Sharpening Carving Tools 101

This video shows how to strop a set of woodcarving tools. I demonstrate how to use the SlipStrop for stropping a carving chisel, v-tool, and a carving gouge. A sharp tool is essential for hand tool carving, and this is how to keep them razor sharp.

I also go into some detail about which carving tool set to buy, since some sets will arrive sharp and ready to use, while other sets need some preliminary sharpening before they are ready to be stropped and used.

If your tools have an uneven edge, are damaged, or are ground poorly, they will need to be reprofiled and/or sharpened before being stropped.

Tools used: (Amazon affiliate links)
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Flexcut starter carving tool set (very sharp):
Flexcut SlipStrop (comes with honing compound):

Schaaf 12-piece woodcarving set.
They are decent tools, but require some setup. My set had several tools with uneven edges. The company says they will replace tools with such an edge, but I re-profiled them myself):

Other tools I like to use:

Timestamps:
0:00 Intro
0:49 Stropping a Carving Chisel
1:32 Stropping a V-tool
3:37 Stropping a Carving Gouge
5:45 Outro

[davebauerart]

Great info, I use these techniques for my tiny linoleum carving tools as well.

[kane]

Very well done my friend. I greatly appreciate this guidance

[timb.]

First time watching one of your videos. Outstanding presentation! Clear, concise, covered all the important points. And no crappy pop music in the background. Not to mention the blue workbench.

I'll be checking out your other videos.

[exuviumisopods]

You said you strop the tools you have used once per day. That sounds better. I have seen a couple other videos saying they are stropping their carving tools every 15 minutes, and another guy every 5 minutes! What? That's highly counter-productive.

[ScottESmith-qedr]

Good presentation, as usual, Bob. Gives me a lot more confidence to sharpen without a guide. But, a question, is your bench really blue? If so, please explain.

[jflemingsandiego]

On the v-tool, what about the tiny radius on the nose where the two flat sides come together?

[hechoenestadosunidos]

I bought a set of imymee for whhitlling

[romeo-xnkn]

Hello
What is that yellow cube like soap?

[tianwang]

I bought a set of Schaaf as my beginner set and it is really hard to hone right, I think I destroyed its v gouge already by trying to hone😢

[Veteran]

Doesn’t look like you’re applying much downward pressure?

[johnduffy]

NEVER buy caring tools from H L unless you are willing to dedicate the next 6 months of your life learning to sharpen...Cheap prices = cheap tools, frustration and learning new cuss words. Experience speaks