Power Carving Cutters

About the different types of cutters....

There are so many cutters made today that it is hard to know which ones to use. We have "whittled" down from a selection of thousands to the cutters we stock (just one of our many suppliers has over 1,200 different cutters to choose from!) All of the cutters we sell represent excellent value and long life if used properly. All cutters are first grade, true running, and have proven useful for bird and fish carvers. They fall into two broad categories: Abrasive cutters and Sharp cutters. For bird and fish carving, abrasive cutters are more commonly used than sharp cutters.

Sharp Cutters

Sharp Cutters generally give a faster cut with a smoother finish than abrasives. However, there are trade-offs. Sharp cutters generally don't cut in reverse, making them awkward when it's necessary to carve against the grain. Sharp cutters are often harder to control and may have a tendency to grab into, and run along the work being carved.

Larger sharp cutters, like the solid carbide burs can be more dangerous when not used carefully as they will cut skin and bone more readily than the abrasives. Always wear a leather glove on your holding hand when using larger sharp cutters. Like many abrasives, sharp cutters are available in finer and coarser types, with the coarser ones cutting faster but having more tendency to dig and run.

Finer sharp cutters work well for hard woods, most metals and soapstone while coarser ones work best on softer woods and aluminum. Sharp cutters are made from several different materials from steel to solid carbide. Steel is the least expensive but the quickest to dull. Carbide is more expensive to buy but lasts many times longer than steel. Carbide can also be used to cut many metals.

Tri Cutters

While they may look mean, these solid-carbide cutters are very smooth to use and easy to control. Also called "rotary chisels", they cut very fast and extremely clean in most materials including wood, soft stone, bone, and antler. The heads are made from solid carbide, so they should last nearly forever. They can be sharpened with a diamond sharpening wheel. These are very aggressive cutters! Hand and eye protection is essential. Leather gloves and safety glasses recommended.

Solid Carbide Cutters/burs - 1/4" shank, 1/8" shank and 3/32" shank.

Extremely fast, smooth cutting solid carbide cutters/burs. These high quality burs are very aggressive and leave a clean cut with very little sanding required for a smooth finish. They will cut in both forward and reverse (a little less aggressive in reverse). They will last the average carver a lifetime on basswood. A few words of caution: for longer cutter life do not cut anything with sand or sanding grit in it, and use a leather glove on your holding hand. They are easily cleaned and they last and last.

Goldies™

Sharp, high-speed steel cutters coated with titanium nitride assure fast, clean, cool cutting. Easy to control and long-lasting. Excellent on soft and hard wood as well as brass and other softer metals. They are a perfect cutter for your micromotor tool, and will give years of service - 3/32" Shank)

Vanadium Steel Engraving Burs

Useful for fine detail work on wood or soft metals. 3/32" shanks. Excellent value.

Steel Carving Drills - High temper steel carving drills are designed for internal carving of plastic and wood, as well as general drilling in soft materials. Very useful and very sharp. 3 sizes available: 1/16" 3/32" 1/8" diameter.

Grande Micromotor

Digital controller controls supplied digital handpiece and optional brush type (5 pin) analogue handpiece. Max 50,000rpm, Torque control system, RPM digital display. Supplied with controller, handpiece, foot control, 1/8" collet, 3/32" collet adapter, 30 piece diamond bit set and 1 year unconditional warranty.

Cut your sanding time in half or less! These sanders use cloth-backed sand-paper and give a super smooth finish. Intended for finish sanding.

Carving Supplies Catalogue

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