Wood carving knife set Kirschen 3161000, 18-piece

A wood carving knife set of 18 knives, the Kirschen 3161000 covers five blade shapes in widths from 2 mm to 20 mm. Straight, curved, deep-curved, skew and V-parting blades sit together in one roll. Each handle is octagonal hornbeam, shaped to stay put in the palm. Cutting edges are hardened to 61 HRC and ground sharp before packing.

The knives ship in a microfiber roll bag with a separate pocket for every blade. An Arkansas natural sharpening stone set is supplied for edge maintenance. The kit is made in Germany and suits sculptors, furniture carvers and vocational workshops. Blade width steps are close enough to move from rough shaping to fine detail. The same roll also serves restoration work on older timber pieces.

What the wood carving knife set includes

Five blade patterns are represented, each in several widths. Straight blades take down flat ground, curved and deep-curved blades hollow and scoop, skew blades clean corners, and the V-parting blade cuts lines. All 18 blades share the same octagonal handle form, so grip and control stay consistent when switching tools mid-cut. The roll keeps the full assortment in order on the bench.

Octagonal hornbeam handles

Handles are turned from hornbeam and finished with eight flats. The flats give the hand something to register against, which limits rolling when the tool is laid down or pushed at an angle. Hornbeam is dense and holds its shape under repeated mallet-free hand pressure. The surface is smooth after finishing, and the grain pattern remains visible.

• Handle material: hornbeam
• Handle form: octagonal, anti-roll flats
• Blade hardness: 61 HRC
• Blades pre-sharpened by the manufacturer
• Manufactured in Germany

Even pressure distribution across the flats reduces hand fatigue during long carving sessions. Because every knife in the roll uses the same handle profile, the feel stays predictable as work moves from roughing to finishing. That consistency matters when a single cut is split between two or three blade shapes.

Blade configuration

The 18 blades are split across five patterns, with multiple widths in each group. Deep-curved blades dominate the count, reflecting their role in hollowing and modelling. The smallest blade measures 2 mm for tight detail; the widest straight blade measures 20 mm for clearing larger areas. All blades are heat treated to 61 HRC for edge retention.

• Straight blades, pattern 3101: 4, 6, 12, 20 mm (4 pieces)
• Curved blades, pattern 3104: 4, 6, 10, 16 mm (4 pieces)
• Deep-curved blades, pattern 3106: 2, 4, 6, 8, 12, 16 mm (6 pieces)
• Skew blades, pattern 3111: 2, 4, 6 mm (3 pieces)
• V-parting blade, pattern 3139: 6 mm (1 piece)

This spread lets one carver follow a piece from block to finished surface. Wide straight blades remove waste, curved and deep-curved blades shape volumes, and the V-parting blade defines outlines and hair or fabric detail. Skew blades reach into corners that a straight edge cannot clean.

Roll bag and Arkansas stones

The microfiber roll holds each knife in its own pocket, so edges do not knock together in transit. The soft textile does not scratch polished steel and keeps blades away from direct contact with damp surfaces. An Arkansas natural stone set is included for sharpening and polishing the edges between jobs.

• Microfiber roll bag with individual pockets
• 18 knives supplied in one roll
• Arkansas natural sharpening stone set included
• Stones suited to sharpening and edge polishing

Common applications

Figure carving, relief panels and decorative work on furniture are the main uses for this roll. Craft workshops and woodworking schools use the assortment because five blade shapes cover most teaching exercises. Restorers reach for the smaller deep-curved and skew blades when matching original mouldings and ornament. The width range handles softwoods and hardwoods alike, with wide straight blades for stock removal and the 2 mm blades for fine detail near finished surfaces.

Catalog reference

The catalog lists this set as 18 carving knives in octagonal form, supplied in a polyester roll bag, with blade hardness of 61 HRC and an Arkansas stone set included. Blade groups and widths follow the patterns 3101, 3104, 3106, 3111 and 3139 as listed above. Other packing versions of the same assortment appear in the same catalog section.