Tool progression

[Nebraska]

Life is a journey and so is carving.

My journey started with a folding utility knife.

Then I was a flexcut guy knives and gouges with swap out handles

I upgrade to couple BK Thurman knives and some Swiss Made palm tools.

Next I started using a carving vise and full sized carving tools (mostly Swiss Made)

[BobW]

Like motorcycles, when N = the number you own, N+1=the number you need.

[Randy]

Ed I have a similar history and collection of tools. I started with Xacto knife. Went to a a small Xacto kit with some small gouge blades and a red handle to hold them. Went all out for flexcut knives a palm tools then a set of Pfiel Swiss Made mallett tools. The Flexcut went to one of my daughters who wants to carve and I slowly went for Dake palm tools. My Family always complained I was hard to buy for. So I gave my wife a list of Drake tools I wanter and told her every time some on wanted to know what to get me on any of the gift giving times of the year that here was a list. She shared with our four daugters. That made life easy for them for a few years and made me a very happy carver.

[Brian T]

I was gifted a relief carving course. I began with the instructor's selection of Pfeil full sized gouges.
Added to that over the years as you might expect. Not fast, one or two at a time, months apart.
The carving process brought great satisfaction.

Then, some 10 or 12 years ago, I watched a demo First Nations carver using crooked knives and they were modified farrier's hoof trimming knives. I had always been stalled by the false assumption that I carried that all First Nations carvers made all of their own tools.

That was it. Fast forward to today. I have several dozen crooked knives, many of which I assembled in my own handles. Couple of adzes and a couple of straight knives. This has been a grand exploration of very different tools in both their shapes and actions.

There are several very good blade smiths for these tools, they are all clustered in the Pacific Northwest. A few others, elsewhere, make fairly good copies of PacNW designs.

[Eddy-Smiles]

I think you just related the story of many of our lives! But then again, half the fun of carving is in the journey!

[uvawyo]

Yep, from a pocket knife to more and more

[DiLeon]

I bought a BAD chisel set (tons of junk out there) and a beautiful block of black walnut for a project....I learn to do it the hard way as I am always self-taught..that was a total failure attempt. Want to see what it is like to hit hardwood like with walnut with unsharpen junk tools??? The chisel will make scratches or a tiny dent at its best hit. Rock carving is easier than doing this....And lots of bad muttering starts.

The next attempt found a wood carving class and the teacher sold a detailed palm chisel he made which I bought. I learned what basswood was and sharp meant and how to strop.

Next carving was I got the Woodcarving Illustrated magazine...got a few more recommend palm chisels and made some woodcarving gifts. After that I joined this forum as we have no clubs here...and I was on my way buying recommended knives, chisels, palm chisels, power tools and most of all do not using black walnut as the first attempt in carving. That was the start of my major tool collection which I got hooked on tools...you name it, I might have it. I learn the better the tool ...it easier is to sharpen and stay sharp. So that saving money tool, chisels, knives often never get used, unless they are recommended by other carvers. Pfeil, Drake and Henry Taylor, and my mini Dockyards are my top woodcarving tools and I carve exotic hardwoods.