SCANDINAVIAN WOODCARVING KNIVES

MADE by PINEWOOD FORGE

Sweden has a very rich tradition of spoon carving.  I studied this during a winter in the north of Sweden, many years ago.  I was privileged to spend many good hours with Ville Sundquist, the much respected carver/craftsman and author who lives in northern Sweden.  Upon returning home I realized that the wonderful types of tools they use are not available here in North America.  So, as a tool maker I decided to fill the need for these types of tools.
These knives I completely hand make, from start to finish, and every possible aspect of them I have thought through - from handle and blade shape, to the steel, and the tempering methods.  They, of course, have uses beyond spoon carving.  The edges come perfectly sharp and the blades highly polished - so that the knife glides through the wood, and so that sharpening is a breeze.  The back of the blades are rounded and polished for comfort when pushing with a finger.  I shape the handles from our 25 year collection of beautiful hardwoods.  The steel: I have chosen '01' high carbon / high alloy tool steel.  It costs about twice what normal high carbon steel costs, it's the very best that I can buy.  The hollow ground bevel (25°) and the hardness RC60-61 make these tools suitable for carving any wood from pine to maple.



Fine Leather Bench Strop $12.50 + $2.75 S&H -
Full length 12" - Leather 2-1/8" x 8"
(click here for page on using a strop)

HOOK KNIFE - Right Handed

RIGHT HOOK KNIFE

HOOK KNIFE - Left Handed

LEFT HOOK KNIFE

1.)  HOOK KNIVES: For Spoon Carving and General Hollowing.  Blade is approx. 2".

Right Hand Hook: is the tool a right handed person would use with a drawing, pulling or squeezing cut with the right hand.  However, some right handed carvers prefer to push the tool away with the left hand - in that instance, the Left Handed Hook Knife would be best.  Most serious spoon carvers would have both a right and a left hook, and a slojd knife; but I have designed these hook knives so that an entire spoon can be carved with just one hook knife only.
Left Handed Hook: is for left handed carvers, or for right handed carvers who push with the left hands' thumb.  Each tool comes with easy to follow sharpening instructions. Knives come with a protective sheath.

 Hook Knives: $45.00


REGULAR SLOYD

REGULAR SLOJD KNIFE

2. & 3.)  SLOJD KNIVES:  Our Best General Use Carving Knife.

( 2.)  Regular Sloyd Knife:  Blade is 2-1/4".  The blade length and curve are very carefully designed to give long powerful clean cuts or fine control in concave cuts.  The handle is carefully designed to give power to the hand and gives good control in any of the dozen or more grips commonly used.  Both sloyds come with a birch bark sheath.

 Regular Sloyd Knife:  $38.00


SHORT SLOYD & BIRCH BARK SHEATH

SHORT SLOJD with SHEATH

( 3.)  Short Sloyd:  The same as the Regular Sloyd, blade is 1-3/4";  for those who prefer a shorter knife.

 Short Sloyd:  $36.00


HARLEY KNIFE

HARLEY  KNIFE

4.)  HARLEY KNIFE:  For Flat Plane Figure Carving In Clean Basswood.  Blade is 2".  

These I designed with Harley Refsal, the well known Scandinavian figure carver - Harley can carve an entire figure using only this tool.  They are especially suited for the "flat plane carving method."  I buy laminated high carbon steel blades from Sweden because the fine steel is perfectly hardened for woodcarving.  I then completely re-make them into the Harley design.  I round and polish the back for hand comfort, and then shape the blade as thin as is practical -12°.  This thinness, the polish, the extremely sharp edge, and the hardness of the steel, make them cut extremely efficiently and cleanly.  However, because of this thinness, do not pry or lever the wood with them.  Avoid knots and use only clean soft woods such as basswood (wood that is dirty, has knots, or is harder, requires a thicker bevel, such as the Slojd Knife).  I heartily recommend Harley Refsal as a teacher, you may also purchase one of these knives in one of his classes.  Knife comes with a sheath.

 Harley Knife:  $34.00


STUBBY KNIFE

STUBBY KNIFE

5.)  STUBBY KNIFE:  The same as the Harley Knife, with sheath, blade is 1-1/2" for those who prefer a shorter knife.

 Stubby Knife:  $33.00


KOLROSING KNIFE

KOLROSING KNIFE

6.)  KOLROSING KNIFE:  For Fine Line Surface Decoration.

I have worked with Judy Ritger for some time to perfect the design of this tool (she is a highly skilled rosemaler/kolroser from Wisconsin).  The secret to the fluid movement of this little knife is the hand turned handle (shaped like a calligraphy pen) and the carefully curved blade.  This specially designed blade I shape from solid M2 High Speed Steel.  They are very sharp, highly polished and ready to use.  With this steel, it should rarely even need stropping.  Comes with a wooden sheath.

Kolrosing is a little known but very beautiful craft having Scandinavian roots - often mirroring intricate rosemaling patterns.  It has all kinds of untapped possibilities from decorating spoons, carvings, furniture etc., or making a picture.  Draw with the knife just like you would a pencil (no shaving is removed).  For tight turns and extra fine control the cut is quite shallow, levering the tool away from you with the opposite hands' thumb against the rounded back of the blade.  Then take a pinch of extra finely ground coffee, (powder consistency) rub it into the carved area, sand away all excess coffee, apply finish, and voila!  Some people eventually gain enough control to even sign their name.  (Be sure to check out the VHS/DVD devoted to kolrosing). Blade is approx. 5/8" long.

 Kolrosing Knife:  $22.00


DETAIL KNIFE

DETAIL KNIFE

7.)  DETAIL KNIFE:  Has Broad Applications For Doing Fine Detail.

The detail knife has a back-angled, hollow ground polished edge, and a very sharp point.  The steel is the same finely hardened and tempered Swedish high carbon tool steel as the Harley knife.  The handle is shorter than the kolrosing knife so it can be held either like a pen or in the palm.  We hand-turn each handle from our stash of beautiful hardwoods - so each handle is an individual.  Comes with a wooden sheath.  Blade is approx. 3/4".

Detail Knife:  $22.00



To EMAIL US Click Here

Hook knife coming out of forge, then comes hardening, tempering, grinding, polishing, final sharpening, and ready to handle-below.

finished blades



The Birch Bark Sheath below we do not sell, rather we show it as a service to you. They are very finely made.
The phone # is shown so you can contact the maker.

RETURN to TOP
HOME-PAGE  Basswood Cutouts Fig. Carving Video Kolrosing Video Diamond Hones &
Stropping Compound
 Spoon Carving
Knife Catalog Pattern Books Fig. Carving Books Kolrosing Pics Sharpening Tips  Eating Spoons
Combo Specials
(Complete Kits)
Great Links Fig. Carving Examples Kolrosing Blanks
w/ Patterns
Stropping Tips  Spoon Pics
ORDER-Email Carved Birds Fig. Carving Pics Kolrosing Technique Woodcarvers Vice  Spoon Crooks
 Tool-Review Customer
Comments
  for All of our pages
go to 'Home Page'
 Birch Bark
Sheath Making
Spoon Carving Grips