I am a big fan of Beavercraft knives, as a beginner, it was a no brainier to buy their products. After a few basic carvings under my belt, I have no thoughts of ‘upgrading’. I know they will last me well and I intend to buy Beavercraft knives as I expand my toolkit. Excellent tools at a great price here in the UK.
Just wondering where you can buy beavercraft products in the UK because I noticed that their website is in dollars. If you could help that would be great. :)
I‘m new to whittling and carving, so haven‘t really tried THAT much knives and chisels. I have some old chisels that I inherited from my grandpa and some knives he crafted himself (whittling was a big hobby of his) as well as Beavercraft‘s C2 knive. This has served me well so far, but the S15 set is something I‘d love to get in the future👍
I realized recently that I had bought one of the knock off spoon carving sets like you mentioned at the start of your video. The metal is definitely inferior. I need to be very diligent in my stropping habits. Oddly enough though I still keep finding myself reaching for the sloyd and detail knife from that knock off kit over my flex cut bench knife and carving “multi tool” because I like the shape and size of their handles more. Very simple oval design. I think they fit my little hands well. One of my carving friends that has bigger hands doesn’t like the handle of the knock offs. Thanks for this video, it’s nice to see this much overview of what beavercraft has to offer and your thoughts on the various options 👍🏻
Had some of the kit already, strops, stones, lots of pocket knives including the Old Timer carving folder thing (splinter jack?), regular wood chisels ect so I'm just adding individual items as they are needed. Got a Beavercraft spoon knife and I'd like a dedicated fixed blade smaller carving knife in the future. Not going to go all in and buy lots of stuff I may not even need or use. I'm sure as skill replaces enthusiasm I'll be able to make more useful purchases. I know enough to know the imitation kits are a false economy unless you are unsure if you will like the hobby. You have got some sweet kit though!
I bought a beavercraft spoon carving knife recently, not bad! It has a much steeper curve than my mora one, which is nice for much smaller spoons and such. My favorite budget whittling knife at the moment is a Hultafors electrical fitters knife. They sell for about $4, and come with a really nice sheath. 👍
I have been watching your videos for some time now and just want to say how appreciative I am that you give so much insight as to the quality of the different kits. I have yet to purchase carving tools but I think I'm ready to give it a try!
Great vid! I bought myself a spoon knife from beavercraft and right away noticed how skinny/narrow the handle was in my hand. Didn't like it. So I made a new handle from a piece of a hickory garden shovel handle. Now it's perfect
Another great video Brian! I have one of the carving kits as well as 2 of their knife sets. What you said is spot on..tools come razor sharp and you definitely get the biggest bang for the buck with any of the Beavercraft tools and sets.
The problem with Beavercraft is that they use inferior steel so they sharpen then at 22 degrees on each side. (angle verified with Beavercraft. I had a conversation with them about the subject where they listed out the angles for all the knives and gouges, etc.) That is pocket knife angle instead of carving knife angle. They are sharpened completely differently. Both can be "razor sharp" but a real carving knife it sharpened so that it can slice deep into wood with very little resistance. A pocket knife is sharpened with a utility edge meant to be strong and last a long time but is not made to penetrate into wood. The difference is akin to a splitting maul vs a woodsman's axe. To put this in perspective 22 + 22 is a 44 degree wedge that you are trying to push into the wood. Compared that to Flexcut at 7.5 degrees per side or Helve and Drake at 5-6 degrees per side and you will quickly find out why it is worth spending a few more bucks on a better tool. From Beavercraft: We have the following sharpening angles: Whittling knives С1, С2, С4, С8, С13, С14 - 22 degrees Chip carving knives - 18 degrees Hook knives - 18 degrees Draw knives DK1/DK2 - 30 degrees.
Good info and completely agree with ya!! But I still struggle to find something comparable at the same price and quality. There are much better options, but they usually cost double that of Beavercraft. The price point is good for those not wanting to put in too much but still give them a taste of something decent. Still, the difference between Beavercraft and nicer tools with the better angles is very noticeable
Good day Brian, thank you so much for sharing this informative video on the carving tools. I have the S18X set that I use to carve the Chessmen pieces in your tutorial project. The tools are excellent, I learned how to strop to make it sharp, I used the C15X Detail Knife, and C16X Roughing Knife they are good carving knives. It helps me build confidence in the hobby of carving.
I’ve never done any wood carving or any wood hobby. Except as a like 12 year old whittling a stick with a Swiss Army knife. I want to get into carving & don’t know where or how to start
You can easily start with carving spoons. Buy a mora carving knives for the roughing. Then buy a mora or beavercraft spoon knife. Finally if you wanna do more detail you get the flexcut detail knife(not roughing). You should be set for most project. Then eventually you can get a pfeil set with some chisels( 'v cut', ') Cut' and a '| cut').
Great review Brian! On the topic of budget carving tools, can you do a review on the "MASTERCARVER 3-PIECE KNIFE SET". How would these knives stack up against Beavercraft?
Brian a handy hint the tool kits aint for me as I end up with tools im not going to use same with my sak I buy one with tools on it im going to use as opposed to not using as knife gets too big and not pocket friendly but sure is an impressive collection dude I but things as I need same with home DIY I never tried beaver craft gear I own only a mora hook knife and a flexcut carving jack folder both exellent tools but I use my sak and barlows more and a gouge to carve spoon bowls you just choke up on tool it carves exellent once you give it good stropping 1🍻👍🦊🐾
Got their S57 - Large Wood Carving Tool Set with 20 Tools. Great quality for beginner and intermediate. The selected tools in the set is not ideal, a few def could be exchanged to other types of knifes. Nobody needs 4 (P1/01-04) almost identical size straight flat Palm-chisels and yet zero V-Tools. Unfortunately at a time, S68 was not available, I would definitely take that one If I had to choose again. Also, those in Europe, keep in mind you will have to pay double on taxes. So at the end it got quite expensive set, cost me 370euros in total. Still worth the money, as there is basically no selection where I am located, so I rather support Ukraine!
@@CarvingisFun The whole stand looks really stunning, not gonna lie. People were taking pictures when they saw it on my desk :D Cant tuck away easily, but def a show piece if you have a space for it!
Well, the stands aren't available over here, or by themselves yet. Sooooo.... Im just gonna design my own over here lol. Maybe make some upgrades while Im at it.
Big fan of my C2 carving/ whittling knife, had it for over 5 years now. My only issues with it are it didn't come with a scabbard ( had to make one), and after so much time the handle is coming a little loose from the blade and the blade is dulling ( even after stropping religiously). Any one have recommendations on how to fix the wobbly hilt?
I am just starting. But I pretend to carve cups (like kuks, spoon and bowls), and from there to see how the things go. I am from Brasil, so it's not so easy to get theses tools, becouse we don't have it here.
Damn, the S13 kit there is less than USD$40, but today on their site in the UK it's £86. Oof! Still getting one, though. Looks and sounds like they're well worth it. I adore your videos, they make me hopeful and give me a little confidence that I might just about be able to pull off a spoon or two. Previous goes have been okay but not great. I think I'll try carving along with you, to learn what tool and technique to use when, and what to do and not do, and see how it goes.
Goodness, that is a massive jump!!! I would take a peek at Focuser Carving, they are in China but man are they great quality knives. Probably a bit cheaper than what you're seeing for Beavercraft right now but much better.
@@CarvingisFun thats unavailable for me sadly. How about a sak or opinel, Which one of the 2 would you say is the best for a designated whittling knife
Yep! Both the opinel and SAK have about the same steel hardness so either way you will be fine. Just keep it honed every 20 or so min of whittling and you will be golden
This is honestly dependent upon the child themselves. I have met quite a few kids between 5 and 10 years old who are completely competent with a knife, but met plenty teens who lack the focus, patience, and confidence to continue without guidance.
its worth it i made a stool for a plant, and a bowl for my coffee table. you'll be working with tree trunks lol. i like small characters better, so it doesn't get out as much as it wants to, but i love having it.
Completely agree with the quality of drake, and I will have a video or two coming up with them in it too. Still, for the cost of a single Drake knife, you can buy several beavercraft knives. So for an absolute beginner who doesn't want to wait a few weeks to a month and spend too much money but get something decent, beavercraft is hard to beat. And no, not sponsored by anyone other than myself. If you watch my channel, you see I use helvie, occt, flexcut, beavercraft, and several other brands interchangeably. Plus, if I were sponsored or if a video was sponsored, I would have to disclose that due to youtubes guidelines.
@@CarvingisFun Thanks for the reply. GIL AND BONNIE DRAKE have been my best friends for the last 45 years. Unfortunately we lost GIL about a month ago to a long suffering illness. So you can see why I hold their tools in hi regard. I respect anyone with the talent to carve. I mostly just make wood chips but I still love using his tools. Gil's oldest son David and Gil's wife Bonnie are carrying on DRAKE KNIVES. Gil told me that David was even better at the craft of making the knives than he was so I am sure the quality will continue. Gil was also a very talented carver and teacher.
Just stumbled on this vid, yet started searching this stuff a couple weeks ago… 🙄. Wish I had seen this first. Liked and Subbed! Goal this upcoming warm season is to learn making utensils and a kuksa for bushcraft/ wild camping. Your channel looks like my new hangout! So, just in curiosity, how much more $$ would it take [and recommended brand(s)] to get into a 3 piece stater set just like the S14 kit with spoon knife, whittling knife, and long-bent bowl gouge…only getting past the 22° angle and into something a bit more aggressive and easier to work with? Appreciate your thoughts. Best and thanks for the vids @dobrofool www.youtube.com/@wildcamping189
Howdy! Well, off the top of my head there are only a few brands that make kuksa specific kits, those are Beavercraft, Stryi, Narex, and Focuser Carving. All are decent in their own price range and this is a category I am both interested in, but have yet to start doing (even though I have all the tools to do so). There are other companies that make high end, and in my mind superior quality, sloyd knives, bowl gouges, and hook knives too but they are significantly more expensive. Pfeil makes some really nice gouges with a more aggressive angle, but their tool is around $70 alone. I personally like Deepwoods Ventures and Flexcuts Sloyd knives, but those are anywhere between $50 to $100 each. Hook knives are everywhere and I personally can't give you a "best option" but Deepwoods Ventures, Flexcut, Stryi, and many many others are good choices. For more of a budget, Moras sloyd and hook knives are hard to beat for the price and feel like a much better option than that of Beavercraft. So, with all that being said, if you want better tools you will be spending anywhere between $50 to $200 for just the 3 tools depending on quality. The good stuff doesn't come in kits, but are sold individually. so if you look for a Sloyd Knife, Bowl Gouge, and Hook Knife online you will find some good stuff out there. Keep in mind, you will need the tools to maintain the edge, hold the wood, and the wood itself too. Happy carving!
Products mentioned in the video:
C2 Wood Carving Knife: amzn.to/3pMlK8x
C1 Beginners Knife: amzn.to/3XSG0SI
S13 Spoon Kit Set: amzn.to/43uQE2R
S15 Whittling & Chip Carving Set: amzn.to/3NTE73z
S50X Deluxe Carving Kit: amzn.to/3NNzKXD
S18X Deluxe Carving Kit: amzn.to/43nH3v0
S19X Premium Carving Kit: amzn.to/3Dc5Kjd
TH10 Tool Holder: beavercrafttools.com/products/th10-tools-holder-beavercraft
SC05 Woodcarving Gouge Set: amzn.to/3rq0VjR
LS2P1 Leather Strop: amzn.to/3XWMH6c
LS6P1 Dual-Sided Leather Strop: amzn.to/3rvLczO
LS5P1 Spoon Knives Paddle Strop: amzn.to/3JUFyxn
Basswood Carving Blocks: amzn.to/3D9YsMS
Comfort Bird Carving Kit: amzn.to/3NNzN5L
Love Spoon Carving Kit: amzn.to/44F0xw4
Bear Carving Kit: amzn.to/3JYqxdT
Wizard Carving Kit: amzn.to/3NTEtap
I am a big fan of Beavercraft knives, as a beginner, it was a no brainier to buy their products. After a few basic carvings under my belt, I have no thoughts of ‘upgrading’. I know they will last me well and I intend to buy Beavercraft knives as I expand my toolkit. Excellent tools at a great price here in the UK.
Just wondering where you can buy beavercraft products in the UK because I noticed that their website is in dollars. If you could help that would be great. :)
They have a large presence on Amazon too, which is where they make most of their sales
@@DavidLarkin-r6namazon uk
I‘m new to whittling and carving, so haven‘t really tried THAT much knives and chisels. I have some old chisels that I inherited from my grandpa and some knives he crafted himself (whittling was a big hobby of his) as well as Beavercraft‘s C2 knive. This has served me well so far, but the S15 set is something I‘d love to get in the future👍
Just got the whittling and chip carving set, anxious to get started.
You got this!
I realized recently that I had bought one of the knock off spoon carving sets like you mentioned at the start of your video. The metal is definitely inferior. I need to be very diligent in my stropping habits.
Oddly enough though I still keep finding myself reaching for the sloyd and detail knife from that knock off kit over my flex cut bench knife and carving “multi tool” because I like the shape and size of their handles more. Very simple oval design. I think they fit my little hands well. One of my carving friends that has bigger hands doesn’t like the handle of the knock offs.
Thanks for this video, it’s nice to see this much overview of what beavercraft has to offer and your thoughts on the various options 👍🏻
I use bevercraft all the time. Love them
I would love to see you do some intro guides on using gouges and chisels. Thanks for making these videos!
Oh, trust me its on the list to do. I just need to plan it out proper so it is as helpful as possible.
@@CarvingisFun I look forward to it!
Had some of the kit already, strops, stones, lots of pocket knives including the Old Timer carving folder thing (splinter jack?), regular wood chisels ect so I'm just adding individual items as they are needed. Got a Beavercraft spoon knife and I'd like a dedicated fixed blade smaller carving knife in the future. Not going to go all in and buy lots of stuff I may not even need or use. I'm sure as skill replaces enthusiasm I'll be able to make more useful purchases. I know enough to know the imitation kits are a false economy unless you are unsure if you will like the hobby. You have got some sweet kit though!
I bought a beavercraft spoon carving knife recently, not bad! It has a much steeper curve than my mora one, which is nice for much smaller spoons and such.
My favorite budget whittling knife at the moment is a Hultafors electrical fitters knife. They sell for about $4, and come with a really nice sheath. 👍
I have been watching your videos for some time now and just want to say how appreciative I am that you give so much insight as to the quality of the different kits. I have yet to purchase carving tools but I think I'm ready to give it a try!
Nice review my friend ..The Beavercraft is a excellent starter tools ...Just to see if the person wants to really carve ..Thank you for sharing
I recently bought a sloyd, whittling, spoon and palm chisel from beavercraft, cant wait for them to arrive
Great vid! I bought myself a spoon knife from beavercraft and right away noticed how skinny/narrow the handle was in my hand. Didn't like it. So I made a new handle from a piece of a hickory garden shovel handle. Now it's perfect
Another great video Brian! I have one of the carving kits as well as 2 of their knife sets. What you said is spot on..tools come razor sharp and you definitely get the biggest bang for the buck with any of the Beavercraft tools and sets.
I find your videos VERY inspiring thank u so much for this info!!!!
The problem with Beavercraft is that they use inferior steel so they sharpen then at 22 degrees on each side. (angle verified with Beavercraft. I had a conversation with them about the subject where they listed out the angles for all the knives and gouges, etc.)
That is pocket knife angle instead of carving knife angle. They are sharpened completely differently. Both can be "razor sharp" but a real carving knife it sharpened so that it can slice deep into wood with very little resistance. A pocket knife is sharpened with a utility edge meant to be strong and last a long time but is not made to penetrate into wood. The difference is akin to a splitting maul vs a woodsman's axe.
To put this in perspective 22 + 22 is a 44 degree wedge that you are trying to push into the wood. Compared that to Flexcut at 7.5 degrees per side or Helve and Drake at 5-6 degrees per side and you will quickly find out why it is worth spending a few more bucks on a better tool.
From Beavercraft:
We have the following sharpening angles:
Whittling knives С1, С2, С4, С8, С13, С14 - 22 degrees
Chip carving knives - 18 degrees
Hook knives - 18 degrees
Draw knives DK1/DK2 - 30 degrees.
Good info and completely agree with ya!!
But I still struggle to find something comparable at the same price and quality. There are much better options, but they usually cost double that of Beavercraft.
The price point is good for those not wanting to put in too much but still give them a taste of something decent. Still, the difference between Beavercraft and nicer tools with the better angles is very noticeable
I agree with you
Good day Brian, thank you so much for sharing this informative video on the carving tools. I have the S18X set that I use to carve the Chessmen pieces in your tutorial project. The tools are excellent, I learned how to strop to make it sharp, I used the C15X Detail Knife, and C16X Roughing Knife they are good carving knives. It helps me build confidence in the hobby of carving.
I have several beaver craft tools, knives were sharp but the 6 piece gouge set are not sharp at all. I’ll sharpen as I get time
Another great video. 👍👍
Awesome Channel ! Thanks a lot.
You think you Can teach us to make an otter ?
It's on my list! Just want to make a really cute design for it thats both fun and easy to do!
question for a lefty: are their knives ground for a right sided cutting or can i just get the basic set and then buy left handed spoons?
The knives themselves are ambidextrous, but I want to say beavercraft sells either left hand spoons or double sided edge hook knives
I’ve never done any wood carving or any wood hobby. Except as a like 12 year old whittling a stick with a Swiss Army knife. I want to get into carving & don’t know where or how to start
You can easily start with carving spoons. Buy a mora carving knives for the roughing. Then buy a mora or beavercraft spoon knife. Finally if you wanna do more detail you get the flexcut detail knife(not roughing). You should be set for most project. Then eventually you can get a pfeil set with some chisels( 'v cut', ') Cut' and a '| cut').
Great review Brian! On the topic of budget carving tools, can you do a review on the "MASTERCARVER 3-PIECE KNIFE SET". How would these knives stack up against Beavercraft?
On par in some regards, but I plannon maken a video on them as well :)
Brian a handy hint the tool kits aint for me as I end up with tools im not going to use same with my sak I buy one with tools on it im going to use as opposed to not using as knife gets too big and not pocket friendly but sure is an impressive collection dude I but things as I need same with home DIY I never tried beaver craft gear I own only a mora hook knife and a flexcut carving jack folder both exellent tools but I use my sak and barlows more and a gouge to carve spoon bowls you just choke up on tool it carves exellent once you give it good stropping 1🍻👍🦊🐾
Is the beavercraft c2 whittling knife the same quality as the one in the S15 kit?
Yeppers! Same quality as the the C6 Chip Carving Knife, C15 Detail Knife, and C16 Roughing Knife that come in the S15 kit.
Awesome thank you!
Got their S57 - Large Wood Carving Tool Set with 20 Tools. Great quality for beginner and intermediate. The selected tools in the set is not ideal, a few def could be exchanged to other types of knifes. Nobody needs 4 (P1/01-04) almost identical size straight flat Palm-chisels and yet zero V-Tools. Unfortunately at a time, S68 was not available, I would definitely take that one If I had to choose again. Also, those in Europe, keep in mind you will have to pay double on taxes. So at the end it got quite expensive set, cost me 370euros in total. Still worth the money, as there is basically no selection where I am located, so I rather support Ukraine!
Oooooo! I didn't see that they released those sets!
I really want that tool holder now..... Must find one.
@@CarvingisFun The whole stand looks really stunning, not gonna lie. People were taking pictures when they saw it on my desk :D Cant tuck away easily, but def a show piece if you have a space for it!
Well, the stands aren't available over here, or by themselves yet. Sooooo.... Im just gonna design my own over here lol. Maybe make some upgrades while Im at it.
13:44Could anyone please tell me how that tool is called? I need some of those but I just cant find the words in english to look for it online
A palm gouge
Big fan of my C2 carving/ whittling knife, had it for over 5 years now. My only issues with it are it didn't come with a scabbard ( had to make one), and after so much time the handle is coming a little loose from the blade and the blade is dulling ( even after stropping religiously). Any one have recommendations on how to fix the wobbly hilt?
Ive had this on one of my beavercraft knives, I just filled the hole with more epoxy
@CarvingisFun , appreciated for the response and the tip. Thanks! Any particular type of epoxy or adhesive, or will any work?
I personally like 2 part epoxies for their strength. Let them have their 24 hour cure time before use tho
Hello!
Can you help woth your knowledge.
Would you recommend the Beaver Craft S18X with a bigger set of tools or just 5 tools but from Flex Cut?
Howdy!
Completely dependent on what you want to do. Anything in particular you want to carve or want a wide variety?
I am just starting.
But I pretend to carve cups (like kuks, spoon and bowls), and from there to see how the things go.
I am from Brasil, so it's not so easy to get theses tools, becouse we don't have it here.
In that case, the S18X will be a good choice. The flexcut equivalents arent great for bowls n such as they have too much flex to them.
Thanks very much for the help!
Cheers!
Damn, the S13 kit there is less than USD$40, but today on their site in the UK it's £86. Oof! Still getting one, though. Looks and sounds like they're well worth it. I adore your videos, they make me hopeful and give me a little confidence that I might just about be able to pull off a spoon or two. Previous goes have been okay but not great. I think I'll try carving along with you, to learn what tool and technique to use when, and what to do and not do, and see how it goes.
Goodness, that is a massive jump!!!
I would take a peek at Focuser Carving, they are in China but man are they great quality knives. Probably a bit cheaper than what you're seeing for Beavercraft right now but much better.
How do you order in the uk it attempts to redirect you to a different website but goes blank
Quite a few of their products are on Amazon and is easier to order through there.
@@CarvingisFun cool thanks
can you do a tutorial on carving an elephant?
It's on my list of ideas to do!
Have you done a video on the Santa Claus kit?
Naw, not sure if I want to to be honest. Don't get me wrong, it looks neat but it's not really a project I would get into and enjoy personally.
Nice
Can you teach us to carve an elephant from Basswood? My friend loves elephants, and I want to make one for the birthday
I can see about working one in, just may be a while here. Lots going on behind the scenes.
@@CarvingisFun thanks
what budget knife (arround £20-25) is the best?
If you are looking around that price for a single knife, the low end would be the beavercraft C2, the higher end maybe the flexcut KN12
@@CarvingisFun thats unavailable for me sadly. How about a sak or opinel, Which one of the 2 would you say is the best for a designated whittling knife
As a designated whittling knife of the two, I personally would go for the opinel. I just like the blades a bit better
@@CarvingisFun ok, Even if i do the stainless one right? im abbout to order one
Yep!
Both the opinel and SAK have about the same steel hardness so either way you will be fine. Just keep it honed every 20 or so min of whittling and you will be golden
How young do you think is too young to get into wood carving?
This is honestly dependent upon the child themselves. I have met quite a few kids between 5 and 10 years old who are completely competent with a knife, but met plenty teens who lack the focus, patience, and confidence to continue without guidance.
As a teen I can say that “to young” depends on your feeling
i like flex cut better
Well, they are a bit nicer 😁
i will say the bowl/ carving axe they have for 80 bucks is great @@CarvingisFun
Been eyeballing that one for a bit here :)
its worth it i made a stool for a plant, and a bowl for my coffee table. you'll be working with tree trunks lol. i like small characters better, so it doesn't get out as much as it wants to, but i love having it.
Do not buy Bevearcraft knives They are horrible. The wood is good but the knives are terrible.
Compared to the higher end stuff, yes they arent the best, but compared to everything around their price range they are thr best option
@@CarvingisFun they got me started in my new hobby.....73 here and in bad health
Promo>SM 😬
Lol, nobody payed me to do this. I just have a ton of their tools and wanted to show them off.
DRAKE KNIVES are the best professional quality for an affordable price. Are you sponsored by beavercraft?
Completely agree with the quality of drake, and I will have a video or two coming up with them in it too. Still, for the cost of a single Drake knife, you can buy several beavercraft knives. So for an absolute beginner who doesn't want to wait a few weeks to a month and spend too much money but get something decent, beavercraft is hard to beat.
And no, not sponsored by anyone other than myself. If you watch my channel, you see I use helvie, occt, flexcut, beavercraft, and several other brands interchangeably.
Plus, if I were sponsored or if a video was sponsored, I would have to disclose that due to youtubes guidelines.
@@CarvingisFun Thanks for the reply. GIL AND BONNIE DRAKE have been my best friends for the last 45 years. Unfortunately we lost GIL about a month ago to a long suffering illness. So you can see why I hold their tools in hi regard. I respect anyone with the talent to carve. I mostly just make wood chips but I still love using his tools. Gil's oldest son David and Gil's wife Bonnie are carrying on DRAKE KNIVES. Gil told me that David was even better at the craft of making the knives than he was so I am sure the quality will continue. Gil was also a very talented carver and teacher.
Just stumbled on this vid, yet started searching this stuff a couple weeks ago… 🙄. Wish I had seen this first. Liked and Subbed!
Goal this upcoming warm season is to learn making utensils and a kuksa for bushcraft/ wild camping. Your channel looks like my new hangout!
So, just in curiosity, how much more $$ would it take [and recommended brand(s)] to get into a 3 piece stater set just like the S14 kit with spoon knife, whittling knife, and long-bent bowl gouge…only getting past the 22° angle and into something a bit more aggressive and easier to work with? Appreciate your thoughts.
Best and thanks for the vids
@dobrofool www.youtube.com/@wildcamping189
Howdy!
Well, off the top of my head there are only a few brands that make kuksa specific kits, those are Beavercraft, Stryi, Narex, and Focuser Carving. All are decent in their own price range and this is a category I am both interested in, but have yet to start doing (even though I have all the tools to do so).
There are other companies that make high end, and in my mind superior quality, sloyd knives, bowl gouges, and hook knives too but they are significantly more expensive.
Pfeil makes some really nice gouges with a more aggressive angle, but their tool is around $70 alone.
I personally like Deepwoods Ventures and Flexcuts Sloyd knives, but those are anywhere between $50 to $100 each.
Hook knives are everywhere and I personally can't give you a "best option" but Deepwoods Ventures, Flexcut, Stryi, and many many others are good choices.
For more of a budget, Moras sloyd and hook knives are hard to beat for the price and feel like a much better option than that of Beavercraft.
So, with all that being said, if you want better tools you will be spending anywhere between $50 to $200 for just the 3 tools depending on quality. The good stuff doesn't come in kits, but are sold individually. so if you look for a Sloyd Knife, Bowl Gouge, and Hook Knife online you will find some good stuff out there.
Keep in mind, you will need the tools to maintain the edge, hold the wood, and the wood itself too.
Happy carving!