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Hand carving steel

G

Guy Thomas

Joined
Feb 1, 2000
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1,370
I was hoping someone might point me in the right direction as to what kinds of hand tools are used to carve steel and maybe a clue as to how they are used? I want to try making hand carved tsubas.

I can make the tools (I'm assuming small chisels) but there seems to be a total lack of knowledge on the net as to traditional steel carving tools and techniques. Arpad Bojtos apparently uses hand tools exclusively but I've only been able to find vague references to his tools.
 
Something that I am just getting into that is related is the carving of type. I don't have the article I was given about it with me right now, but it uses gravers, files, and counter punches. You could also try some of the printmaking supply sites as some of those tools should work on steel also.

WS
 
Thanks guys, I really want to stick with hand tools but will use a dremel in a pinch. Engraving tools are very specialized but variations of them would probably work. I can't help but wonder about the Japanese craftsmen and their wonderfully carved tsubas and the tools they used.
 
There is a maker named Paul Jarvis who I know does all of the carving on his knives by hand with chisels. You can probally see some of his work in the knives annuals books. They are similar to wood chisels, just smakker and for metal. I think that Jantz supply carries them. They do, Die Sinker chisels. They are $19.95 each. they don't have a website, but here is their Phone # and they will send you a catalog. 1-800-351-8900
 
Now we're talking, thanks for the inspiration. Form follows function so I figured chisels similar to those used for wood working. I have an old Jantz catalog at home to look through. Probably need steeper angles on the bevels.
 
What you need to hand carve (sculpt) steel.

1. Compleatly annealed steel stock to carve. You should be able to take shavings with a good quality pocket knife.

2. Solid backup. A heavy vise or anvil.

3. A good hammer. I suggest about a 16 oz. for light work, a 20-24 oz. for medium and a small hand sledge (weight depends on your arm strength) for heavy work.

4. A pair of heavy leather gloves and a face shield.

5. A chisel. Resharpened hardware store cold chisels will work fairly well. Unfortunatly they come sharpened in a manner probably inspired by product liability lawsuits. Resharpen the chisel at about 30 to 45 degrees on one side and compleatly flat on the other (the same profile as a wood chisel). I suggest a belt sander with a 40 grit belt to hogg out the shape and a fine belt to clean it up. Be carefull not to overheat the chisel.

To carve set the bevel of the chisel on the work, tilt it up a few degrees and start to tap the chisel. Done properly you should see the chisel bite in and start to cut a shaving from your work. Light cuts work the best.

Have fun. :)
 
Thanks nhamilto40, that's a very useful posting of information both on tools and technique! It's exactly the type of thing I want to do.
(Sounds like you have done some of this before!)
 
Yoshiharas book, 'The Craft of the Japanese Sword' has a chapter dedicated to just this subject, with a couple of usable pics of his hundreds of tools for the purpose. I'd go with a modified deadblow hammer for the purpose, too. Give it an aluminum or brass face, maybe. It cuts down on sore muscles for this kind of work.
I still say use a rotary tool, ya purist!
 
Hey Oz! You already know I like to hand file knives, why not hand carve steel too? (Hey, I'm not adverse to using my belt grinder to hog some steel when I need to! If I had a mini-mill it would do the brunt of the steel removal on the tsubas also!)

Have you ordered your metal cutting bandsaw yet? You are going to love it.

:rolleyes: By the way, I have 'The Craft of the Japanese Sword', I don't know why I haven't looked in there yet. I must be stoopid or sumthin.:D
 
I have a good friend, who is a very talented engraver. His work ranges from any type of firearm to custom knives. In fact his full-time paying job before he retired was to make molds for plastic items, i.e. toys, keyfobs, motorcycle minatures, medallions, tokens, etc. Lots of talent there! Well the point I am getting to is that he makes his own gravers out of tool steel. Each one designed for the particular cut he intends to make with it, and he has small little tomato paste cans full of hundreds of them! Each one is only about 3" in length, and he only uses a small brass hammer to tap them with.

Hope this little bit helps. I think there are no hard fast rules for engraving other than metalurgical ones. I think everyone borrows a little from everyone else, and they take what they want and leave the rest, kinda like a salad bar. =)

Jeff
 
I'm beginning to see that. Carving really is engraving on a larger scale. I just got my copy of The Craft of the Japanese Sword out. Oddly enough this book doesn't even mention tsubas anywhere in it. Incredibly detailed book for most other aspects of the craft however. I highly recoment it.

There is one page that shows Yoshindo carving horimono on the sword blades and he has an array of a hundred or more small chisels set out just like your engraver friend. Unfortunately they aren't shown in any detail. I'll have to make an array of small chisels and see what I can do.

Jonathan Loose was also kind enough to provide me with a link to a jewelry catalog that has a nice array of chisels and gravers:

http://www.gesswein.com/catalog/cat...sub=60&catalog=1&CFID=172175&CFTOKEN=31311255
 
I've made several tools to carve steel with out of files. I regrind them to the appropriate cutting shape.
 
Idk man. A while back I picked up an old planer & took it apart for the motor, but I found that it had some pretty good blades. I sharpened them up once and I've been carving tool steel with them for quite a while. It carves kinda like a well aged hardwood. All I'm saying is that even though I don't know what it actually is, there are some types of steel that will cut through tool steel again and again without dulling noticeably. Idk man but if you can find a blade made out of that stuff you probably won't need any chisels or whatever.
 
Typically (that's usually or often, but not always) it's D2 steel in many planer blades. It's a good tool steel when HT is correct & should work well enough. Second the Dremel with carbide cutters as a carving tool.
 
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