best angle

[rockcreek21]

im new to whittling and would like to know what the best edge angle is to put on a knife for whittling? thanks in advance

[justold52]

Hello;

I would go with the same angle that's on the blade.

Any factory that makes carving tools would but the best one on it.
That is if the knife was not made in China.

Ken

[rockcreek21]

thanks for the info. how could i tell what angle is on it from the manufacturer?

[rangerbluedog]

Like most things in life, this answer is a compromise. IIRC, the generally accepted theoretical perfect compromise angle is 22.5 degrees. Larger angles gives a longer time between sharpening, but shallower angles make better (cleaner) cuts. I'd say anywhere between 21-23 degrees will work, but of course, your mileage may vary.

[Big Barn]

Like all things it really depends on what type of wood (hardness) you want to carve/whittle. For something like basswood or butternut, most carvers would recommend a 10-12 degree bevel. As you go up in hardness, you will want a bit more of a bevel - in the 20 degree range so you have a thicker cutting edge. Using a lower bevel angle on a hard wood will tend to chip or fold over your edge.