Protecting Your Wood Carving Knife Edges
Whoops.
We've all done it.
You finish sharpening a carving knife, get a beautiful edge on it, and then use it to open a package.
Or you set a chisel on your knee, get up to answer the phone, and hear that unmistakable sound of steel hitting the floor.
And naturally, it turns out to be a telemarketer.
There goes the edge you just spent all that time sharpening.
A lot of the sharpening we do isn't really caused by carving.
It's caused by all the other things we do with our tools.
Sandpaper.
Other knives.
Concrete floors.
Poor storage.
And occasionally doing something with a carving knife that we know perfectly well we shouldn't be doing.
A good carving knife edge can last a surprisingly long time if we simply protect it.
Here are some of the things I've learned over the years.
Sandpaper Is Hard on a Carving Knife Edge
This is probably one of the biggest edge killers that woodcarvers don't think about.
Sandpaper works because it contains abrasive particles.
Those abrasives may include aluminum oxide, silicon carbide, or other materials designed specifically to cut and abrade.
That's exactly what we use abrasives for when we're sharpening a knife.
Now imagine putting those same abrasive particles into the wood you're carving.
When you sand a carving, some of those particles and sanding residue can remain on or become embedded in the surface.
If you go back afterward with your carving knife to clean up a spot, the edge can encounter those abrasives.
And those abrasives don't care whether they're attached to a sheet of sandpaper or sitting on your carving.
They can still dull your knife.
That's why I try to do as much knife work as possible before I start sanding.
Once I start sanding, I consider the knife work pretty much finished.
Carve First. Sand Last.
This is a simple habit that can save you quite a bit of sharpening.
Get your carving as close to finished as you reasonably can with the knife.
Then move to sandpaper if the project calls for it.
Try not to bounce back and forth between carving and sanding.
Carve.
Finish the knife work.
Then sand.
Besides protecting the edge, there's another benefit.
It encourages you to get better at leaving a clean surface with the knife.
A sharp carving knife can leave a surface that needs surprisingly little sanding.
And sometimes none at all.
Deepwoods Tip
If you've already sanded an area and absolutely need to go back with a knife, understand that the edge may encounter abrasive particles left behind by the sandpaper.
Sometimes you have to do it.
Just don't be surprised if the knife needs stropping afterward.
Don't Cut Sandpaper With Your Carving Knife
I have to admit this one because I've done it myself.
You get ready to sand a carving.
You need a smaller piece of sandpaper.
There's a razor-sharp carving knife sitting right there.
What's one little cut going to hurt?
Plenty.
Sandpaper is designed to abrade steel.
Dragging your carefully sharpened carving knife through it is about the last thing you should be doing with that edge.
Use scissors.
Use a utility knife.
Or do what I do:
Keep a junk knife around.
A junk knife is one of the handiest tools you can have on a carving bench.
Use it for:
-
Cutting sandpaper
-
Opening packages
-
Cutting tape
-
Opening glue
-
Scraping
-
Cutting string
-
All the other little jobs that somehow end up being done with your best carving knife
Your good carving knife has one job.
Carving wood.
Let the junk knife handle everything else.
Don't Let Your Carving Tools Bang Together
Carving knives and chisels are hardened steel.
That's what allows them to take and hold a sharp edge.
But when two hardened cutting edges bang against one another, something has to give.
It doesn't take a dramatic impact.
A knife bouncing against another knife in a toolbox while you're driving to carving club can be enough to damage a fine edge.
The damage may be tiny.
You may not even see it.
But you'll feel it the next time the knife goes into wood.
Instead of that smooth slicing action, the knife suddenly feels different.
Now you're back at the strop or sharpening stone fixing damage that had nothing to do with carving.
Give Each Tool Its Own Place
One of the easiest ways to protect your carving tools is simply to keep them separated.
If you're using a tool roll, box, case, or carving bag, try to give each knife or chisel its own compartment.
Don't throw a pile of unprotected carving tools together.
They're going to move.
They're going to hit one another.
And sooner or later, one cutting edge is going to meet another piece of hardened steel.
If individual compartments aren't practical, put sheaths on the tools before storing them together.
The important thing is keeping those cutting edges separated.
Keep Sandpaper Away From Your Knives
This follows the same principle as not carving wood after you've sanded it.
Don't store loose sandpaper in the same compartment as your carving knives.
Abrasive particles can break loose from the paper and end up inside your carving box or bag.
Then your knife blades are sliding around in the very abrasive material we use to sharpen steel.
Keep your sandpaper in a separate bag, envelope, box, or compartment.
It's a small thing.
But protecting a good edge is mostly about small things.
The Bench Can Be Hard on Your Knives Too
A carving knife sitting on a workbench looks pretty safe.
Until it rolls.
Or you bump it with your elbow.
Or the cat decides your workbench needs rearranging.
Then the knife hits the floor.
If you're lucky, it lands on the handle.
If you're not, it lands on the edge or point.
Concrete floors are particularly unforgiving.
A drop can roll an edge, chip it, break a fine tip, or turn a quick stropping job into a full sharpening job.
So I try not to leave knives sitting where they can easily roll or be knocked onto the floor.
Deepwoods Tip
A simple tray lined with rubber drawer liner makes a surprisingly good place to keep carving tools while you're working.
The liner helps keep the tools from sliding around, and the tray gives you one place to return the knife when you're finished with a cut.
It doesn't have to be fancy.
Sometimes the simplest shop solutions are the ones that work best.
Put the Knife Down in the Same Place Every Time
This is a habit worth developing.
When you stop carving, put the knife back in the same safe place.
Not on your knee.
Not underneath the carving.
Not balanced on the edge of the bench.
And preferably not buried underneath a pile of wood chips.
Having a designated spot for the knife does two things.
It protects the edge.
And it makes the knife easier to find without reaching blindly around the workbench for something that's sharp enough to shave with.
That's a pretty good habit for reasons beyond sharpening.
Use a Sheath
A sheath is one of the simplest ways to protect a carving knife.
It keeps the cutting edge from contacting other tools.
It protects the point.
It makes the knife safer to carry.
And it allows several tools to be stored together without their edges banging into each other.
A sheath doesn't have to be elaborate to work.
Over the years I've seen carvers come up with all kinds of solutions.
Some are beautiful.
Some aren't.
The edge doesn't care.
Simple Homemade Sheaths Work Too
You don't necessarily need a professionally made leather sheath for every carving tool you own.
Carvers are pretty good at improvising.
I've seen people use:
Wine corks for small knives and chisels.
Carved wooden sheaths made specifically for a favorite tool.
Foam blocks cut longer than the blade.
Foam board cut and assembled into lightweight blade protectors.
Leather folded and glued or stitched around the blade.
Years ago, I even saw someone roll up part of a phone book and tape it together, then slide knife blades between the pages.
I don't know that I'd recommend going out looking for a phone book these days.
Finding one may be harder than making the sheath.
The point is that the solution doesn't have to be complicated.
You simply need something that keeps the cutting edge from contacting everything around it.
Protect the Point Too
When we talk about protecting a carving knife edge, it's easy to forget about the point.
On a detail knife especially, the point may be one of the most useful parts of the blade.
It is also one of the easiest parts to damage.
Dropping the knife point-first can bend, chip, or break the tip.
Pushing an unprotected knife into a toolbox can do the same thing.
A good sheath should protect both the cutting edge and the point.
If the point can poke through the end of the sheath, the sheath isn't doing its entire job.
Don't Use a Carving Knife as a Pry Bar
This sounds obvious.
Until something needs prying.
Then suddenly that carving knife starts looking awfully convenient.
Don't do it.
Carving knives are designed to slice wood.
The blade geometry that makes a knife cut beautifully isn't necessarily designed to handle sideways twisting, prying, or scraping.
You can damage the cutting edge.
You can break the point.
And depending on the knife and what you're doing, you can damage more than the knife.
Use the right tool for the job.
Your carving knife will last longer.
Be Careful Around Knots, Bark, Dirt, and Grit
Wood itself is what the knife was made to cut.
But everything in and around the wood isn't necessarily friendly to your edge.
Bark can hold dirt and grit.
Wood picked up from the ground can contain sand.
Reclaimed wood may contain things you weren't expecting.
Even a little grit against a fine carving edge can make a noticeable difference.
That doesn't mean you need to be afraid of carving natural wood.
Just look at what you're putting the knife into.
If the wood is dirty, clean it.
If there's bark covered with grit, remove or clean it before putting your best edge through it.
The cleaner the material, the happier your knife will be.
Protecting an Edge Means Less Sharpening
This is the part I think gets overlooked.
Protecting your carving knife isn't only about keeping it sharp today.
It affects the life of the knife.
Every time you sharpen on a stone, you're removing steel.
That's necessary when the edge actually needs sharpening.
But if you're constantly repairing damage caused by dropping the knife, cutting sandpaper, or letting tools bang together, you're removing steel that never needed to be removed in the first place.
Protect the edge and you'll sharpen less often.
Sharpen less often and you'll preserve the original blade geometry longer.
That's especially important with a carving knife.
The geometry behind the edge is a big part of what determines how that knife moves through wood.
A Strop Can't Fix Everything
If you're taking care of your carving knife and stropping regularly, you can maintain a good edge for quite a while.
But a strop has limits.
If you drop the knife and chip the edge, stropping isn't going to put the missing steel back.
If the edge rolls badly, you may need to sharpen.
If the point breaks, you'll need to reshape it.
That's why prevention is easier than repair.
Use the strop for normal edge maintenance.
Use a sharpening stone when the edge actually needs to be restored.
And try not to create damage that requires either one.
My Advice
We spend a lot of time learning how to sharpen carving tools.
We talk about stones.
Diamond plates.
Ceramic stones.
Strops.
Compounds.
Microns.
Bevel angles.
All of that matters.
But there's another part of sharpening that doesn't get talked about nearly as much:
Don't dull the knife unnecessarily in the first place.
Don't cut sandpaper with it.
Don't throw it into a box with a bunch of other hardened tools.
Don't leave it where it can roll onto a concrete floor.
Keep sandpaper and abrasive dust away from it.
Use a sheath.
Keep a junk knife nearby for all those jobs that aren't carving.
Most of this doesn't cost anything.
It's simply a matter of developing good habits.
We took the time to learn how to put a razor edge on our carving tools.
We might as well protect it.
Frequently Asked Questions
What dulls a wood carving knife the fastest?
Abrasives such as sandpaper and grit can dull a fine carving edge quickly. Contact with other hardened tools, dropping the knife, cutting inappropriate materials, and improper storage can also damage the edge.
Does sandpaper dull a carving knife?
Yes. Sandpaper contains abrasive particles designed to cut material. Abrasive residue can also remain on a sanded carving, which is why I prefer to finish my knife work before beginning to sand.
Can I carve wood after I've sanded it?
You can, but the knife may encounter abrasive particles left on or embedded in the surface. Whenever possible, finish the carving work first and sand afterward.
Should carving knives be stored in sheaths?
I recommend protecting the blade when storing or transporting a carving knife. A sheath keeps the edge and point from contacting other tools and also makes the knife safer to handle and transport.
Can I store several carving knives together?
Yes, if their blades are individually protected. Don't allow bare cutting edges to bang against one another. Use individual compartments, sheaths, or another method of keeping the tools separated.
Why should I keep sandpaper separate from my carving knives?
Abrasive particles can break loose from sandpaper and collect inside a tool bag or box. Keeping sandpaper separate reduces the chance of those abrasives contacting your knife edges.
Should I use my carving knife to open packages?
I wouldn't. Keep a utility or junk knife nearby for packages, tape, sandpaper, glue, and similar jobs. Save your carving knife edge for wood.
What should I do if I drop my carving knife?
Inspect the cutting edge and point carefully before continuing to carve. If the edge is undamaged but doesn't feel quite right, try stropping. A rolled, chipped, or damaged edge may require sharpening or repair.
Continue Reading
Continue exploring The Deepwoods Handbook:
From my shop to yours.
