Chip Carving Knife

A Chip Carving Knife is an important tool in carving wood. It is a small knife with a small, sharp, ultra-thin, pointed blade. It is used to remove small pieces of wood from a larger piece of wood in order to produce pretty designs and intricate patterns with triangular shapes. Chip carving is also sometimes called spoon carving. Chip carving can be performed on any hard wood.

The knife is held in the same way as a pen with your spare hand free to guide the knife on the heel. Although it is easier to cut in the same direction as the grain, it does not make such a good line.

It is important to keep your chip knife very sharp during use to produce good, clean lines. It is very difficult to carve with a blunt knife and also quite dangerous.  Sharpening stones can be used to sharpen your knife and then a honing strop used to hone the edges. A sheet of newspaper is ideal for polishing the knife and then checking that the knife is sharp. Most brand new knives will need final honing before their first use. And any seasoned woodcarver knows that sharpening is half of the art of chipping wood.

There are many different styles of chip knife which all produce different cuts in the wood. They come in a range of shapes and sizes but they all have a small pointed blade. These include the cutting knife and the stab knife. Wayne Barton is probably one of the best known names in the wood cutting industry, and these are said to be the only two knives he uses in his high quality work. The cutting knife is actually used to remove wood and the stab knife is used to decorate. He has his own range of knives which are highly regarded by others in the wood cutting industry.  The blades of his knives are used with high carbon alloy steel and have been tempered and polished to produce a very sharp and shiny finish. The blade runs through the handle which gives it perfect balance while cutting.  The handles are made with hardwood which has been laminated to ensure the knives last forever.

Another popular set of knives is the Moor Chip Knife set. It includes three chip knives including the Moor Stabbing Knife, the Large Moor Knife and the Small Moor Knife. They are all made of high quality stainless steel with a handle shaped to fit your hand and ensure cuts are made in the correct way. They are designed by Dennis Moor who is another big name in wood chipping. His technique is slightly different to Wayne Barton as he uses three knives as opposed to two, but both men are highly regarded.

Using a chip carving knife has been said to improve hand eye coordination and is not limited to carpenters. It is often done as a relaxing hobby. Chip carving is seen as an art separate from carpentry and is a delightful skill to learn.