Palm tools, just like chisels and gouges but smaller!
These guys are compact, great for intricate details, and are more comfortable to hold than regular chisels (well, the ones I picked below at least). These are a great addition to anyone who likes to make small to medium carvings and I keep a set of my own palm tools on my work bench next to me!
Best Overall – Flexcut
Of all the palm tools I used from Amazon (and it was quite a few) The Flexcut Palm tools just felt the most organic in my hand.
These tools are small, light, sharp, and are super easy to carve with! Compared to other palm tools, these actually have some v-gouges in them too, which makes them more versatile. However, I wouldn’t use them for bowls and spoons, the metal shafts have a bit too much flex in them. But for regular carvings, perfect.
There are just 3 options that I recommend for beginners:
- Beginners Palm Tool Set – Comes with the basics and will get you started: https://amzn.to/4ap7wg0
- Wide Palm Tool Set – Gives some gouges for wider cuts and is the perfect companion to the beginner set: https://amzn.to/4aNQlEq
- Deluxe Palm Tool Set – Basically the two above sets combined: https://amzn.to/4aLc1kD
Another Great Choice – BeaverCraft
Now if you want another option with different tools, BeaverCraft has a nice set to choose from!
What I appreciate about the BeaverCraft palm tool set over the Flexcut version is the tools are more ridged and designed well for scooping wood out for those of us who want to carve bowls and spoons.
There are no v-gouges in this set, but they are designed for a bit more rigidity and taking off larger chunks of wood. If this is more up your ally, I say give them a shot: https://amzn.to/4d09zJ8
More info on Palm tools:
If you want to see some extra details on the tools above, check out this video!
