Put up your current project photos, ask questions, see what is happening in class.
Daymakers Blockprinting basics - pulling prints!
Screen Printing Basics - New poster “Science!”
Advanced Screen Printing - 4 color separation
rows of sugar skulls
Upcoming techniques in printmaking - Multi-color, Multi-plate scratch foam printing
Question: I’m looking for thiner carving tools than the ones included in the basic Speedball kits.
Could these steel blades be an option: https://www.dickblick.com/products/palm-grip-carvers/ ? This is not a low-cost option though.
What would you recommend?
Thank you.
In my art class (when I teach stuff like drawing and basics) I make my students ONLY carve with a 1 tip.
Straight deliciousness happens. They hate me but…hey, you’re supposed to hate a teacher right. SOOOO worth the effort.
It’s a V tip and tiny. They do get dull but probably won’t happen to you for a long time. Something in a school setting takes some abuse. I’ve been told you can keep them sharp with some fine sandpaper but honestly I don’t do that I toss them and buy more by the dozen. Teaching the masses sometimes you go with the easy answer.
Using a single straight edge exacto knife works remarkably well.
You can always carving tools designed for wood. Huge variety of shapes, sizes, and price.
Thank you! That’s what I’ve been using (1 tip) and I am not super happy with the results… or maybe I need to change my drawing. I might try the exacto knife that John mentioned! Thank you for the idea.
It’s all about trying and seeing what works… or not … and trying again 
You can probably sharpen these pretty easily with some jeweler’s rouge and a piece of scrap leather. that’s what I do to sharpen my leather beveling tools and gouges (pretty much the same thing, functionally).
We might have some white jeweler’s rouge with the leatherworking tools - we definately have suitable scraps of veg-tanned leather to use as a strop. Only takes a few strokes to polish things back up to a sharp edge.
Took another awesome class with Astrud yesterday “Multi-color, Multi-plate scratch foam printing”! Here is one of the prints I made:
