Wayne Barton Chip Carving Knife Set Review

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While I introduce more chip carving tools and tips to the website, I will also be adding more reviews of knives that are best for this style of wood carving. If you’re unfamiliar with chip carving, I suggest checking out our beginners guide:

Chip Carving: The Top Online Handbook

Otherwise, let’s jump into the review see if this is the Wayne Barton Chip Carving Knife Set set is right for you.

Best Product Features

1. Durable – Extremely sturdy knife, the blades don’t come loose like flexcut knives do. The reason being is that the steel blade runs all the way through the handle which adds durability to the knife. Honestly this is an extremely relieving factor since I’ve had my fair share of run ins with blades that come loose very easily.
2. Dense Wood – I noticed how sturdy the wood felt in my hand once I picked it up. I love how it actually feels like the knife can go to town on some wood before I even carve anything. I’m not one for a lightweight handle, typically makes me feel like the knife is frail, so it’s satisfying gripping it in my hand. On that note, I can add that is sits very comfortably in my hand.
3. Ideal for Beginners – This knife set specifically I have recommended to plenty of people first starting out whom aren’t sure what to get. The price is reasonable for how durable and long lasting they are. Something you’ll soon find out about wood carving knives is that you get what you pay for.

If you buy a 16 piece knife set for under $40, then don’t expect it to have high carbon steel with a dense wooden handle. That being said, there are good carving knives for a relatively inexpensive price for starts, this Wayne Barton Chip Carving set being one of them.

Check Prices

2021 Product Update: The Wayne Barton Kit is no longer available on Amazon, we recommend the excellent BeaverCraft Kit if you need to buy from Amazon. Otherwise, you can google around and source from a Brick’s and Mortar store. Some of these excellent old stores now have internet store fronts!

Disadvantages

The knife definitely came sharp as ever, no doubt about that, but I did have to hone it a little before using the knife. Which, in all reality, is probably not a disadvantage since it’s good practice to hone your knives regularly.

Make sure with whatever chip carving tool you receive that your primary knife has NO bevels.

Chip carving is ridiculously easier with a blade that has no bevels.

What Do I Do If My Knife Has Bevels?

You’ll need to shave them down with a coarse grit sharpening stone, around 400 grit.

Check out our Chip Carving Guide for more about this.

The Good and Bad

Good:

✔ Sturdy knife
✔ Blade isn’t glued in
✔ Dense Wood
✔ Quality Steel
✔ Good knife for price

Bad:

✘ Requires significant honing. Some love the process, some don’t.

Conclusion:

Probably one of the better tools for introducing yourself to chip carving. I’d either go with this one or Pfeil, but the steel on the Wayne Barton knife is definitely superior (if you can deal with all the honing, which is a personal choice really. We often find beginner’s prefer the Beavercraft or Pfeil and the more “craftsman” or patient “artisans” prefer the Wayne Barton. That and some people just like the fact that Wayne is an old American Chip Carving expert that has been around forever in the community.)