Question: GRS wood carvers

Anyone ever use the GRS wood carving tools? Are they any good?
Thanks

not sure about them. i used to solder xacto blades onto a short shaft. worked well with a gravermeister. low temp solder is needed to do this.

I don't use a pneumatic power carver, but I do use the Wecheer reciprocal handpieces that run off of a Foredom. They are like the NGeaver handpieces. The problem with GRS etc., is the shank size, you would have to make your own chisels and gouges, NGraver sells woodcarving set that fits their handpiece. Treeline USA sells an attachment that fits some Dremel units, it is well worth the money.

Like with engraving, a properly sharpened chisel will eat through the wood. Same principle, just different mediums. That is one of the reasons I am on this forum, to learn more about low relief carving.

Here is a tutorial on making woodcarving chisels and gouges. It s one that I used to make a travel set like he did. http://aroundthewoods.com/carver.shtml

I have not used the GRS woodcarving tools, but like all things by GRS, I am sure they are good. My primary interest is woodcarving. For larger carvings, mallet and chisel tools, or a reciprocating carver like the Automach (either the Handcarver or the flexshaft unit attached to a large motor) should be considered. I have one similar to the Automax flexshaft unit, made by Rakuda and sold by the Japan Woodworker years ago, that almost has as much power as mallet and chisel.

I started carving smaller items, similar to those carved by Bill Janney who taught at GRS. I started off with a high speed air grinder, started looking (lurking) at this site and started down the rabbit hole. Several systems from eBay later, here I am. I tried a Foredom Powergraver, and made tools to fit it, not much luck. Next a GRS System 3 with mixed results. Then an nGraver Magnagraver that worked pretty good. For the System 3 and nGraver, I purchased several small Pfeil-Swiss Made palm tools and cut them down and ground the shank to 1/8. In my opinion, the Pfeil tools are the best woodcarving tools readily available but expensive. The Magnagraver came with a set of nGraver woodcarving tools, that appear to be make by Ramulsen, they are good but a little large for what I wanted to do.

I recently purchased an older GraverMax and have had excellent results with it using the Pfeil tools. But again I am doing smaller carvings. The downside to the GraverMax, is that I though that if I had it, I should try engraving metal. Lately, I have spent a lot of time grinding hss and carbide and engraving on practice plates.

I bought a whole set of the GRS wood chisels years ago but never used them. (I still might though.) I normally use the various palm chisels and mallet chisels. I can say that the GRS tools will probably work just fine once they are properly sharpened and polished. They seem to be made of good steel.