Thread: Beginner

Hi Nickwcw. Welcome to this skillset.
I'm sure most who reply to your query will agree that the best way to start carving is to find a woodcarving academy / school, where you can learn the techniques. They have a huge range of tools that you use as part of your tuition fees, then you can work out which tools you need for your purpose and buy individual ones as you need them.
I don't know anything about Chinese chisels as I have never used them. I, like most others, have Pfeil brand tools, with a few others thrown in that I have aquired along the way.
Like most crafts and sports; If you have inferior quality equipment, the task is so much harder and usually more dangerous.

I have no doubt a teacher is a great way to learn but I don't think it will be an option for me, just mucking around in the garage at night in my spare time, also I don't live in the big smoke.

Is there a good carving specific shop in Aus? Timbercon sells two Cherie's chisels and carbatec phiel but they seem to be the small d size ones. I'm looking for advice on what size v tool to use for creating outline / stop cuts , forgive my lack of knowledge of correct terminology.

I am am fully on board with the inferior tools vs quality debate but I have been given these as a gift from my sister and want to have a go. I have plenty of wood to play with. I am thinking by using rubbish tools I can learn what I want in a tool if and when I start needing more due to the cheapos not doing what I'm trying to achieve.

Welcome Nick.
1. Search the archives in this forum. There were some big active threads a few years ago.
2. Can you find a local group of like-minded carvers to exchange info with?
3. You can't make a YouTube carving cut with a cheap carving edge. I deliberately tried.
4. Most gouges are sharpened to a 20 degree total included bevel angle, maybe 25 for very hard woods.
Straight knives and crooked knives will be 15 degrees or less, maybe 12. This is "carving sharp."
5. I have a 12/8 Vee that I use maybe once a year.
For V-cuts, my preference is a straight knife line then carve back to that with a left and a right pair of 12mm skews.
6. Wood Carving Illustrated Magazine hosts a site with individual forums for carving styles.

Thanks for the info I'll post up a new thread with a pic of progress