Hey folks! I recently moved to Germany and it's been quite an adjustment for me. I'm trying to pick up carving again, but I'm struggling a bit with finding the right supplies here. I'm accustomed to the American market for carving tools and resources, and the transition has been tough since everything seems different, including the types of wood available. I have two specific requests: First, I need recommendations for good European carving suppliers. I've found some Kirschen tools at my local hardware store, but the selection is pretty limited. I'm interested in both hand and power carving supplies. Second, I'm not familiar with the local trees and where to look for wood or salvage materials. I can identify a few like oak and birch, but I'm lost when it comes to others. Any tips or resources you can share would be greatly appreciated! Thanks!
3 Answers
From my search, I found some great sources for wood and tools. For wood, check out edelholzshop.de and zuschnittholz24.de; they focus on carving woods like lime. As for tools, Pfeil and Kirschen are solid brands, and you might also want to browse at drechslershop.de or even here: bildhau.de. If you're near Cologne, their shop is awesome!
Check out Dictum for a wide selection of wood and tools. They've got good quality wood for carving, like linden and walnut, and some cool Japanese carving knives too. Shipping rates are reasonable, even if you’re not in Germany! Really worth a look if you haven't yet.
Totally agree! Dictum has been my go-to for various carving needs. Their selection of tools is fantastic!
Definitely make use of local woodshops if you can. Sometimes they have leftover wood they sell at a discount or even give away! Plus, birch and beech are great for carving, and there’s plenty of them in the wild come fall. Also, look for local craft shops that might carry random supplies, you could get lucky!
Sounds like a plan! I love finding local spots. It’s all about the adventure of searching, right?
Good call on that site! I often check out local timber yards too for offcuts, sometimes they’re just giving wood away!