Difference Between Wood Cutting Tools & Wood Carving Tools

Size

• Wood comes in many thicknesses and sizes. In order to be able to cut these sizes, a cutting tool like a saw needs to be larger than a carving tool. Carving tools are designed to strip thin layers of wood from the surface, which does not require a large blade. This means that carving tools can be much smaller than cutting tools that use large surfaces to go right through the wood.

Blade

• Saws have the cutting section of the blade (teeth) facing down from the handle, where it is held in order to cut straight into the wood. Carving tools have a sharpened bevel on the end of the blade. In this manner, you can push the blade through the top section of the wood, removing small pieces at a time. The position of the cutting section of the blade is the main difference between a cutting and carving tool.

Handle

• Cutting tool handles are large to accommodate the weight and power of the tool as it cuts down into the wood. The handle aligns the tool so that it pushes down into the wood, keeping the blade vertical to the wood. Carving tool handles are smaller because less force is needed. With the handle at the opposite end of the cutting section, the hand automatically pushes the tool forward.

Orientation

• Except for a router, which can be both a cutter and carver, the tools' orientation is the easiest way to tell what they are for. Make a fist around the handle of the tool and let your arm point down. If the blade faces down, it is a cutting tool. If the blade faces horizontal to the floor, then it is a carving tool. All cutting tools -- powered or manual -- point to the ground.