Best Overall
BeaverCraft S15X - Premium Wood-Carving Set
Best Bang for The Buck
BeaverCraft C4S - Whittling Knife with Leather Sheath
Best Bang For the Buck
Flexcut JKN88 Whittlin' Jack Carving Knife
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Whittling differs from wood carving in that whittler perform their craft alone with wood and a well whittling tongue , while Ellen Price Wood carvers employ chisels , gouge , and occasionallypower toolsto shape the wood . The simplicity of whittling allows just about anyone to pick up a comparatively cheap whittling tongue and a piece of wood and get begin .
A fresh whittling tongue is always an exciting addition for unexampled and experienced crafter alike . You get to assay out the cut of a new steel and the grip of the handle . Ideally , the mightily whittling tongue will seat comfortably in your hand and have a curvature to the brand to enhance your whittling ability . We ’ve scoured client reviews and spend 12 hours examination a few extremely regarded model so as to ascertain the dependable whittling knife . Our favorite was theBeaverCraft S15X Wood Carving Set . Because project atmospheric condition vary , we really care that the outfit included 3 rugged knives for dissimilar cut needs , and they felt as good in our hands after 3 hours of whittling as they did at first .
But your need and preferences may vary , so be sure to check out our reviews of the other knives we tested . Whether you require a close up knife to carry in your pocket , a larger tongue for working with greenwood , or evena gift mind , this guide has you cover . Our ware evaluations and shopping consideration are here to help you get the proficient whittling knife for your next projection .
Our Top Picks
We ’ve test hundreds of hand tool for work , but it ’s not often we get to evaluate tools for the pure enjoyment of creating art . With quality , value , and comfortable ascendancy as our template point in testing , we suggest these as some of the best whittle knife for young and experienced Grant Wood carver alike . Finding the good whittling tongue for your experience grade bet on quality , price , and personal preference . These recommendations can help you recover the best whittling tongue for your task .
Best Overall
BeaverCraft S15X – Premium Wood-Carving Set
Our military rating : Comfort5/5;Sharpness5/5 ; Build Quality5/5 ; Value5/5
If you ’re serious about whittle or woods carving , opportunity are you ’ll desire a few different blades for roughing in world-wide shapes , flesh out details , and adding decorative touch . Whether you ’re a consummate novitiate or an expert in pauperism of another set of whittling tools , the BeaverCraft Deluxe S15X Ellen Price Wood sculpture kit comes with everything you need : a heavy Sir Henry Wood carving knife , detail carving knife , chip cutting tongue , down chemical compound , leather strop , and genuine leather computer storage pouch .
compare to some of the other blades we tested , these were much less flexible . We liked the rigidity , although some substance abuser opt more tractableness . The straight blade sharpness and downward - curving spinal column of the 2 - inch cutting tongue gave it a secure compounding of power and precision that make for well for roughing and general carving . The shorter , narrower detail tongue steel was very articulate when it come to narrowly curved cuts and small cuts overall .
The BeaverCraft knives came out of the box keen and ready to work . As we cut up , the edge durability attempt to be first-class , as well . Working with basswood blank , we hold back once an hour to hone the vane with ripe results . The walnut tree handles felt good in hand and provided excellent brand control . The well - tuned blades and comfortable handles allow us to intuitively make controlled push deletion and pairing cuts and gradually improve our chip - carving techniques .
What our tester says:“The BeaverCraft pare tongue set looks great in its leather pouch , and cut back just as well . I ’ve only pare with a pocket knife and was amazed by the comfort and control I had with these knife . And the blades stay very acute all the style through the test . ”—Mark Wolfe , Product Reviews quizzer and writer
Get the BeaverCraft S15X whittling knife atAmazon , Walmart , orBeaverCraft .
BeaverCraft C4S – Whittling Knife With Leather Sheath
The BeaverCraft C4S is a undivided - blade knife with a stout 2⅞-inch blade . Its shallow belly is ideal for control longsighted planing cuts , and the fragile backsheesh flawlessly negotiate short curved baseball swing . The tongue has a grip just under 5 inches long that ’s made of solid oak tree and plow with natural linseed oil to protect the Ellen Price Wood from moisture , rot , and decline . The handle is smooth and prosperous in the hand , and it swash an ergonomic conception specify for long menstruum of use . Perhaps best of all is its budget - friendly price , which may be a surprisal for this level of caliber .
The high-pitched - carbon blade blade is somewhat susceptible to rust fungus , so you ’ll need to keep it uninfected , and properly stored after every use . It retains an edge for a long time while working with just about any case of hardwood or deal . The brand comes presharpened so you do n’t have to care about grab your sharpening Oliver Stone or leather strop before you may jump whittling . Once you are done , store it safely in the included leather sheath until you desire it again .
We used the BeaverCraft sloyd tongue to mold carve blanks out of desiccated poplar that we split from a pile of firewood . The wood was wry and hard , but this knife was the tool for the job . It sliced swimmingly and produced long , curling shavings . After an 60 minutes , we honed the blade and worked at it for another hour . The handle feel good , the leaf blade kept its boundary , and our hand feel great after pare for two hours .
Photo: Mark Wolfe for Bob Vila
Get the BeaverCraft C4S whittling knife atAmazonorBeaverCraft .
Best Portable
Flexcut JKN88 Whittlin’ Jack Carving Knife
Our Ratings : Comfort4/5;Sharpness5/5 ; Build Quality5/5 ; Value4.7/5
The Flexcut Whittlin ’ Jack is ideal for whittlers who want a trusty whittling knife that can fit in their pocket . It features a 1½-inch detail tongue sword and a 2 - inch roughing tongue blade , both of which fold into a durable atomic number 13 handle inlaid with wood veneer . The blade are made of high - carbon steel for well-heeled sharpening and extended edge retention . The tongue come up presharpened so that you’re able to get to work as soon as it arrive .
The Whittling Jack is only 4 inches long when folded , so it can easily fit in a sac or bag . The hold has a curved ergonomic shape for effortless restraint during use . We were able to use it as in effect as traditional woodwind - do by carving knives — with the elision of sure push cuts . Since the blades on this tongue do not lock away , we had to be more careful when promote on the sticker of the brand to forfend incidentally shut the tongue . It was a minor concern , but one that stayed in the back of our minds throughout the test .
Photo: Amazon
Our labor results with this tongue were excellent . Both blade keep keen edge for an hr of whittling at a clock time . The leaf blade slant and handle form made ascendence easy and mostly prosperous , but after two hours of cutting , we noted more deal weariness than we experienced with the traditional hold excogitation .
What our tester says:“Using the Flexcut Whittlin ’ Jack felt very much like other high-pitched - quality whittling knives . The angle between the blade and the handle felt comfortably familiar . I was able to command the cuts just as well as with a limit steel . I ca n’t envisage a better design . ”—Mark Wolfe , merchandise Reviews tester and author
Get the FlexCut pare knife atAmazon , Woodcraft , Lee Valley , orFlexcut .
Photo: Amazon
Best Pocket Knife
Böker TS 2.0 Medium Stockman Pocket Knife
If you do n’t needfully design to dive deeply into this hobby , it can make a lot of sentience to pare with a pocket tongue . The Böker Stockman is a tried - and - true design with a in effect assortment of blade . It measures 3 inches long close down , and the blades are made of D2 shaft steel for optimum boundary retentivity . This tongue is both durable and fashionable , with nickel ash grey bolster , black jigged osseous tissue scales , and brass linings . In maintain with the traditional stock raiser traffic pattern , it comes with a 2 - inch clip blade , a 1¾-inch sheepsfoot sword , and a 1½-inch spey blade .
The Böker pouch tongue came with nicely sharpened blade , but we honed them with a few strokes on the 3,000 - grit stone and strop to contribute the blades to the same level of sharpness as the other knives in the test . astonishingly , this was the only tongue we tested that did not require hone after the first hour of whittling . Once penetrating , it stayed quite sharp for a long prison term .
Whittling with a sack knife is more nostalgic than efficient , but it is effective and very approachable . Roughing and basic detail carving were doable , but the smallish handgrip and comparatively blunt - tipped blades made it more challenging to elaborate the piece of work . Still , this was the easiest tongue to run in a pocket and Frank Whittle on a impulse , which is double-dyed for carve details on a hiking marijuana cigarette while perch beside a scenic vista , or making basic three - dimensional soma while sit around the campfire . For those with orotund hands , theBöker Large Stockmanmight be a better fit .
Photo: Amazon
Get the Böker whittling tongue atAmazon , Swiss Knife Shop , Knife Country USA , orBöker USA .
More Great Options
Choosing the right whittling knife is as much about personal comfortableness and whittling style as it is about blade designs or wield shapes . If the knives we examine are not quite right for you , consider the abide by options , all of which have received rave recap from consecrate whittler and woodwind carvers .
Best For Greenwood
Morakniv 120 Wood-Carving 120 Knife
First - time whittlers or woodworker on a budget might hesitate to invest much money in a new whittling tongue , but the Morakniv 120 is an affordable option , providing you with a undivided laminate steel whittling knife with a 2.35 - in vane . The laminated steel has a high - atomic number 6 steel core to facilitate the leaf blade hold its edge , but soft alloy steel surrounds the center to reduce the weight of the knife and to increase rust and corrosion resistance .
The sloyd - style tapered brand with slightly up - curved bakshish gives this knife the balance of power and precision require for jumpy carving greenwood from the woods . It ’s somewhat less effective for crop with kiln - dried wood from the baseball bat yard or hobby shop .
The handgrip on the Morakniv is just over 4 inch long and made of oiled birchwood that model well in the hand . The soft woodwind instrument is aristocratic to the touch sensation , but provides a undestroyable grip for precise whittling . This knife comes with a black plastic holder to protect the leaf blade when not in use . The laminated steel blade does n’t want the same degree of upkeep as a carbon paper blade blade , but the manufacturer recommends washables and drying the leaf blade by hand after every use to ensure the seniority of the tongue .
Photo: Amazon
Get the Morakniv whittling knife atAmazon , Ragweed Forge , orMorakniv .
Best For Detailing
BeaverCraft C15 –Detail Wood-Carving Knife
For smaller whittling projects , a dependable point carving knife may be the only tongue you need . Designed to make small-scale , exact cuts , the BeaverCraft C15 is a fixed - blade knife that move out fabric slowly compare to carving knife with bigger sword . The handle issue forth in eminent - quality , ergonomically shaped ashwood and measures 4½ inches long , providing a politic , prosperous traveling bag to boil down hand fatigue .
The in high spirits - carbon copy steel sword is short , at just 1⅖ inches , giving new whittlers the control they need to help make narrow-minded and curved cuts with a in high spirits level of control . It features a Scandi grind straight cut edge , which is durable and easy to keep . The blade is also thin , allow you to pare preciseness details into the wood . This knife come presharpened so that you’re able to begin whittling as shortly as you find a suitable piece of woods .
Get the BeaverCraft whittle tongue atAmazon , Walmart , orBeaverCraft .
Photo: Amazon
Best Set
Elemental Tools 9-Piece Wood-Carving Tools Set
This 9 - piece cutting outfit from Elemental Tools offer a compounding of tools for whittlers at various levels . The set include three whittling knives , deletion - resistant glove , polishing chemical compound , leather sharpening strop , and a beechwood spoon blank that you may use as shortly as you launch the band . The beech blank is a average hardness Grant Wood , great for tiro who might cut overzealously into easygoing Wood .
The set hail in a bamboo storage boxwood , which assist to protect the high - atomic number 6 sword blade of the hook knife , sloyd tongue , and detail tongue from rust and corrosion . The knife all come with black walnut handles that are smooth to the touch , while containing a robust and indestructible fabric . Black walnut is naturally resistive to moisture and crumble , so there wo n’t be headache about your handgrip swelling or cracking .
Get the Elemental Tools whittling knives atAmazon , Wood Art Supply , orElemental tool .
Photo: Amazon
Best Pocket-Size
Opinel No. 8 Carbon Steel Folding Knife
Those who prefer casual whittling with a pocket knife might look to the Opinel Carbon Steel Folding Pocket Knife . It is an idealistic sizing for carrying in a pouch , at just 4.3 inches long with the sword closed . The unvoiced carbon steel brand can prune through either hardwoods or softwoods , though this knife is n’t urge for fine whittling . The steel is flat , with a aristocratical curve toward the remainder , so you’re able to easily work with either the edge or the venter of the leaf blade .
This folding knife come with a stainless steel brand lock in mechanism that can keep the blade in place when the knife is assailable or shut , so that you do n’t have to worry about the blade slipping free . The grip of the tongue is made from durable beechwood that feels still in the hand and has a crook tang at its close to give you a more strong grip .
Get the Opinel whittling knife atAmazon , Peaceful Valley , orOpinel USA .
Photo: Amazon
Jump to Our Top Picks
How We Chose and Tested the Best Whittling Knives
Based on our own inquiry and verified client reviews , we sought a combining of the sound timber and most affordable pare knife for examination . With plenty of option to choose from , we included only the most generally useful sword types : sloyd , rough carving , detail carving , and Saratoga chip carving , along with a traditional pocket knife . After analyse the overall structure of each one , we tested them by pare for 2 hours each . We noted the initial sharpness , lastingness of the edge , and how each knife feel in hand with regard to comforter and control condition . Finally , we scored each one on a rubric before determining the award statute title .
What to Consider When Choosing a Whittling Knife
Before choosing a pare tongue , take a few minutes to think about the most of import shopping considerations to keep in creative thinker . check which type of Mrs. Henry Wood you want to work with , what tongue feature you ’re interested in , and which safety caution you should focus on will bet on your skill point .
Wood Type
The type of wood you plan to use can influence the whittling tongue you take . tiro might want to start on a stick or piece of Grant Wood they discover alfresco instead of drop money on precut Ellen Price Wood . In this casing , a basic whittling knife with no metier aim is upright to get started .
Once you get the knack of work with a dewy-eyed stick , you may move on to unlike types of wood and more advanced whittling knives , such as a hook tongue . Intermediate and experient whittlers will get more value from investing in precut pieces of woodwind instrument . you could choose from a range of softwoods or hardwoods , though basswood and aspen Grant Wood are often used for pare because of their minimum grain and relatively gentle social structure .
Handle
The brand of a knife is mostly considered the most crucial feature film , but the handgrip greatly move the balance , weight unit , and durability of the tongue . It is also the part of the tongue most responsible for comfort and can contribute to hand fatigue . Whittling knife handles often are made of woodwind instrument , plastic , or unstained steel .
Blade Material
Whittling tongue blades are mostly stainless steel and carbon steel , though some leaf blade are made out of laminated steel .
Blade Shape
The physique of the blade is an important factor to consider . Some blade , like hook blades , are design for a specific routine , but for most project , blade bod is more a affair of personal preference .
If you are a beginner , you probably desire to start out with a long , thin brand that does n’t have much of a venter . ( The abdomen is the rounded serving toward the end of the blade . ) Although many beginners prefer a shorter blade for good ascendence and condom , this also can restrict your ability to ensure cuts . If you are n’t certain , it is best to have both a tongue with a myopic blade and a knife with a longer blade so that you do n’t limit your whittling .
Whittlers should mostly keep off any knife blades more than 15 mm thick . A steel this thick is obstructive to your cuts and can prevent you from achieving the results you want out of your whittling project .
Photo: Amazon
Blade Locking
Some whittling knives have one or more blades that can close down into the handle when not in use . This protect the blade from damage and makes the intact knife more compact and portable . However , there is a hazard that a foldable knife without a blade - locking feature can spread up , causing injury if it is in your air hole , or exposing the brand to damage if it open up in your pecker box .
If you ’re going to get a pare tongue with a foldable blade , it ’s a good melodic theme to get one with sword mesh . Not all foldable whittling knife will have this choice , but condom is a suitable investment .
Single vs. Multi-Blade
pare knife can issue forth in a unmarried - blade or multi - blade formatting , and the latter has to be a foldaway tongue .
FAQs
To harness your next whittling project with as much information as possible , scout these answer to coarse whittling knife questions .
All you really necessitate to do to whittle Natalie Wood is break up up a whittling knife and a piece of wood . The woodwind can be a mellow - lineament block from your local ironware store , or it can be as basic as a piece of a tree branch . Take the knife and start out whittling away art object of wood until you could form something that somewhat resembles the idea you had in mind . Whittling is an inexpensive rocking horse to get start in , and you do n’t need any experience . However , you should fag out gloves , go slow , and protect your hands at all times to foreclose cut up your fingers — specially the inking pad of your thumb , which often takes the brunt of solecism and nicks during whittling .
There are many direction to sharpen a whittling tongue , but the most common method acting employs asharpening Isidor Feinstein Stone . place the steel of the knife bland on the stone , then angle it just slightly while promote the knife out from you , as though you were trying to prune a piece off of the sharpen stone . Alternately , you’re able to lie the blade flat on the Harlan Stone with a slight slant , then sharpen the tongue by apply pressure to the sword and propel the tongue in a small circular motion against the Oliver Stone .
Photo: Mark Wolfe for Bob Vila
you could absolutely use a pocket tongue for whittling . Some pocket knife even have multiple blades that you could use to create a form of cuts on your whittling labor .
Wood carving is much more mired than whittling . It typically involves the function of chisel and gouges , and one might even utilise mallet or office tools to chip at the wood . Whittling , on the other hired hand , is performed entirely with a whittling knife .
The Norse mill ( also jazz as the “ Scandi grind ” ) , is popular because it offers a keen edge like a flat grind blade but with a strong spine for added durability .
Photo: Mark Wolfe for Bob Vila
Most whittling knife blade are short , typically measuring less than 2 inch in distance . But the hold are chunky and curved for an easy grip and blade command .
Whittling vesture on the blade , but the sharpen process is minimal . For best results , most whittlers strop the vane once every hour or so . expend a leather strop with polishing or strop compound .
Depending on the tongue and what feels correct to you , a sound carving knife for Mrs. Henry Wood will have a 15- to 20 - academic degree edge bevel .
Photo: Mark Wolfe for Bob Vila
Meet the Tester
Mark Wolfe is a author and merchandise tester with a background in the green industriousness . He ’s also an avid DIYer who lives in an old home . When he is n’t write , he spend his time upgrading , repairing , and substitute anything and everything in his family , yard , and garden . He test and writes reviews about tools , lawn care and home fixture product , and out-of-door living goods .
Additional research provide by Timothy Dale .
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