BeaverCraft C12 Chip Carving Knife – carbon steel, ash handle

BeaverCraft C12 Chip Carving Knife – for geometric chip carving patterns in wood

The BeaverCraft C12 chip carving knife is a carving knife for chip carving. You can use it to cut smooth, curved and geometric shapes into wood, for example triangles, squares, lines and waves. The blade is made of carbon steel, professionally sharpened and has a 45° secondary bevel. The ash handle suits both left- and right-handers.

According to BeaverCraft, the fine cutting edge is designed for softwood. It can go blunt more quickly in hardwood, which is why the manufacturer advises against using it. For chip carving patterns, an even, fine-grained softwood such as lime (linden) is therefore a good choice.

How to carve a notch

Draw the pattern on the wood with a pencil and ruler. For a triangular notch, place the tip in turn on each of the three sides and cut at an angle towards the centre. A small triangular chip then comes free. Always guide the blade away from your body and from the hand holding the wood, and work with several shallow cuts rather than one deep one. A test piece of the same wood shows you beforehand how deep the notches will be and how clean the edges turn out.

Blade care

Carbon steel is not stainless. Wipe the blade dry after carving, store it in a dry place and oil it lightly from time to time. Strop the edge now and then on a leather strop, before it needs noticeable pressure. That keeps the cut clean and stops the edges of the notches from tearing out.

BeaverCraft C12 chip carving knife product details

• Manufacturer: BeaverCraft, model C12
• Blade: carbon steel (1066 Carbon), 57–59 HRC
• Blade thickness: 2 mm
• Bevel angle: 20°, plus 45° secondary bevel
• Cutting edge length: 20 mm
• Handle length: 120 mm
• Overall length: 160 mm
• Handle: ash
• Suitable for left- and right-handers

You will also need: carving wood (softwood), pencil and ruler for drawing the pattern, a leather strop or polishing compound for stropping the edge, carving glove or finger guard.

Sharp blade, risk of injury. Keep out of reach of children.