Thread: which whittling knife do you recommend for hardwood ?

I have a Flexcut that is pretty cut, if a bit butt ugly

There's quite a range of hard and then there's "hard" wood in Australia, as I recall.
What do the Africans use for tools for ebony?
If your old knife has evaporated, I suggest you move to the next level and make your own. Broken band saw blades from metal/welding shops smell like good stock to me and many others. Old saw blade, anywhere?
Spring steel from lumber strapping is my push at present to make carving razor skew knives (Russian trick.)

I hate this. I have all sorts of carving tools but I am warming up to the idea of making a few more.

Hi Jake,
I've made quite a few by getting stainless steel kitchen knives (not the bread & butter type ) from Lifeline or St. VdP, and grinding the blade into shape. Anything from 20c up!
Cut/grind/snap it off about 30mm long, whatever suits, then form the remnant to the shape you require. I've used plastic handled ones, but you need to watch the temperature when grinding; occasionally I've found rosewood handled ones, and even if the handle doesn't feel right, hit it with a grinder or belt sander. Not too precious, and I have about 12 or so with various shaped blades, which I use when running workshops....some of them are seriously nice to use!

Cheers,

thanks for the ideas.

I forgot about grinding down old knives trick. The one I've lost I made out of an old file untempered.

Its probably considered odd , but I've come accross the occational cheap blade too that I felt was good steel.

non high carbon types with a lot of impurities generally work well off grinders/buffers I've found because they don't burn up so much, so can sharpen quicker (but then I suppose the edge is more likely to crumble to on hardwoods ) so I've found anyway.

I'll just make up another. thanks for your thoughts.

Hi Jake,
Not sure where you are, but if you frequent the Sun. Markets, you are bound to find one that you could use.

The other way, is to make your own, as you really get a thrill to know that you made it.

The 12in.+ x 1in.+ H/ saw blade is the way to go.
Take it easy cutting the Blade with the 2mm. A/ grinder wheel, with the occasional few drops of water on the H/saw Blade.
The Handle ; Run the selected wood through the Bandsaw, & marked on 1 end. Carve out the shape of the Blade, shape the Blade, & Polish it, & don't forget it will be HSS.
You then just glue everything together, then you have to shape the Handle, to your liking, & sharpen the Blade. I also sign mine as I then know when I made it. Time really gets away. Easy isn't it ??.

Originally Posted by Andy Mac

Hi Jake,
I've made quite a few by getting stainless steel kitchen knives (not the bread & butter type ) from Lifeline or St. VdP, and grinding the blade into shape. Anything from 20c up!
Cut/grind/snap it off about 30mm long, whatever suits, then form the remnant to the shape you require. I've used plastic handled ones, but you need to watch the temperature when grinding; occasionally I've found rosewood handled ones, and even if the handle doesn't feel right, hit it with a grinder or belt sander. Not too precious, and I have about 12 or so with various shaped blades, which I use when running workshops....some of them are seriously nice to use!

Cheers,

Well I thought I'd illustrate what I mean... seems I've spoilt 22 kitchen knives

Originally Posted by Andy Mac

Well I thought I'd illustrate what I mean... seems I've spoilt 22 kitchen knives

If these are from your kitchen, your in big trrroubleee.

issatree reminded me of the most wicked sharp knife I ever saw.

I was on a Fisheries research job in Northern Canada. Lots of fish, lots of analysis, yadda, yadda, yadda.
My partner pulled out a fish knife that he had made from a hack saw blade.
He got more done in 20 minutes than I got done in an hour. I had to put up with that for 5 months. Fast forward = I now know that for fish meat, it was perfect. For wood where you need a little more support, in metal, behind the edge, it would be magnificent at 2" long.
That was 47 years ago, to be precise. It was quite a knife.

ta.

Hi Again,
Out of all those good home made Knives, I think the 3rd. in, bottom row, black handle & a bit of white on it, is most likely what you are after.
I wood also think, it could be a bit thinner, by grinding a bit off along the top.

We have a Chap in our Carving Club, & although a Carver, he does a lot of Magnificent Whittling, & he uses a Pfeil Knife.
They are around $24. from Carrolls or C/Tec.

He also Polish Sharpens his Chisels & Knives. Has a small Grinder 4in. ? Mops , turned it around,so as the Stitched Mop is going away from you. The other side has a Home Made Leather Wheel on it. He uses Green Rouge on it.
Hope that also helps a little.

Hi Again,
Out of all those good home made Knives, I think the 3rd. in, bottom row, black handle & a bit of white on it, is most likely what you are after.
I wood also think, it could be a bit thinner, by grinding a bit off along the top.

We have a Chap in our Carving Club, & although a Carver, he does a lot of Magnificent Whittling, & he uses a Pfeil Knife.
They are around $24. from Carrolls or C/Tec.

He also Polish Sharpens his Chisels & Knives. Has a small Grinder 4in. ? Mops , turned it around, & laid it on it's back, so as the Stitched Mop is going away from you. The other side has a Home Made Leather Wheel on it. He uses Green Rouge on it.
Hope that also helps a little.

Originally Posted by issatree

Hi Again,
Out of all those good home made Knives, I think the 3rd. in, bottom row, black handle & a bit of white on it, is most likely what you are after.
I wood also think, it could be a bit thinner, by grinding a bit off along the top.

We have a Chap in our Carving Club, & although a Carver, he does a lot of Magnificent Whittling, & he uses a Pfeil Knife.
They are around $24. from Carrolls or C/Tec.

He also Polish Sharpens his Chisels & Knives. Has a small Grinder 4in. ? Mops , turned it around,so as the Stitched Mop is going away from you. The other side has a Home Made Leather Wheel on it. He uses Green Rouge on it.
Hope that also helps a little.

Good to know the Pfeil knife is working out for someone. Thanks .

works fine. thanks. Ended up looking like the one I lost. profile like one of those Chip carving knifes.

I have used most brands pfeil flexi cut you know the list BUT the ones you make your self are the best HERE is the tip go for a walk down to your butchers shop see of you can sweet talk them in to letting you have the old boning knives most butchers only use a boning knife to a point then chuck them out, there so nice to use as a chip carving knife
and most of the boning knives have a soft steel nice to re shape but still keeps a sharp edge