carving tools

[pcrum]

I stopped by woodcraft today and looked at some carving tools. I plan to do some basic carving on a Jager rifle I'm getting ready to build. I noticed that there are two different types- palm handles and straight handles. What do you guys use for rifle work and why?
Thanks,

 

[IronCrickett]

Well...The answer is YES. I use long handled gouges for certain carving, such as setting in or modeling. I use long handled gouges and chisels for most of my inletting. I use the palms for small work and also for inletting. I also use home maders and some home made knives. The moral of the story is " I use whatever will work best for a given situation ". This probably doesn't help answer your question, but it's what I do.

Later
I.C.

 

[BLAHMAN]

I use both. For carving I also use a type called "Flexi-Cut". They are very sharp and easy to sharpen. I also use some modified things like X-acto knives. :results:

 

[vradin]

I haven't done any rifle stocks yet, but I've done a fair bit of wood removal in the course of trying to make a nice chunk of wood into something prettier. Iron Cricket is on the money- use what is right for the job, and feels good in your hand. Nothing worse than a tool that doesn't fit or feel right in the hand.

I use an odd assortment of old straight handled small carvers, palm gripped, large (use with a mallet) gouges, Randall knives, scalpels, x-acto blades with pencil grip, and a modified leather carving swivel knife. Might be a little nuts of me :youcrazy: to keep adding more tools to the mix when I'm barely proficient with what I have, but it sure makes life easier, and I make fewer errors, with a comfortable tool working for me.

You should be able to ask at the local woodcraft if they'll let you try the tools before you buy them. Some of the stores have classes and workshops and you get to use the REALLY expensive tools in-store too.