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Thread: Cookie mold woods and tools

  1. #1

    Cookie mold woods and tools

    I'm thinking of carving some cookie molds, and have seen apple, birch, and cherry wood recommended for that. Can these be carved with palm tools, or would I need full-size carving tools for ot. I have some Ramelson palm tools in the right sizes, but am wondering whether to get some full-size gouges in the appropriate sizes. Also, can anyone recommend other woods for this? I assume that basswood is too soft and that pine is too quirky and splintery. Thanks.
    Last edited by Tim Gillane; 01-06-2018 at 4:18 PM.

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Apr 2010
    Location
    Essex, MD
    Posts
    420
    Palm tools should work fine if they are adequately sharp and the right size for your designs. Working in the small space of a cookie mold, full-size chisels and gouges would allow you to get two hands on it, and maybe make you feel you have more control, but I've done plenty of small detail work with palm chisels alone. I still use two hands- right hand pushes and twists, the left stabilizes the chisel in the cut and helps steer. It does appear that the traditional carvers also used chip carving knives for some of the work too - so a couple of those would probably be helpful.

    For an inexpensive hard wood, you could include soft maple in your choices. It's not porous, carves well, and doesn't splinter. Many of the antique ones were made in Europe out of European walnut and linden wood. American Black walnut and basswood and related species, but I don't think they are good choices - but some pieces of basswood may be hard and 'firm' enough (i.e. won't lose pieces of their design in the dough) to use. In a show with Roy Underhill, Mary May also mentioned pear wood, which in my experience carves a lot like soft maple but costs a bit more.
    good luck,
    Karl

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Nov 2006
    Location
    TX, NM or on the road
    Posts
    845
    Years ago I did a maple rolling pin using palm chisels. It was a for a baker to use for his top layer of his pies. It was more a chip carving design in the round. Just be prepared to strop often, real often and take small cuts, a lot of small cuts.

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