Gilles Matte {Caricature Wood Carver}

I use few tools to carve but they serve me well. Most of the time, I use knives. I also use "Palm tools", small gouges that go into the palm of my hand. I buy them at "Chipping Away" and at "Langevin & Forest". I modify most of my tools to be more comfortable. I narrow, shorten, carve the handles or modify the blades.

 

To sharpen my tools, I use a "Viel" belt sharpener with sharpening carving accessories. I polish my tools with the same machine using a leather belt or with a grinder with a cotton wheel.

 

My protective equipment includes a Kevlar glove holding my carving and high-friction guard tape that I wrap around the thumb of my other hand.

 

I also use the Veritas carving vise (Lee Valley) to hold my larger sculptures while carving.

 

1st row : Flexcut roughing knife with 1 3/4" blade, Flexcut detail knife, Denny roughing knife with a long and narrow blade and a Harley Refsal carving knife.

 

2nd row : 3/4" Denny gouge #7, 3/8" Denny gouge #7, 7mm Pfeil Palm Tool #9, 4mm Pfeil Palm Tool #11 and a 10mm Pfeil V-Tool.