to spend £30 on something you might not like. If it were me, I'd buy 1 or maybe 2 at most initially and preferably s/h quality if poss as they are still useful for normal jobs.
Sets of chisels are rarely the best buys (says he who has 2 sets
), as most of them go unused. For normal carving I use probably no more than 4 or 5 tools but the rest are great to own. Slippery slope as always!
PM me if you want advice but I suggest you read up before bying and decide whether your interest would be relief or in the round (or even chip carving). Loads of books available through the libraries and articles on the net, so don't even need to spend your hard earned.
cheers
Bob