Your tools when used correctly will help produce your desired finished piece. If you are not working the right tools or not using them correctly your piece will consistently be of less quality than your skill level. Tools allow you to express yourself by creating beautiful pieces of art. Using your mallet and wood carving chisels relieves stress and lets your creativity come out where it can be seen and admired.  

Carving Tools Close Up

Here is a quick visual close-up of some of my  favorite carving tools.  This grouping will eventually find their way onto the work table during any carving project.  The vast majority of the tools show here are between 25 and 40 years old since most are inherited from my father's many years of wood carving. 

Using Carving Tools

This is how I use carving tools; I am right-handed and so are the references. I am not wearing a glove for clearer explanation of hand position. I recommend you put on a carving glove before picking up a tool.

10 Carving Tips for Using a Band Saw

A clear workspace, good lighting and safety equipment is essential. Safety glasses are needed not only for protecting eyes from dust but also tiny offcuts that touch the saw can whizz across the workshop. Ear defenders not only protect your ears but also help to keep your concentration sharp during sawing. A push stick will keep your fingers well clear of the blade.

Proper Care Of Wood Carving Knives

You'll need to sharpen your wood carving knives often so you can carve efficiently and safely. Dull tools can cause serious injuries and destroy a beautiful woodworking project in a flash. Make sure you take proper care of your knives; you'll be glad you did. You can use sharpening stones of various grits, or you can use a power grinder to sharpen your wood carving tools, and you always want to finish with a leather strop.

How to Know if Your Knife Is Sharp Enough

As you sharpen your carving knife more and more, do you wonder why the knife does not seem to hold the edge for very long, even when you use the same technique to sharpen it?