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A strop is only for honing (the final step to achieving a razor-sharp edge), while a whetstone could be used for anything from shaping the initial bevel to honing, depending on the grit.

If you do buy some Flexcut knives, which I highly recommend, you will probably only need a strop if you properly maintain them. In fact, they recommend you never use a whetstone and only opt for a Powerstrop if you neglect them for too long.

Many sites will recommend you buy tools one by one so you can get what you need, but as another beginner, I was extremely happy I purchased the Flexcut Deluxe Set. It was probably one more knife and one more palm tool than I needed, but it helped me understand what was out there and how to use them. A good, cheaper alternative might be this set.

No matter what you buy, one of the most important things to do from both a safety and usability (and enjoyment!) factor is to keep your tools as sharp as possible. That way it requires less force to move the tool through the wood, which is a common injury mechanism, and it makes it easier to create fun things. For the weird angles with V and gouge tools, I use another Flexcut invention. It works okay, but you can get the same results with folded sandpaper or other methods. I also bought a fullsize knife strop because it really does make a difference and you can get some with a lot more surface area. I haven't needed to buy a whetstone yet.

Also, I've since supplemented my starter set with Dockyard tools, which also come very sharp and keep their edge well. So far I've only used their micro tools, but I understand they have decent sets as well.

Speaking from unfortunate experience, you should definitely pick up a pair of kevlar gloves. I had a pretty serious hand injury (partially severed tendon) because I was just doing some touchups and wasn't using my gloves and got a bit sloppy. It only takes one single wrong stroke, and I had gotten complacent since I'd been so careful in the past. The gloves let me be more reckless and have definitely saved me from cuts, although they wouldn't protect against a stabbing cut. Thumb guards are also popular, but I don't actually like them very much. The gloves are nice because you can get a great grip on the tools.

When you have a knife or a set, you'll need some wood to practice on. I found ebay to be a great resource...just search for "basswood" and pick a few different sizes. 2x2x6 seems to be a good starting point to me. Make sure it is kiln-dried as well. Here is a good assortment that is pretty cheap. Butternut is another good choice, but for a beginner, I'd stick with basswood from personal experience.

Finally, if you are wanting a good book to introduce you to the subject, I'd recommend the Complete Book of Woodcarving. I've bought a number of books on the subject, but it is definitely the best if you are only buying one and need an overview to the entire craft. Old Time Whittling is only 30 pages, but gave some great examples and was very useful to me as well.

It really depends on what kind of carving you want to do. I mostly do low relief carving (which is carving an image less than an inch or so into a board), and to get started with that kind of carving you want a gouge or two, a v-parting tool, and maybe a knife. Ramelson makes cheap but reliable tools, and this is a good set: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B008I40CC6/ref=cm_sw_r_sms_c_api_fC4HzbSYX6WBY - The problem with buying sets, though, is that you'll end up always using the two or three tools you love, and the rest will just sit there.

If it were me though, I would buy one good gouge and a knife, start carving with those to find out what you like, and then build your collection from there (once you get a feel for carving you'll start thinking "boy, I really need a tool to do this one specific cut", then you go and find that tool). Pfiel is my go to brand and I've always been very happy with them. If you're going this route then buy this gouge - https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0032YV9LU/ref=cm_sw_r_sms_c_api_lU4Hzb1AZGTFX - or this gouge - https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0032YZ7IQ/ref=cm_sw_r_sms_awdb_L54HzbA1GKG75 - (the only difference between the two is the type of handle) and a knife.

If you think you'll want to carve "in the round" (wood sculptures) then maybe just get started with a good knife and build a collection from there based on what you need.

If you're thinking of carving spoons (which I don't do much so the other guys will be able to offer better advice) then maybe a bent gouge like this - https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0008GMUZO/ref=cm_sw_r_sms_c_api_204HzbXFABDN4 - or a spoon knife like this - https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01ALUTDP6/ref=cm_sw_r_sms_c_api_k24HzbHWKGPE9 - and, again, maybe a regular knife.

And most of all GOOD LUCK WITH RECOVERY! Carving might just be a great hobby to help because it keeps you focused, especially if you're doing detailed work. Feel free to PM me if you need anything.

Edit: Oh, and don't worry too much about sharpening right now. Sharpening can be tough to master, and if you buy a good quality tool then you won't need to sharpen for a while. You'll need a strop of some sort though to hone the edge from time to time, and this is what I've been using for a long time now: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00FX9MHIG/ref=cm_sw_r_sms_awdb_uA5Hzb9WTMR7J

Here is a decent set of palm gouges to start. They're good for carvings up to about 12" or so.

You also need a decent knife. These are available on Amazon. I'm not familiar with these knives, but Ramelson ha a pretty good reputation.


However, if you are really interested in carving, This knife is an excellent knife and comes with a lifetime satisfaction guarantee.

btw: It would have been better to start a new post rather than replying to an older post :)

I started in November last year after getting some wood carving gifts for my birthday. I had never even attempted it before, but I've now found a life long passion hobby. Below are the links to all of the things I was given for my birthday. It's not fancy at all, but it's also enough of a good investment that you can tell if carving is for you without breaking the bank. In all it's around $30. Also, https://bit.ly/2JPID0Z. This article has information on understanding wood grain, something that is insanely important to making the right cuts. The important thing I've found is when you are making your cut, make them small and shallow. Even if you're looking to remove a lot of wood. You will end up digging in too deep and ripping an irrecoverable chunk out of your block if you're too heavy handed with it. Just go with the flow and take your time. But, most important of all...post everything you make here. This community is so friendly, honest and helpful you only stand to improve by sharing your progress!

https://amzn.to/2JS2DjC - Wood Carving tools
https://amzn.to/2qAG364 - Basswood mixed size bag
https://amzn.to/2H7TPYY - 20 minute Whittling Projects book.

P.S Good luck if you do take it up! Go create!

Not sure about the specific knife linked to, but what you're looking for is a hook knife. Here's an amazon link: http://amzn.to/1gM5iIp or just do a google search for hook knife. Roy Underhill has a pretty good video of a spoon carver using one in episode S06e02. I tried to find a link to the episode, but the best I could do is a promo from youtube: http://bit.ly/1fKRppr. Your local PBS affiliate (presuming you're in the US) likely has the episode available to watch for free. Otherwise there are plenty of youtube videos detailing the use of a hook knife as well. I hope this helps.

Seriously consider an inexpensive Mora or two (I'd recommend the Mora 120 or Mora 122 or both) as a great starting place.

You won't know what you want until you noodle around a bit, so skip buying a great custom carving knife (though when you do, let me recommend Deepwoods Ventures as another solid option).

Play around with an inexpensive knife or two and figure out all the usual questions. What handle makes you happy? Are you a chip carver? What blade shape makes you happy? Is relief carving really your thing? Etc.

Also, don't let some random Internet nut try to tell you there are any hard and fast rules to how you should spend your time.

Depending on where you are from Woodcraft is a great place to get your tools. All the guys in there are woodcarvers and are generally super nice and informative. Here's a link to their locations.

Wood types: Basswood/Lime and or Butternut are good, soft woods for beginners.

Projects: Look for woodcarving books with the step to step instructions with pictures. Books by Chris Pye are pretty good. This book is the one I started out of, doing the simple bird project which was greatly detailed and pretty easy to do!

That's not expensive at all. Sorry but come on man. You're considering the linoleum cutter? Buy one good knife and treat it well and look after it and it will far outlive its price tag and you won't become discouraged by poor results from crap tools. You should spend from $20 to $40 on a good starter knife IMO.

Here is one a couple of bucks cheaper, and generally considered the entry level go to knife. Flexcut are decent, good steel, the handles are comfortable and people tend to like them but then move on to fancier knives with shapes / sizes that fit the work they do.

You can't just buy the knife either, unless you only want to carve one time, you'll also need honing compound and a strip of leather to glue to a flat board to strop your knife with every 20 minutes or so of carving. Here it is on amazon

I'm a beginner who probably has more money than skill, but I would absolutely recommend a Flexcut set. This would be a great choice on a budget.

Most important thing is to make sure you keep the tools as sharp as possible. Flexcut makes a "variable" strop that works on a bunch of different tools and comes with polishing compound.

If you only want to buy a knife, Mora is a great alternative to Flexcut. A knife similar to the KN12 should be roughly the same cost-wise. You can make your own strop out of an old leather belt glued to some wood, so just do some research online for more info and then all you need to buy is some polishing compound.

I bought and used these tools. There are better tools out there, but these are okay to start with. The knives aren’t set perfectly inside the handles so I hammered wood wedges in the sides to keep the blade from wiggling in the handle. The wooden handles are made out of olive wood (I think) and they are a little bulky. I had to carve down a little of the handle myself to fit it in my hand. My biggest issue with this product is that the tool roll they come in is not waxed or waterproofed. So if you get the roll wet with the tools inside, they will rust.
It’s always good to start out with the inexpensive tools first before moving on to the pricier ones.
I still use these knives here.

I always suggest flexcut for beginners for two reasons, they are fairly inexpensive, and they are sharp and hold an edge well. (I would not suggest using them on anything harder than mahogany or perhaps oak)

If you find you like woodcarving, then I suggest move on to more traditional (And fairly expensive tools like Pfeil, Ashely iles, Two cherries, Auriou, Henry Taylor, Robert Sorby etc)

They do have a small set similar to what you're looking for,

https://www.amazon.com/Beginner-Palm-and-Knife-Set/dp/B005EG033Y/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1483717685&sr=8-4&keywords=flexcut+set

As for wood, basswood is good for beginners, also butternut. I personally hate basswood and prefer to carve woods with a janka hardness of 1000 and up. That's just me though and many folks love basswood, I just find it too soft for my style of carving.

Cleaning, I just pick up the larger shavings and vacuum the rest.

Some resources,

http://www.wood-database.com/

Database on wood with detailed info on each species.

https://www.toolsforworkingwood.com/store/index.php

Very good supplier of woodworking/carving tools, I use them often and they are usually very prompt in shipping.

http://www.constantines.com/

I order from these guys every so often, usually 12x12x2 mahogany blocks.

http://www.japanwoodworker.com/

Another supplier of tools, they also have wood.

http://www.bellforestproducts.com/

Wood supplier, excellent stock of more exotic lumber, I tend to browse the "Hand pick your board" section often.

Also, ebay is a nice place to find carving wood.

Which would be easier to start with? I see the benefit of both. Do you have a rotary tool that you would recommend? I've browsed around and was thinking about the Dremel 4000 here but part of me wants to go the hand route....I can do that inside my house without pissing anyone off as much with a rotary. Any recommendations on knives and micros? What about there and here. I'd like to stay under or around $100.00 on my first go of tools. Thanks again

I started with this then got one of these for removing larger chunks.
*note the irwin one comes with a factory edge meaning it will need to be sharpened...so you'll need one of these and this to get that baby super sharp. then run it over the flat part of this and you'll be in like Flynn.

Also the flexcut slip strop if used every 20 minutes of carving (with any tool) will keep the edges super sharp for longer, meaning you dont have to go to the harsh stone right away. Also, note, when using the stone, to soak for at least 20 minutes before using. There are plenty of great youtube videos out there teaching proper sharpening technique for all sorts of tools with Water stones.

I'd also suggest a wooden mallet and a larger heavier one, or I just use a rubber mallet. Also while you're at it, grab a coping saw to remove large areas of unwanted wood. Make sure you have a vice to hold your wood or some sort of block device.

I'm still waiting on my carving knives from Here. They have a back order of 6-8 weeks! I got a straight (sloyd) knife and a hook knife for spoon carving and such.

So far that's where I'm at. Hope that helps.

Yeah, it is. Flexcut makes great equipment, I've got a fair number of their tools myself. Personally, I'd spend a bit more and get this set, which will really open your options up and make it easier to create:

http://www.amazon.com/Beginner-Palm-and-Knife-Set/dp/B005EG033Y

The flexcut tools are so well made you only need a strop to keep them honed if you take care of them...no need for a sharpening stone(s).

Unfortunately, most cheap sets aren't worth buying. A nice combo set, which has the two most common types of blades and the two most common types of "gouges" can be had for around $55. This, IMHO, is a great starter kit.

Do you think he'd be more interested in carving figures, like whittling, or relief carving, which is like creating scenes on flat panels?

I'm not sure if it's the same knife set your talking about, but this set came up once and whoever bought it said it was junk. I'd always be leary if the exact same knife set was pictures under different brand names like this one is.

If you're on Facebook, join some carving groups and lurk. The ones that come up most frequently in the group I'm in are Mora or Morakniv, Opinel, and several smaller knife makers. There are others, but Moras always come up.

What are you interested in carving specifically?

E: Check out spoon carving, Greenwood working and sloyd on Facebook. Lots of equipment talk, projects, and inspiration. A lot of the members are in Europe/Eurasia and they are extremely gifted people.

I'm fond of the Flexcut palm tools such as the link below. Make sure you also get a carving glove and thumb guards too! and good luck

http://amzn.com/B001UXXTTK

Okay, thanks. Would this be a good starter set you think? Then if I enjoy it enough and get some more cash pick up some of the north forge ones eventually.

I have pfeil and stubai and a variety of one-off I have bought over the years.

That said there is a new company that does short runs of full-sized tools you’d use for relief carving. I just bought their their 12 piece set and it is the best value hands down in terms of quality of what you get for the price I’ve seen. At $89 they will sell out soon:

SCHAAF Full Size Wood Carving Tools, Set of 12 https://www.amazon.com/dp/B06XBLNRNM/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_Q2UOBbT21J0VY

I had a few chances to use it. Honestly, it was a waste of money. It was extremely dull when it came in. I’d suggest buying individual knives after having experienced both. I ended up buying a mora 120 and a mora 164 and I am very happy with them. You’re better off buying high quality knives. It’ll save you money in the long run.

Grab a nice starter knife. https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B004GATX62/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o05_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

That knife and a few blocks of basswood was enough to make me fall in love in carving. If you decide you like it and want to start carving more details into your works you can grab some chisels.

https://www.amazon.com/Power-Carving-Tools-Seven-Piece/dp/B0037MI3K2/ref=s9u_simh_gw_i4?_encoding=UTF8&fpl=fresh&pd_rd_i=B0037MI3K2&pd_rd_r=BGGJB52PAYA1T0HS96E0&pd_rd_w=rod12&pd_rd_wg=6RHP4&pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_s=&pf_rd_r=1P6DCGHZDPEYM542SBQ7&pf_rd_t=36701&pf_rd_p=781f4767-b4d4-466b-8c26-2639359664eb&pf_rd_i=desktop

Well, if you are looking for a wide variety of tools: i started with these

Though to start you would probably do fine with just a knife

or if you want to spend a little more you can't go wrong with drake

It's tough to recommend a knife as a starting point though. Obviously I don't want to say "You need to go out and spend a bunch of money, or you'll regret it" Because the truth is you would probably be fine with the knife sets you were looking at before.

I would say 1 good quality knife is better than 5 poor quality knives though. I have no personal experience with the sets you were looking at, but I have seen a few random posts where people have expressed that the sets they found at hobby lobby didn't hold their edges very well, which can be a frustrating experience.

At the same time, spending 10 dollars on a set of knives, might be all you need to decide if you are into the hobby or not and want to spend more money on it. It's tough. I would however go into that situation knowing that if you spend 10 dollars on a set of 5 knives, odds are good in a short amount of time if you decide you are into the hobby, you will feel their lack and want better knives.

Rasps are really not what a beginner woodcarver/whittler needs. I would suggest something like this: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0792BXHBD/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o09_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Many brands have identical offerings. Best to you.

Thanks! The two things I tried to improve for #2 were handle and bowl width. The first spoon was very unbalanced (the bowl was too heavy) and I was afraid the handle would snap with just a little torque.

I started the first handle by cutting the very end down to what I thought would be the proper width, and then I started working my way up the handle, trying to match that width. But as I tried evening out each section, the whole thing kept getting thinner and thinner, until it became way thinner than I had originally planned. So with the second handle, I basically worked my way up and down the length of the handle as I went (taking off an 1/8 inch or so at a time). I left it thicker intentionally until the "end" of the project, so that any evening out I did wouldn't cause it to become too thin again.

For the bowl, I just cut closer to the edge on the second try. As u/Ddosvulcan suggested, I tried pushing the limits to see how thin I could get it.

For tools, I got this knife set on Amazon and these wood blocks. I did not have gloves for the first spoon. I picked up a pair of those and really like them (link here). I also sanded and oiled the second one, and that made a big difference aesthetically.

Edit: I almost forgot, this video helped a lot with learning the basic cuts!

Things like this are your best bet. I purchased a grab box for around $30 and I'm still carving with it all a year later.

Flexcut makes good carving tools at reasonable prices. This is a great starter set, IMHO.

Flexcut Beginner Palm & Knife Set, All-Purpose Cutting Knife and Detail Knife Included, with 2 Palm Tools (KN600) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B005EG033Y/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_XORFDb8F3QMA6

This. What I think I'm seeing is a carving kit assembled to do woodblock print carving (they use linoleum because it's softer and more consistent than wood. carefully cut away negative space, roll with ink, make a woodblock print)

I agree you need a sturdier fixed blade knife if you want to whittle/carve larger things. I really like a flat-edged blade...almost exactly like this one Honestly this knife can do almost anything that a whole set of chisels and v-tools can do, just a little slower. (although a v-tool is awesome for details/lines and chisels can be nice for weird nooks and carving details in hair sometimes)

I ordered the basswood grab box and this is what came in it pretty satisfied with it. Maybe some of you without a local wood supplier find this useful

I don't have these and I don't carve, but I've seen them recommended here and have them saved for future me:

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B06XBLNRNM/

I second flexcut, I have some of their palm gouges ans love them. JUST MAKE SURE to get the sharper equipment, its frustrating to not be able to use your tools effectively because they got dull. https://www.amazon.com/Flexcut-Slipstrop-Polishing-Deburring-PW12/dp/B00FX9MHIG/ref=pd_aw_fbt_201_img_2?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=2W52B2BGRENKZWA0VM13

Yeah that's unfortunate man. I would just reprofile the entire edge. Is there a reason why you didn't get a mora? It isn't really that expensive in my opinion.

https://www.amazon.com/Mora-Wood-Carving-Tool-106/dp/B06XTNYHP8/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1538751071&sr=8-1&keywords=mora+106

https://www.amazon.ca/Morakniv-Carving-Knife-Laminated-2-4-Inch/dp/B004GATX62

If money is tight that's cool I get it. Make this one work, remove the secondary bevel in favor of just 1 primary bevel that goes from middle of the blade to the actual edge.

Carving knives NEED to be scandi. There really is no better grind for carving. Especially for a beginner.

I've been carving for 6 years now and all my carving knives are mora with scandi grinds.

Loving it. I bought this set. To be honest, I don't know exactly what the difference between the three knives are, but they all cut through the wood like butter.

I started with this set and I still use at least 3 out of 4 on every carving.

Flexcut Beginner Palm & Knife Set, All-Purpose Cutting Knife and Detail Knife Included, with 2 Palm Tools (KN600) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B005EG033Y/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_w-VPDb54HSEN0


Doug Linker has some great videos:
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLLMAepy0T3Hx35yE20ZuUUdSTrrEHV09s

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLLMAepy0T3HzRa-c6yyXLbgFxGfPH7tHW

I used this little guy. Works like a charm.

Make a strop with leather and purchase some polishing compound; if you don't want to make one, Flexcut makes a nice strop for 15$, polish included. This is the proper tool for keeping a wood carving knife in tune; when the edge gets really dull, use the stone. Your knife is much easier to keep very sharp if you strop it regularly. You will also need a 4K or 6K grit waterstone, for more aggressive sharpening. You can get a decent 6000 grit waterstone on Amazon for 25$. The combo of both these items are quite compact, cost under 50$ even if you buy everything, and weighs about 2lbs.

edit: links:
https://www.amazon.com/King-800-4000-Combination-Waterstone/dp/B000248XEY/ref=sr_1_5?ie=UTF8&qid=1482350969&sr=8-5&keywords=4000+grit+stone

https://www.amazon.com/Flexcut-PW12-SlipStrop/dp/B00FX9MHIG/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1482351305&sr=8-2&keywords=flexcut+strop

The slip strop is great for if you later get other types of tools, but you can also use just a regular strop for a bit less.

https://www.amazon.com/Flexcut-Knife-Strop/dp/B00FFJ9TLW/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1482351401&sr=8-1&keywords=flexcut+strop

For some reason I am always squeamish when it come to carving with Xacto knives.. I think it may be because of how thin the blades are which would make them easier to break. I would say save up the extra $20-$30 and by one of these sets.

http://www.amazon.com/Flexcut-Tool-Knife-Carving-Set/dp/B003Z7XNUO/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1410631466&sr=8-2&keywords=flex+cut

http://www.amazon.com/Beginner-Palm-and-Knife-Set/dp/B005EG033Y/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1410631466&sr=8-3&keywords=flex+cut

These sets will last you forever and can be resharpened with out any problem.

Thanks, it's the flexcut detail knife. I bought it on amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Flexcut-KN13-Detail-Knife/dp/B000ZRXO88/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1491771039&sr=8-1&keywords=flexcut+detail+knife

Thanks!
For both the carvings I use a Morakniv for the shaping of the general figure. (The yggdrasil one is a square, so no shaping ;)).

And for the general engraving, carbon paper for transfering the pattern and a Pfeil 9/4 gouge that really makes wonders, for working the bits that are too small for the gouge I use the knife again.

Does this look like a good start?

He already has a knife but this looks to cover some of his other needs.

Hey, so I've done some exploring to find the equipment you're referring to and it turns out there is a ton of subtly different things out there that fit that description. Can you confirm I'm looking at the right things here? Mainly I'm wondering about the gouge, there's all kinds of options - spoon, fishtail straight, and many others.

Chip Carving Knife

No. 5 Gouge

Blocks of basswood I can figure out.

Thanks for the answers, unfortunately the shipping, duties, and exchange would cost me a lot for those :p

What do you think about these:

gouge set

• Basic Carving Sets $66
  
  
• Block Cutters $62
  
  
• Japanese Detail Carving Tools $55
  
  knife
  
  
• [ Flexcut Chip-Carving Set] (http://www.leevalley.com/en/wood/page.aspx?p=75163&cat=1,130,43332,43339&ap=1) $50
  
  
• Flexcut Cutting Knife $27
  
  
• Morakniv Wood Carving 120
  $31
  
  
  I also found a mix:
  
  
• Flexcut Beginner Palm & Knife Set $77
  
  but idk if 4 tools is worth $77
  
  

Mind you I have only used this stuff to carve this one tiny thing but I figure I can always upgrade to different tools if I stick with it for a while and decide these things need an upgrade. Next time I buy supplies, I’m definitely finding another retailer for larger pieces of Basswood though. The selection on Amazon sucks a bit.

Glove:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00IVM1TKO/ref=cm_sw_em_r_mt_dp_U_BN5WCbEJ88Z77

Blades:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07P578XFV/ref=cm_sw_em_r_mt_dp_U_zN5WCbWR8JJJA
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0037MI3K2/ref=cm_sw_em_r_mt_dp_U_mN5WCb9TNQ5A5

Sharpening Tools:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00FX9MHIG/ref=cm_sw_em_r_mt_dp_U_iN5WCbFRFMWSY
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0023W6RS2/ref=cm_sw_em_r_mt_dp_U_lN5WCbSTS92ZX
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07G2WY7WG/ref=cm_sw_em_r_mt_dp_U_qN5WCbZ70WC0J

Basswood:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07L91JK9J/ref=cm_sw_em_r_mt_dp_U_UQ5WCbSS09KD7

That is super cheap for a knife. Morakniv makes decent quality cheap knives for beginners. I can't even imagine how bad that steel is

Edit: Morakniv Wood Carving 120 Knife with Laminated Steel Blade, 2.4-Inch https://www.amazon.com/dp/B004GATX62/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_kD.KDbBB5VHQ1

I would start off with Wood Carving Tools Set for Spoon Carving 3 Knives in Tools Roll Leather Strop and Polishing Compound Hook Sloyd Detail Knife (Right-Handed Spoon Carving Knives) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0792BXHBD/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_l9wiDbTA50CPG

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B000ZRZQ1G/ref=yo_ii_img?ie=UTF8&psc=1

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B0018N9Z72/ref=yo_ii_img?ie=UTF8&psc=1

I used a starter set of carving chisels [like these] (http://www.amazon.com/Starter-Set-of-5-Tools/dp/B001UYQPNG/ref=sr_1_cc_3?s=aps&ie=UTF8&qid=1411898341&sr=1-3-catcorr&keywords=starter+carving+chisel+blades) but not those exact ones, and then this [Xacto carving set] (http://www.amazon.com/Xacto-X5175-Deluxe-Woodcarving-Set/dp/B00004Z2UD) when I got to the finer details.

For a cheaper kit from the same company, here are a couple of options. You can always buy more individual blades and gouges as you need them and can afford them.

https://www.amazon.com/Warren-Deluxe-Wood-Carving-Knives/dp/B0020LOY7C


https://www.amazon.com/Warren-Cutlery-Basic-Carving-Kit/dp/B00NWORRPC

Here is the knife set that I own. For this project I only used the main knife, which is the middle one.

Morakniv Wood Carving 164 Hook Knife with Carbon Steel Blade https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00343VCCK/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apip_avYFrR8BvNjYg

"for rubber, small pumpkin, Soap, Vegetables and more "

https://www.amazon.com/Gimars-Carbon-Steel-Carving-Tools/dp/B01FGZIVD6/ref=zg_bs_8090896011_1?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=WM76TCS0NX15BPYE7770

Flexcut KN115 Carving Knives, Chip Carving Set, High Carbon Steel Blades, Ergonomic Ash Handle, Set of 3 https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0057P4ARM/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_2dKZBbR4XBQ3Q

Morakniv Wood Carving 120 Knife with Laminated Steel Blade, 2.4-Inch https://www.amazon.com/dp/B004GATX62/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_FQH6BbJ0F936A

I used a morakniv carving knife for the entire carving. This is the exact one I bought Morakniv Wood Carving 120 Knife with Laminated Steel Blade, 1.9-Inch https://www.amazon.com/dp/B004GATX62/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apap_XcePFM5ymJj2o

Not sure if OP used this, but I've heard of others using it for the same application (and have been meaning to get one myself):

Morakniv Wood Carving 164 Hook Knife with Carbon Steel Blade

In order of purchase, here's where I started:

BeaverCraft Carving knife

Strop

Detail knives

Flexcut Cutting knife
Flexcut Detail knife

Mora 106 carving knife (upgrade from the beavercraft)

No. Check out this thread

[The Mora 120](Morakniv Wood Carving 120 Knife with Laminated Steel Blade, 1.9-Inch https://www.amazon.com/dp/B004GATX62/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_33wyyb6HJVJC3) is affordable and on Amazon