Introducing the Murray Knife # 530 recommended by the WOOD BEE CARVER.

The Wood Bee Carver prefers to use a knife that has a curved cutting edge that curves up to the tip and also curved into the extended tang. Bud Murray, who is a well-respected knife maker, makes four knives for me that fit that design. Occasionally there is a need for a knife with a straight cutting edge for making stop cuts. Bud Murray makes a knife whose design was suggested by Elaine Stenman to be used to make deep stop cuts for her style of relief carving. The cutting edge is angled down reminiscent of a chip carving knife. Such a design “skews” the cutting edge angle so that it slices very much like that action of the guillotine blade shape as it slides down its track. In the pull slicing stroke the cutting edge action is like a “reverse skew.”  This knife also works quite well as a chip carving knife and can be adapted for some other whittling cuts.

The # 530 knife Bud makes for the Wood Bee Carver is mounted in a pistol grip China Berry handle which is very comfortable for guiding the angled straight cutting edge with precise control to make desired slicing cuts. Like any knife one needs to practice the cutting characteristics to become familiar with the many ways the knife can be used. The Murray # 530 was put to the test in carving book marks designs in craft sticks which are made of very hard and gnarly grained wood. Notice that some of the designs were free hand chip carvings.

So in addition to the Murray Knives numbered 529, 539, 549 and 559, the number 530 is also recommended by the WOOD BEE CARVER. Knives may be ordered from Bud by calling at: 573-346-7321.