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How to Care For Your Wood Carving Tools

When it comes to wood carving, like many other crafts, it’s important to properly care for your tools. The way you store them, clean them, and sharpen them makes a significant difference in how long they’ll last and how well they’ll perform. 

Tool storage

Proper tool maintenance involves knowing how to store your chisels, gouges, and other tools correctly. When blades bump against each other, they can easily become damaged and dull. Storing your tools in a protective storage case can help to keep all of your tools together and safe from damage. 

You should also make sure you store your tools somewhere where they won’t get wet. This will help you avoid rusty blades and other damage caused by moisture. If you have a workspace like a garage or shed, storing your tools on a wall-mounted rack also works well.

Tool cleaning

You’ll want to keep your wood carving tools clean and sharp before using them on a new project. Tool cleaning should be done according to the manufacturer’s instructions when possible. However, you can wipe your tool down with some linseed oil and scrub away any dirt. Rinse with some soap and water, and then dry it thoroughly.

Tool sharpening

​​Keeping your tool sharp is another important part of maintenance since a dull blade won’t make clean cuts. Use a sharpening stone if your tools are particularly dull, but a strop should work well for regular sharpening. You should also use a honing guide when you sharpen chisels to accurately set the angle of the blade.

At UJ Ramelson, we blend age-old traditions with advanced technologies to make the finest carbon steel carving and jewelry tools. Everything is hand forged, heat treated, and tempered by our own expert craftsmen! Contact us to learn more about the products we offer and how we can help on your next project.