carving set

It depends on your interest and capability. If it is a one-time project, after which you will never touch the tools again, well maybe.

Generally, I’ve found any sort of “set” to have maybe one tool I can use and a bunch of others I’ll never touch. It’s best to determine which tools you actually need and buy them individually. Then, there’s quality….

As a carver with several years experience (but not mastery), I can tell you that the taste of poor quality carving tools lasts a long time. I found one opinion about this particular set of tools that bemoans how poorly they are ground. Of course, it’s only one person’s opinion, but enough to sound an alarm. If you’re really good at regrinding and sharpening … and want to spend your time that way, maybe.

Cheap tools are too often paid for many times with disappointment, lost labor, and finally by replacing them with better.

Seems like you could have a good set of carving chisels that can be reshaped or twenty profiled putty knives. Still not a whole lot of money for 20 tools. Aldi chisels were just excellent chisels. We have used them at every UK bench for three years and they were unbeatable.

If this is the “Faithful” set, I bought it, and was not very impressed. You will get what you pay for. I am not an expert or extremely experienced carver, but I agree with everything Bob Easton said above.

The bad side: They seemed very thick, and could use a fair amount of grinding and sharpening. They are comparatively shorter than other carving tools that I have used, not as well balanced.

The good side: They are a good value for the price. You can buy this entire set for less than the cost of a single Dastra gouge. If you have the time and means to grind them, I’m sure you could make them work for you.

I have used Dastra, Hirsch, and Two Cherries, they are definitely more expensive, but all very fine tools.

I attached a couple of pictures comparing the Faithful to the Dastra, the overall length of the tool and the bevel or grinding (the Faithful being on top in that photo). The Dastra is considered by many to be the best of the best. The comparison would be similar to comparing the Kobalt #4 plane to a Lie-Nielsen.