Tools to get started with carving?

[Bransen111]

Hey everyone, 

I hope this hasn't been covered yet but I'm sure it has and I just cant find it. I have been leather working for a while now but mostly making wallets, holsters, keychains etc. without any tooling or carving. I'm now looking to get into the carving aspect of leather working and would primarily be doing tooling and carving on wallets or holsters and mostly figures such as the Police Field Notes Covers that someone posted recently with badges etc. on them. I am going to get a Barry King as I have his awl and really like his tools.  I'm mostly lost on what size swivel knife and blade and angle and also what kind of stamps, shaders i will need as well as the sizes. I'm very new to this so sorry if I'm not aware of the correct terminology etc. 

 

Thanks, 

Bransen

[DJole]

Are you looking to do traditional Western floral or Sheridan style tooling, or something else?
The tools you want depend on the design -- for example, you might need one size beveller for one line, but a smaller one for another. 
Many of us collect the tools depending on the project, rather than just buying them all at once. I have collected the following bevellers: smooth beveller (Craftool B203, B985-- medium and small), textured beveller (B996), Figure beveller (F896 and F895), and my newest addition of  undercut bevellers (Craftool B60 and B892)
I began with one, then later on picked up others after deciding that a certain effect required a different tool. 
So I've got a small set of 21 tools (bevellers, pears shaders, backgrounders, seeder, etc.), collected slowly over 20 years or so.  Some tools I have only used a few times, and some I use a lot, for most tooling projects (I don't do traditional floral, so I don't have a veiner, for example). 
It's hard to just recommend a group of shaders and stamps without seeing a design first, unless money is no object!

As for the swivel knife, whether to use an angled or a flat blade, or hollow ground, is a good question. I have no helpful experience there. 

[Bransen111]

1 hour ago, DJole said:

Are you looking to do traditional Western floral or Sheridan style tooling, or something else?
The tools you want depend on the design -- for example, you might need one size beveller for one line, but a smaller one for another. 
Many of us collect the tools depending on the project, rather than just buying them all at once. I have collected the following bevellers: smooth beveller (Craftool B203, B985-- medium and small), textured beveller (B996), Figure beveller (F896 and F895), and my newest addition of  undercut bevellers (Craftool B60 and B892)
I began with one, then later on picked up others after deciding that a certain effect required a different tool. 
So I've got a small set of 21 tools (bevellers, pears shaders, backgrounders, seeder, etc.), collected slowly over 20 years or so.  Some tools I have only used a few times, and some I use a lot, for most tooling projects (I don't do traditional floral, so I don't have a veiner, for example). 
It's hard to just recommend a group of shaders and stamps without seeing a design first, unless money is no object!

As for the swivel knife, whether to use an angled or a flat blade, or hollow ground, is a good question. I have no helpful experience there. 

I’m not exactly sure if it’s Sheridan style or not but I’m hoping to carve badges and skulls etc so not so much flowers or floral but more of items and pictures. I think I’ll find a design tomorrow and add it in to see if anyone has any recommendations. Thanks!

[chuck123wapati]

1 hour ago, Bransen111 said:

I’m not exactly sure if it’s Sheridan style or not but I’m hoping to carve badges and skulls etc so not so much flowers or floral but more of items and pictures. I think I’ll find a design tomorrow and add it in to see if anyone has any recommendations. Thanks!

there ya go! Just like any art form there more tools and techniques than a guy can imagine, you simply cant buy all of them at once nor do you need to. What I do whether painting, leatherworking , gunsmithing , etc. Get a plan for the project then you can  get the tools and materials you will need for that project, do that project. Next project,  get a plan  get the tools and materials, after awhile you will develop a tool kit and all the materials suited to what you like to do. So you're on the right track and answered part of your own question make the decision on what you want to carve or tool then everyone can help you pick the tools you may need.

[Rhale]

I agree with chuck123wapati,  as far as swivel knife you will end up with several probably, I use a 3/8” body with a 1/4” straight blade most of the time! For very detail carving I switch to an 1/8” filigree blade.  Long straight lines like a border is best done with a large straight blade. I usually always use the same barrel (3/8”) but I am sure others don’t. It really all boils down to personal preference. I have done tooling for over 50 years so I have changed a lot over the years mainly because of the advancements in the tools over time.  Barry King is a good choice on tools, I use a lot of Barry’s tools,  I also use Robert Beard, Hackbarth, Clay Miller and others, If you stay with quality tools they will last a lifetime and will always be worth about as much as you paid for them.  Others will argue that fact but I believe it to be true.  Best of luck to you in your endeavors. Rodney 

[Bransen111]

On 1/22/2020 at 4:20 AM, chuck123wapati said:

there ya go! Just like any art form there more tools and techniques than a guy can imagine, you simply cant buy all of them at once nor do you need to. What I do whether painting, leatherworking , gunsmithing , etc. Get a plan for the project then you can  get the tools and materials you will need for that project, do that project. Next project,  get a plan  get the tools and materials, after awhile you will develop a tool kit and all the materials suited to what you like to do. So you're on the right track and answered part of your own question make the decision on what you want to carve or tool then everyone can help you pick the tools you may need.

Thanks for the replies everyone! So I’m looking to carve something like this. police challenge coins, badges, etc but this one will probably be my first. Any good ideas on what tools will get me through this project?