Wood carving tools

Wood carving calls for a dedicated set of tools for shaping and cutting grooves. The same tools also help finish details on many different wood species. This group brings together woodturning tools, carving gouges and carving knives from Kirschen, a German brand that has been making hand tools since 1796.

Each item is forged from tool steel or HSS high-speed steel. The blades are sharpened to DIN standards. Handles are made of natural wood such as beech, white oak or hornbeam. Woodturning tools are used for work on the wood lathe. Blade shapes include flat, curved, triangular and oval. Blade widths run from 4mm to 26mm. Carving gouges come with straight blades, curved blades and bent (cranked) blades, with sweeps from Cut 1 to Cut 11, supporting shallow grooves, deep grooves and relief detail.

Dedicated carving knives include three-sided blades, curved blades and skewed bevel blades for the Kerbschnitt technique. All are made in Germany. This ensures hardness, edge retention and long service life. They suit professional joinery workshop environments.

Woodturning tools for the lathe

Woodturning tools make up the largest part of the product group, serving the machining of round, rotating workpieces on the lathe. The blades are made of standard tool steel or HSS high-speed steel. They hold hardness steadily up to 600 degrees C. Handles in beech or hornbeam measure from 195mm to 450mm in length. An octagonal or round cross-section gives a firm grip.

The straight flat blade line includes 1669026 at 26mm wide and 1565026 in the HSS version, used for facing and forming cylinders. Curved blade turning tools such as 1649026 have a round cutting edge that creates smooth curves on the wood surface. The flat skewed bevel turning tool 1659026 complies with DIN 5144 and supports chamfering and detail finishing.

Triangular turning tools are intended for cutting grooves and parting off, represented by 1699006 at 6mm wide with a diamond-shaped blade and 1599005 in the 5mm HSS version. The pointed turning tool 1689026 of the 1689 series allows precise detail work on hardwood. Small-size turning tools such as 1632004 with a 4mm triangular tip and short handle suit mini lathes.

Straight-blade carving gouges

Straight-blade carving gouges give a high degree of control when cutting grooves, carving letters and working decorative detail. The straight blades have sweeps from Cut 1 to Cut 11, with 10mm being the common width. Octagonal handles in white oak or beech measure 200mm long. The blade sweep determines the groove radius and the rate of material removal.

The square-edged straight gouge 3201010 with Cut 1 sweep produces crisp grooves and clear lines. The skew-edged straight gouge 3202010 supports corner cuts and lettering with high accuracy. The shallow-sweep straight gouge 3206010 with Cut 6 sweep allows wide grooves to be cut without much pressure.

The medium-sweep straight gouge 3208010 with Cut 8 sweep balances working speed with detail capability. The deep-groove straight gouge 3210010 with Cut 10 sweep is used for grooves of greater depth across many wood species. The deep-hollow straight gouge 3247010 with Cut 11 sweep offers the largest curve radius in the straight-blade line.

Curved-blade carving gouges

Curved-blade carving gouges are used for U-shaped grooves, complex curves and relief detail in wood. The curved blades have sweeps from Cut 6 to Cut 10. The woodworker can adjust groove depth and radius according to the design. The octagonal white oak handle with a 20×20mm cross-section gives a steady grip and accurate positioning of the cutting angle.

The curved gouge with sweep 6 3215010 has a shallow curved blade 10mm wide and cuts grooves of moderate depth, suited to relief work and decorative detail. The curved gouge number 8 3217010 has a medium sweep and produces moderately curved cuts in wood carving. The deep curved gouge 3219010 with Cut 10 sweep is intended for deep U-shaped grooves and complex curves.

The 10mm curved gouge 3229010 has a medium hollow and belongs to the Kerbschnitzbeitel line with a gekröpft spoon-shaped blade. The octagonal V-parting tool 3240010 at 10mm wide has a curved blade for cutting deep V-grooves and curves on wood surfaces. The 10mm V-parting tool 3243010 has a cranked shape that creates clearance between the handle and the working surface.

Bent-blade carving gouges

Bent-blade carving gouges let the carver reach hollows and narrow grooves. They also reach curved surfaces that a straight blade cannot work. The cranked design creates distance between the handle and the cutting point, helping the craftsman control the angle in confined spaces. The octagonal hornbeam handle is 200mm long with a 20×20mm cross-section and weighs about 58g.

The straight cutting edge gouge 3221010 in a cranked blade form 10mm wide with a hornbeam handle supports work in hollows and narrow grooves. The bent gouge 3227010 at 10mm wide uses a spoon-shaped curved blade with a flat Cut 6 hollow, for carving concave details and shallow grooves. The flat-hollow bent gouge balances flexibility with material removal in tight spaces.

Dedicated carving knives

Dedicated carving knives serve specific carving techniques such as Kerbschnitt. They are also used for marking out and for fine decorative detail. The blades come as three-sided, side-curved or skewed bevel forms. They are made of high-carbon steel with a hardness of 61 HRC. Handles in birch or natural red beech give comfortable grip.

The three-sided carving knife 3361000 with a birch handle cuts even V-grooves, as required for traditional decorative carving. A blade length of 140mm, width of 13mm and thickness of 10mm allows control over deep cuts. The curved carving knife 3360000 with a birch handle has a side-curved blade and a curved cutting edge, helping create soft curves and fine decorative detail.

The wide skewed carving knife 3357000 with a white beech handle has a blade 18mm wide and 160mm long, for carving deep-grooved patterns in the Kerbschnitt style. The marking knife 3359000 has a triangular blade 34mm wide, a red beech handle, hardness of 61 HRC and a 17 degree grinding angle, for accurate marking out on wood. The carving knife 3353000 has a curved double-edged tip with an alder handle, the tip curved like a lance and sharpened on both edges.

Woodturning and carving tool sets

Woodturning and carving sets provide a complete package for woodworkers who are starting out. They also suit situations where tools need to be added quickly. Each set brings together the basic blade types. The sets are packed in a case or a dedicated pouch. This packaging makes storage and transport convenient. The blades are made of tool steel or HSS, with natural wood handles for long service life.

The 3-piece short woodturning set 1635000 provides three basic blade types for turning work on small lathes. The blades are made of tool steel, and the 195mm hornbeam handles make the tools easy to guide in confined spaces. The 4-piece HSS woodturning set follows the same approach, combining high-speed steel blades with natural wood handles.

Across this product range, woodturning tools, carving gouges and carving knives are grouped by blade shape, width and sweep. Tools can be selected by the type of cut required. They can be extended step by step as a workshop's needs grow.