Chipped two BRAND NEW carving knife blades (Warning: rant)

[WoodDoesntTalkBack]

If you don't want to read this whole thing, here are the Cliff Notes: Bought brand new FLEXCUT carving knives, went home immediately and started carving, a short time later I chipped two on an embedded piece of metal that was in the wood. Now have to spend a bunch of time sharpening them.

If you want to continue reading, here's the story.... I have recently began to whittle/carve again after many years off. And I have been using what knives/blades I have stowed away and doing what I can with them because I didn't have any dedicated "carving knives". So yesterday during the day on my breaks at work I was carving out a big snowman for my fiance in a piece of Basswood with an X-ACTO #18 BLADE. All the sudden I was startled by a knock on the door and managed to snap the blade into two pieces (or so I thought it was 2). After I checked myself over for any bleeding wounds, I decided, screw this. I;m not going to risk getting cut by a flying blade again. immediately after I got off work I went to Woodcraft in Woodridge, Il and purchased this set of FLEXCUT carving knives. I then went home and continued to carve the snowman. I was so involved in the carving that I didn't realize that the cutting edge of the Xacto blade had embedded itself in the area where I had a stop cut. After about 15min of carving I realized that the knives didn't seem as sharp as when I started. So I looked down, and BOOM, it hit me like a ton of bricks... There were knicks in the BRAND NEW KNIFE that I was using. I couldn't believe it. I almost fell off my chair. So I immediately stopped carving and checked the other blade and yep, there was a chip in that one too. So today, I went back to Woodcraft with my tail between my legs and bought a sharpening stone, and Carl showed me the proper way to sharpen the blades. I was surprised that he took the time out of his day to do it, but was very grateful that he did.

With all of that said, I'm just wondering how many of you have ever chipped/cracked/damaged brand new blades?

[WoodDoesntTalkBack]

Well, this morning I finally got around to sharpening two of the three knives. The last one that I am kind of stuck on is the Pelican knife. So off to research I go.

[Vic]

My wife once opened a paint can with my one inch bench chisel. Only once. I told her I don't look good in a wife beater. She said I could pull it off if I wanted to be buried in it. So, I told her, huh?!

[flairwoodworks]

... yesterday during the day on my breaks at work I was carving out a big snowman for my fiance in a piece of Basswood with an X-ACTO #18 BLADE. All the sudden I was startled by a knock on the door and managed to snap the blade into two pieces (or so I thought it was 2). After I checked myself over for any bleeding wounds, I decided, screw this. I;m not going to risk getting cut by a flying blade again...

I started carving with a utility knife. That day, I sliced the inside of my left index finger pretty badly and spent an hour getting it to stop. The next day, I went back to my carving and sliced the same finger on the outside. Then I went and bought a proper carving knife and haven't cut myself since. No, I've never nicked a brand new tool, that I can recall.

[WoodDoesntTalkBack]

Vic that's a pretty funny story. Your wife sounds like my fiance. And flair, I've carved with a utility knife before and never knicked myself. But I did manage to cut myself twice in the same night, on the same hand, with a razor sharp pocket knife while attempting to carve a piece of 2x4 with knots in it. The next day I went out and got some Basswood. Knots and I usually don't get along. The only knots I ever met that I got along with are in the wood on the fireplace mantel I made last yer.