Hey Folks,
I want to learn to carve, and to that end I started watching some Mary May videos and looking for carving tools. I read the whole story on the Addis brothers and their feud and the tools they produced. I like the appeal of old tools, and I think I am getting decent deals buying up ones and twos on EBay - typically paying less than $30 per piece. The tools have a lot of life left in them and its a fun hunt. I may not find them all, but I have about 10 or 12 different pieces so far.
My question is if there have been advances in tool design or construction that makes current day tools inherently better than the approx. 100 year old Addis tools? Is the steel significantly better? There seems to be some appreciation for these older tools, am I crazy to keep doing this? If I compare the cost of a single piece to that of the same tool at Woodcraft (their Pfeil line of gouges) is that a fair comparison? If so I am making out well.
Last question - and I am sure this has been answered on this forum in other threads, but what is the best starter set of tools to purchase? What numbers - is their a standard set that people buy? I see peoples lists of gouges etc and they have several dozen tools typically. What are they and why buy "very" similar tools. Is it feel? Is it each tool has a very specific purpose and as you encounter the need you add the tool to your collection? I suspect that is the case, but I would like to know if I keep buying pieces I don't have, will I eventually start to buy tools I will never use? Anyone have a list of tools that are peripheral at best and I don't need to get? That would be very much appreciated if it is out there.
Whatever advice you can think to provide I would really appreciate. I am new to carving (I have done some chip carving, but relief carving not so much) and I am having a lot of fun. Thanks folks.
Joe