Please buy retired Carvers 'kits'. Very rewarding!

[photowhit]

I'm new or renew(lol) to wood carving.

In the past year I've picked up 3 kits from retired wood carvers. The first 2 were just an economic interest. I paid for lots of tools for the price of 1 or 3 that I wanted. Picking up some interesting tools to learn about, add to my sharpening skills, and try other's favorite tools.

The last one was a wild hair, I had a bit of 'extra change' and saw a kit with some interesting knives that I thought look like Mike Shiley's and Denny's as well as a custom gouge/knife maker I had just read about Cutsinger from Kansas. Made a blind offer of $260 and it was accepted. I've had lots of fun figuring out some of the tools makers. 8 Ron Woods/Mike Shipley's were a neat find! The 4 Cutsinger's, and a B.K. Thurman, along with some Diobsud palm gouges, a couple Pfeil and Ashley Isles...
A picture of the kit and some of the odds and ends.haul.jpg
The haul, It's a Bud Murry in the Helvie sheath, another next to it.
bb.jpg
Cutsinger's made from commercial spade bits, neat info at Woodbeecarvers.
Mike Shipley Ron Woods.jpg
Mike Shipley Ron Wells knives, also 2 flat Ron Wells chisels.
B.K. Thurman.jpg
A neat B.K. Thurman detail knife, I really like it, but a bit too thin for a daily user. Amazing finish!

Lots of quality stuff! I'm now going back to look through 1 of the previous kits. I think I discovered my current favorite roughing knife was made by Darrell Kerr but need to do a bit more research.

Yes, I didn't need the knives.
Yes there are some better knives than I currently have, and I'll have a little fun figuring it out.
Yes, as it turned out I made a good value buy as have all my purchases so far...
It's been very rewarding learning 3rd behing carving and making knives (yes heaven forbid...lol)

[Brian T]

I have done that a couple of times. Got some very useful big (25mm & 35mm) gouges and had no trouble selling off what I didn't need.

Several years ago, a conversation here in WCI told me of a set of 7 crooked knives, designed in the style of the First Nations carving tools from here in the Pacific Northwest. I looked over the prices from existing blade smiths and made an acceptable offer.

They were made as P.E. (Preferred Edge), a bladesmith Mike Comick, about 800 miles south of me.
They had turned up in an American estate sale and were bought by an American carver who admitted that he didn't use them very much.

Mike Comick taught totem pole carving classes besides making tools. I was less than a week away from sending the fee to join one of his pole classes when he fell down dead (heart attack?). That was the end of that. 10-15 years later and I own and use some of the tools he made!

[woodburner807]

Great deals and sure wish I could find something.

[Nebraska]

I’m a huge Diobsud Forge fan, when I can acquire on for a reasonable price they bump a Pfeil Swiss Made out of my tool caddy. Congratulations on the great find.

[photowhit]

I’m a huge Diobsud Forge fan, when I can acquire on for a reasonable price they bump a Pfeil Swiss Made out of my tool caddy. Congratulations on the great find.

FWIW - I'm not a fan of Pfeil palm tools. I got started using Ramelson and have been happy with them other than loving a Drake 'V' which seems to turn much easier, and a Taylor that is a neat spoon Visitor Messages 3/4".

[photowhit]

Great deals and sure wish I could find something.

They are out there, just keep your eyes open...
...good luck!

[pallin]

I have carefully avoided getting involved in buying & selling tools. I bought the carving tools I use, of course, and have discovered what works best for the carving I do. I discovered long ago that I can carve just about anything with fewer than six good tools. I judge them by their function, not their manufacturer. I would rather call myself a woodcarver than a tool trader.
The heirs of woodcarvers often have no idea what specific tools are for. They often just want to be rid of them. Sometimes they have an unrealistic notion of value. Tool traders often carry on that unrealistic idea when they re-sell the stuff.
Carvers - Buy only what you need! You will make a "big investment" of time to learn how to sharpen, maintain and use each one. If you want to enjoy the hobby, don't make it a business!

[photowhit]

Carvers - Buy only what you need! You will make a "big investment" of time to learn how to sharpen, maintain and use each one. If you want to enjoy the hobby, don't make it a business!

Whatever floats your boat, I enjoy carving and building knives. I learn real sharpening skills bringing some of these relics back to life. I also take great joy in discovering the history and virtue of previous knife makers.

It bring joy and happiness to me to learn and pass on the names and histories of previous knife makes, or giving away some of my 'rehandled' knives.

Sorry you feel I suffer from buying these old kits, in truth I get joy from it.

I've NOT made this into a business! Just learning...

BTW - I get a lot of education about old knife makers from the WoodBeeCarvers web site.
I'd bet Don has 1000's of knives... I understand he's a pretty fair carver too!