Carving Tools

[bmedlin]

I have been messing with leather for a couple years and want to get into carving floral patterns.  I have a swivel knife and a smooth (medium sized) bevel and a medium camouflage tool.  I am wanting to get set up so I don't have to buy a bunch along the way but I am confused at the sizing and the tool numbers.  I was going to get:

 

Steep Checkered Bevel

Medium Checkered Bevel

Veiner

Mules foot

Pear Shader

Flower Center

Backgrounder

 

But I am not sure of the sizes as I go to Tandy or Weaver.  Does anyone happen to have tool numbers that are good all around beginner?  Do you think I need something else that I am missing? 

[DieselTech]

32 minutes ago, bmedlin said:

I have been messing with leather for a couple years and want to get into carving floral patterns.  I have a swivel knife and a smooth (medium sized) bevel and a medium camouflage tool.  I am wanting to get set up so I don't have to buy a bunch along the way but I am confused at the sizing and the tool numbers.  I was going to get:

 

Steep Checkered Bevel

Medium Checkered Bevel

Veiner

Mules foot

Pear Shader

Flower Center

Backgrounder

 

But I am not sure of the sizes as I go to Tandy or Weaver.  Does anyone happen to have tool numbers that are good all around beginner?  Do you think I need something else that I am missing? 

Check out Pro Leather Carvers. They have complete sets or individual tools. 

I have bought a bunch of their carving tools & I am super happy. 

[cord1974]

On 3/18/2024 at 3:38 PM, bmedlin said:

I have been messing with leather for a couple years and want to get into carving floral patterns.  I have a swivel knife and a smooth (medium sized) bevel and a medium camouflage tool.  I am wanting to get set up so I don't have to buy a bunch along the way but I am confused at the sizing and the tool numbers.  I was going to get:

 

Steep Checkered Bevel

Medium Checkered Bevel

Veiner

Mules foot

Pear Shader

Flower Center

Backgrounder

Steep checkered beveler:

B936

Medium checkered bevelers:

B701, B702

Pear shader:

P206, P208

Flower center:

J816

Backgrounder:

A114

I have the others but these are the ones I've used so much I remember the actual numbers.

Edited June 12 by cord1974

[chuck123wapati]

First find the pattern/patterns you want to try then buy the stamps needed. This way you can increase your stamp collection as you try different things. Buying random sizes or shapes didn't work well for me as i soon found getting good looking tooling on the patterns is dependent on specific size tools.

[JDFred]

chuck123wapati is right about buying tools to fit patterns you'll end up with more useable tools to start with.  The Tandy craftaids are good for learning and they give you the stamp numbers you need for that pattern. The stamp numbers aren't just Tandy's numbers they are the same for most manufactures. I second DieselTech on the Pro Leather Carvers.  I've bought from them before, and as soon as my wife says ok I've got another order for them, just type the stamp number in their search bar and it'll come up.  I favor the Craft Japan, but they have several different brands. 

[Sheilajeanne]

On 6/12/2024 at 1:14 PM, chuck123wapati said:

First find the pattern/patterns you want to try then buy the stamps needed. This way you can increase your stamp collection as you try different things. Buying random sizes or shapes didn't work well for me as i soon found getting good looking tooling on the patterns is dependent on specific size tools.

Sometimes I've found a pattern needs a ridiculous number of stamps, most of which I have. But especially if there's just ONE stamp I don't have, I will see if I can use the closest match in my collection that I do have. Of course, I'd test it out on a piece of scrap to see if it was going to work first!