The Best Carving Tools for Printmaking
As a beginning printmaker, I used the Speedball printmaking tool, which has five blades stored in the handle—it is one of the most popular linoleum cutters! I also recommend starting with that tool. It is one of the best carving tools for printmaking when you first start. Once you know your style and what you want to carve, you might want more blade options, then I suggest you explore what Flexcut Tools offer. It is absolutely not required to have a lot of tools to make beautiful prints. That said, it is nice to have a variety of styles to make different cuts and shapes on your block. Read on to learn about my favorite brands with the best carving tools for printmaking.
Speedball Linoleum Lino Set No. 1
The Speedball Linoleum cutter is the tool nearly every printmaker starts with. It is one of the classic block printing tools for a good reason: it is well-designed, affordable, and comes with six gouges (blades) of different styles. These features make it one of the best carving tools for printmaking, if not the best.
Smart Handle Design
These linoleum tools are designed to use one handle with changeable carving gouges. To put a different carving gouge in the tool handle, you loosen the metal chuck at the end of the tool handle behind the blade. To remove and replace the carving gouge, you pull out the old carving gouge, push in a new carving gouge, and then retighten the chuck. A cap can be unscrewed at the end of the hard plastic handle to store your carving blades (This is super handy!).
Steel Carving Gouges
Speedball carving tips are made from high-quality steel and last for several uses before needing to be replaced. You can order replacement gouges from Speedball when your blades get dull; they are not designed to be re-sharpened. This tool is designed to work well with Speedball Speedy Carve (commonly used to make custom rubber stamps) and traditional carving linoleum blocks. Speedball tools are made in the USA.
Tip: Are you working with young students and are concerned about using sharp carving tools with little hands? The Speedball Linozip® Saftey Linoleum Cutter might be just what you want. This carving tool is designed to reduce the risk of cutting injuries with a new, unique blade shape. New technology makes these gouges’ have pull-type cutting blades that are turned inward. By pulling the tool instead of pushing it the user is less likely to loose control of the tool. Ideally, you would use these carving blades on soft block surfaces like Speedball Speedy Carve. That said, these tools are also suitable for traditional linoleum blocks. This new blade design is one of the best carving tools for printmaking with students.
Flexcut Block Printing Tools for Carving
The Flexcut brand offers a wide selection of high-quality carving tools in various sizes. This company is widely known to have some of the best caving tools for printmaking. All Flexcut tools are incredibly sharp and will cut linoleum and Speedy Carve like butter! Worth the investment, these tools are perfect for artists who make printing blocks with many small details. These carving blades are made of high-carbon steel. With good care, these carving tools will last a long time. All Flexcut blades can be resharpened. Flexcut tools are made in the USA.
I have tried the Palm Toolsets, the Premium Palm Toolsets, and the ABS Handled Quick Connect system. My favorite system is the Palm Tool line—they best fit my hand. Each set can be easily sharpened at home using Flexcut gold polishing compound and a slip-strop tool sharpener. Be sure to use a bench hook to secure your work to the table edge.
Safety note: It is important to ensure your carving blocks don’t move around while you work. Make sure to protect your hands from unexpected movements and prevent cuts by using a bench hook or on a nonslip carving surface when you are caving.
5-piece Premium Beginner Palm Carving Tool Set (Cherry Wood)
The 5-piece Premium Beginner Palm Tool Set features broad, short knob handles in the European tradition. These high-quality tools have handles cut from fine cherry wood. They feature a polished brass ferrule for strength, stability, and long working life. The five gouges in this set are nice for carving larger designs with big spaces to clear. I find these tools to be a bit small because of how I like to hold them. I think this set would be best if you have smaller hands.
Micro and Mini Palm Carving Tool Sets
The Mini Palm Tool Set and Micro Palm Tool Set are my favorites. I like to carve small marks and have crisp details in my prints. The small size of the gouge tips works great for carving small spaces on your block. You can also buy tools with the same palm handle and larger gouges to remove material quickly from your linoleum block. If, like me, you are a tiny detail-focused printmaker, this is the set for you. I find this handle design works well for medium-sized hands.
Quick Connect Carving Tool System
Pictured below is the Quick Connect ABS (plastic) handle. You can find these handles in a Craft Carver set with ten blades and an Interchangeable Handle. The ABS handle is quite large. For this reason, this handle is great if you have larger hands or need a more open grip when carving your blocks. You will find all the different gouge sizes compatible with the quick connect system. This compact tool system is a nice option for folks working in a small studio space or carving on the go. Its compact and efficient design makes it one of the best carving tools for printmaking on the market. If you are interested in an interchangeable tool system, it is worth noting that Flexcut has added several interchangeable handle types, allowing you to save space with one handle that is a single piece.
Gold Polishing Compound and Slip-Strop Tool Sharpener
The Flexcut SlipStrop Tool Sharpener Set allows polishing and deburring of the inside and outside V-tools, gouges, and the outside bevel. Paired with the gold bar polishing compound, this system keeps your high-carbon steel tools in tip-top shape. Are you wanting to learn more about Stropping your tools? Flexcut has a handy video on YouTube that teaches you how to use their sharpening system. Check it out here.
Sourcing the best carving tools for printmaking:
If you don’t live near an art supply store, you can purchase a variety of lino cutters at an online store. McClain’s Printmaking Supplies is a great place to find a wide selection of carving tools and printmaking supplies. Another retailer, Michaels Craft Supplies, sells printmaking supplies. Because I love a good deal, I often order Speedball products from them and take advantage of free shipping incentives and frequent sales. Blick Art Materials is another reputable online retailer for printmaking materials.
Tip: If you have any printmaking friends, ask them if you can try their tools! It’s fun to try things out before investing in your own set if you can.
Jacquelyn
Jacquelyn Speare, M.S.Ed. is a visual artist and professional educator. The Friendly Printmaker is the place to learn about printmaking, find product reviews, and find inspiration for DIY relief print projects. Learn more about Jacquelyn here.