Dockyard Mini (v-tools & gouges)

This fine set of carving tools arrived in my mailbox, and you know I was eager to give them a try. I heard about these tools on the AQ boards - I had never heard of them. When I started carving, there were Speedball and Staedtler (and x-acto and needles, but that's a different story) - no one I knew talked about using woodcarving tools, but here we are! And let me tell you, these are pretty nice. I was impressed.

Dockyard Mini set, $60 on Mountain Woodcarvers

They are not bent or curved as you might expect, but that is alright - never once did the wood get in my way of manipulating the tool through the material. I did hold them like the palm-carvers, in an overhand style with my index finger toward the carving tip for control (rather than holding the tool like a pencil). This is a new way of holding the tool for me, and it is beginning to become more comfortable. 

I have tried to not use my Staedtler tools while trying all these others, just so I don't get confused. Carving with the Staedtler tools is just autopilot - they are so familiar. (However, I do still use the large Staedtler U-gouge for removing larger areas of material - it is the biggest I have.) Which leads me to a revelation - no matter what tool you choose to use, that is the one that will become your favorite. Did that even make sense? Haha! In other words, it really doesn't matter what tool you have, if you use it enough, you will become proficient with it, and it will become your comfortable favorite. So, the moral of the story may be: just pick one and use it - it will become your favorite!

Anyway, this set includes 2 v-tools and 2 u-gouges, 1.5mm and 2.0mm of each. I found myself really liking the 2.0mm u-gouge for cleanup, and the 1.5mm v-tool for detail work. But, I was wishing the v-tools had smaller spread of the 'v', which I think is 90 degrees (whereas a 45 degree v-tool would be thinner, but the cutting point would be the same). I think a 45 degree v-tool would allow more visibility of where you are cutting, while the 90 degree kind of gets in the way, a bit. I sometimes felt like I was carving blind.

Overall, I enjoyed using these tools, and they were certainly sharp. I gave them a test-drive with this image. I was thinking of stamping our siggy in the middle when we are out and about - we'll see.

nope ... still not perfect :)

I tested this tool set out on a sample piece of carving block graciously sent to me by the Porras Posse. They sent me the white-green and the pink to try. I tended to like the pink better, but can't tell you why - both of them are pretty soft and carve easily. I would definitely buy some just to have on hand, and the price is right. 8 - 4x6 pieces for $14.99 from Amazon (link for pink, link for white-green). 

*the links above are not affiliate links, and included for your convenience - I am not paid for your clicks.