High-Quality Rasps That Won’t Break the Bank
Once upon a time, the go-to rasps for woodworkers seeking quality were the Nicholson #49 and #50. These were hand-cut rasps, where each tooth was individually raised by a skilled...
Fantastic Glue Bottle: A Small Upgrade That Solves Big Annoyances
Tool: Easy-Squeeze Silicone Glue Bottle Shop Now Manufacturer: Rockler MSRP: $8.99 Over the years, I’ve used many types of glue bottles in both my shop and classroom. Most of them...
A Wooden Sword, Part 5 – Crafting Grips and the Final Finish
After all the hard work of shaping and sanding our wooden swords, we needed to give them a comfortable and secure handle. For this, we used a reliable method called...
A Wooden Sword, Part 4 – Continuing Work on the Guard
Another guard style that’s especially popular with students is the faceted guard. This design is easy to lay out using a small straightedge or a 6″ ruler. Once the front-view...
A Wooden Sword, Part 3 – Shaping the Blade and Beginning Work on the Guard
Last time, I talked about potential shapes for the handle and pommel. In this entry, we’ll shape the blade and introduce the first of several guard designs. If possible, shape...
A Wooden Sword, Part 2 – Shaping the Grip and Pommel
After my student finished forming the cross-lap joints (see part 1), I asked what kind of hilt they envisioned for their sword. Should the grip be tapered and rounded? Should...
A Wooden Sword, Part 1 – The Double Cross Lap Joint
One of the most popular projects my students ask to build is a sword. Alongside boatmaking or crafting a gnome house, swordmaking has become one of the signature fourth-grade projects...
Making Simple Handles on the Table Saw
I recently made a few softwood handles on the table saw using a method that streamlines a simple yet elegant design—handles that can handle a lot. These handles are thick,...
How To Sharpen A Gouge [Video]
Last week, after posting three videos showing my gouge reformation and sharpening process, I decided to compile them into one unified tutorial. In the video, I explain the process and...
Sharpening Wood Carving Gouges: How I Reformed and Sharpened the Pfeil Chinese Copycats
No one can match Pfeil’s sharpening quality—Pfeil gouges arrive perfectly honed with ideal edge geometry. Unfortunately, this wasn’t the case with the Chinese knockoffs I tested. Both straight [...]
The Rise of Swiss-Style Wood Carving Tools from International Manufacturers
Over the last 40 to 50 years, Pfeil (Swiss Made) has become a highly respected brand in the woodworking community, widely recognized as the benchmark for premium-quality carving tools. This...
Restoring a Divider: Part 2
Tapping a New Thread When you can’t find the right thumb screw for an old tool (see Part 1 here), your best option is to drill and tap a new...
