Japanese carving vs Western Carving?

I'm looking at the Lee valley Taditional japanese Carving set, and scratching my head.
While I'm tempted to buy it, I've been find with my Sloyd knives.

Is there a major difference in the japanese approach to carving vs the western approach?
Per my understanding, there seems to be:

1. Scandanavian: use a Sloyd and bent knife
2. Continental European: Knives, rasps, and gouges
3. Japanese: weird looking knives and gouges
4. Chinese: lots of different fishtail gouges and chisels
5. Pacific NW: bent knife, adze, ax,
6. Power carving: micromotor, burs, pyrography.

Anything I'm missing?

I'm just bumbling along with my sloyds, so would appreciate insight into the differences.

If you're referring to the 5 pc. set of "chisels" for $22.50 they look like they'd be a nice set of paint scrapers if you do stripping and refinishing. To call any set like that chisels is an insult to actual chisels and people that actually carve. Using them you may be able to actually damage some wood fibers.
And I'd seriously doubt any Japanese carver would ever consider them. The only real thing is they are made in Japan .

A question(s) you might ask yourself:

1. Will those knives allow me to carve something I cannot carve with what I have?

2. Do I want to carve something that is best done with different tools?

Fer instance: I just finished carving Mary May's Xmas Bell project. Small, simple carving done in high relief. Yes, I could carve it using my Flexcut knives. In fact, I used one of them to do some cleaning up and undercutting. But, for the most part I used gouges.

Chinese are not the only ones who use "fishtail" gouges, btw. Pfeil makes a boatload of them. When it comes to carving there is no set rule that you must use one type or style of knife to do your carving. If a fishtail works best for certain cuts, use it. If you can reach into an area with a palm tool, grab it and make the cut. If you are hogging out lots of wood, pick up a big old gouge and a mallet.

Or, to put it another way, most carvers could cut a "japanese" style carving using chinese and european tools.

I think its these?
http://www.leevalley.com/us/wood/pag...332,43339&ap=1

I could see them being handy for a couple of things .. maybe.. A somewhat shorter knife can be handy for some things anyway.

I'll go along with Ted's response. Sometimes its interesting/fun to try different/unique tools (and sometimes you drop a bunch of money on something that you try twice and decide it was a horrible idea and never use again).

Actually, I think he's talking about these: http://www.leevalley.com/us/wood/pag...30,43332,43334

Yeah Bruce, that's the set I originally was talking about . But the other set could be the ones as well that Ryan posted. Either way if it's this set don't bother. They look just like the chisels in the tool aisle at the dollar store . And if it's the knife set,,, well knives are basically knives and used essentially the same way regardless . Then too ? Being a full time carver, I've never used a knife in 30 yrs. of carving every thing under the sun. I don't whittle. I carve.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Ryan Mooney

I think its these?
http://www.leevalley.com/us/wood/pag...332,43339&ap=1

I could see them being handy for a couple of things .. maybe.. A somewhat shorter knife can be handy for some things anyway.

I'll go along with Ted's response. Sometimes its interesting/fun to try different/unique tools (and sometimes you drop a bunch of money on something that you try twice and decide it was a horrible idea and never use again).

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Yup. Those!

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Mark Yundt

Yeah Bruce, that's the set I originally was talking about . But the other set could be the ones as well that Ryan posted. Either way if it's this set don't bother. They look just like the chisels in the tool aisle at the dollar store . And if it's the knife set,,, well knives are basically knives and used essentially the same way regardless . Then too ? Being a full time carver, I've never used a knife in 30 yrs. of carving every thing under the sun. I don't whittle. I carve.

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Hey Mark,

Not to revive a dying thread. However, I don't get to go on creek too often nowadays.
What do you carve with? Also, what's the distinction between whittling and carving?

My main woodworking experience is with guitars (neck carving, bridge carving, etc).
I honestly don't know much at all about things.

Regarding the Chinese carvers using fishtail chisels--- I'll be the first to admit that they don't have a monopoly on fishtail chisels.
Rather, it seems like they only use fishtail type chisels--albeit in many variations.
Then again, despite being ethnically Chinese, I don't know too much about the chinese carving traditions.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Mark Yundt

Y I don't whittle. I carve.

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You surprise me Mark. Really????

Strange, I was just reading a Lora Irish book, she uses gouges, bench knives, palm tools, whatever works. She is a professional carver, one that seems to be doing very well.

Picking up a bench knife to make a cut in a tricky place is now whittling? Who would have known? Oh well, since I am not a professional "carver" I will just continue in my ignorance and use what works for me. ::::shrug:::::

One rule I have is to never let the Kool Aid drinkers start dictating what I can and cannot do.