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Bad timing...

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Hi everyone, as a new woodcarver (to be...) means need more tools... My budget (and my wife...) force me to make some shopping, then I passed the last week on the Internet navigating to find the best deal ? on those da... Fishtail gouges... (Thanks Mary for the obligated passage that you created...LOL) to finally stop my searches at Chippingaway, since they give us (Mary May's students) 10% off... Then yesterday evening, I prepared my credit card ( and psychologically my wife...) to to buy 4 of those little money eaters, to discover that Chippingaway has changed their politics about the 10% off during that same week, and no longer offer it... ?, it's what I call, a bad timing... For me

Now as a cheap, frustrated person, I ask you if someone had ever try to MAKE one of those from regular chisel, like carpenter's chisels and gouges and lot of grinding and grease elbow?

bye everyone

Hi Eric,

Welcome to our somewhat expensive, but really fun new hobby! So sorry to hear about the discount no longer being available. That is the first I have heard of it.

I'm sure there is someone out there who has made home-made chisels and gouges. Lots of options if you are willing to grind and shape, and it also helps to know how to harden and temper steel, etc. A completely different world, but I hope someone offers some help.

In the meantime, have fun discovering!

Hi Mary,

I re-read the email from Chippingaway, and confirm that they no longer offer the discount ON THE PFEIL CHISELS... but I have no clues about others items...

I did some metal shop work in JHS. Had a forge and all that stuff. I wouldnt even attempt it to be blunt. Tempering steel is somewhat an art form. You may wind up with a chisel too hard that you can not sharpen. Chances are you will ruin a good chisel. I would either wait or buy a less expensive brand. Thats my best advice (and what I would do)

 

How many chisels do you have? You said you're a carver to be. If you're buying multiple chisels all fishtails, get 1 less to compensate for that dealbreaking 10%. Pfiel tools are rarely on sale. You can go intermediate size also. Will save several dollars a chisel but no fishtails I believe in that size. I own one fishtail chisel. I bought it for getting into the corners of half blind dovetail joints. Haven't needed one yet for carving.

A good night of sleep,? had replaced in perspective my disappointment, then you have entirely reason when you said to wait or to buy 1 less then expected, and thanks for your advice about modifying another one.

And for your question about how many chisels... Like everyone, already too much, but look... this one is a must have ? ( kind of never ending story)

And when I said that I'm a carver to be... I would just make shorter a long story. I had starting carving 12/15 yrs ago on only 2 specifics projects and put it all away for few years, and curiosity make me discover Scandinavian Figure Carving, Flat plane Carving and Caricature Carving, with Doderhultarn, Janel, Trygg, Pearson, Cogelow, Hedin, Rosell, Anderson, and others. Then all those years of buying gouges and chisels for finally using only a simple carving knife ( it' s more a few with lots of "s" at the end LOL). To finally touching some Chip Carving... Who can be done with a knife or CHISELS ? Yeah! Now, for using gouges,? I want to explore the Classical side of Woodcarving like Acanthus, bracket, sideboards, staircase, chimney, frame, cupboard and cabinet, then a few internet research brings me right here at THE BEST ONLINE CARVING CLASSES WITH THE MARY MAY SCHOOL. ( a discount will be greatly appreciated for the next month Mary...??)

Thanks again for yours advices Robert

I completely understand. As a former auto mechanic where one set of wrenches or sockets is not adequate, I can relate. I went on the chipping away site to check them out and wound up dropping $$$. Have brass mallets and a few in between size chisels coming Friday. Just got my third order of basswood and I'm off for 11 days starting Friday at 4:o1 pm lol. Then I will be chipping away. I have wanted to carve for years. I stood dumbstruck looking at king Ludwigs bed in Germany that took a team of carvers 4 years to make. That was almost 30 years ago. I have finally been able to get real carving tools. What I had before was little better than a dull screwdriver lol.  There is nothing like quality tools.

Eric, you are too kind! Keep working on that discount...

I have over 200 gouges, and then lost count... even though I don't think I have ever used more than 15 different sizes in one project. It's still just cool to have too many tools to know what to do with 🙂

Chipping Away still offers the 10% discount to all items on the store to my students that are not currently on sale (my gouge sets and individual Pfeil gouges are on sale) - "If you are a Mary May Student …we are happy to offer you a 10% Discount on ALL of our 4,000 Regular Priced items.  Just identify yourself as a Mary May Student in the comment section of your order form and we will deduct 10% when we process your order in our shop."

I don't believe this includes the individual Pfeil gouges because they are already on "sale". They are still a very good price.

Maybe Pops can chime in if I have this incorrect?

Robert - I remember seeing Ludwig's bed 2 years ago when I went to Germany with my family. I wanted to stay! They didn't allow photographs, so I tried to absorb as much of that amazing detail as I could. Absolutely mesmerizing!

 

Dennis here (or Pops as often called).   That is correct Mary, we are happy to offer your students a 10% Discount on all of our Regular Priced items (nearly 4000 in total).  We also have a handful of products that are Not Discountable due to their already low price - but they are indicated as such.

We did offer Mary's students a 10% discount on individual Pfeil tools at one time but have been advised of another cost increase from Pfeil.   We had absorbed the last two cost increases without passing them to our customers.  In fact we have not increased our prices in view of this latest increase, but cannot offer an additional discount.

@Dennis Moor I found your prices on Pfiel chisels (as well as other items) to be very competitive and will buy from you from now on. I wish I saw the Mary's Sets before I started buying carving tools. Those kits are priced really good.

I am so new to wood carving that I have never held a carving gouge, But I have ordered the Mary May sets from Chipping Away and should get them in a few days. I live in Thailand, and my Brother in law is bringing them with him. So, I have nothing to say about carving, but I can say that the Two ladies that helped me at Chipping Away were outstanding, I think it was Cindy and Wendy, They knew what they were talking about and did an excellent job. In fact, I've gone back to them to order some additional tools, because I've found someone else making the trip from the US to hear, (free freight ), Won't get that stuff until Jan. though. Can't say enough good things about  the service from Chipping Away.  This is also the first time I've ever made a post about anything, too many firsts.

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