Hobbies And Interests
Large Art Gum Erasers
Many beginner carvers like to carve stamps out of inexpensive art gum erasers. Soft enough to carve easily they are good for projects of limited use as they tend to crumble over time.
Carving Blocks
Manufactured carving blocks are the medium of choice for crafters who carve a lot of stamps and want them to withstand use over a long period of time. Blocks are available in white, pink and vinyl materials. Each one gets a bit denser and lasts longer, but is slightly more difficult to carve, so beginners usually start out with white and work from there as they gain experience.
Mounting Blocks
Thin carving blocks are normally mounted to wooden mounts after carving. Wood mounting blocks are made in a variety of sizes and readily available wherever carving blocks are sold. Rubber cementing a carved block onto a wood mount enables the stamper to achieve clearer images with each stamp.
Scalpel, Craft or Utility Knife
Scalpels, craft or utility knives are tools used for carving large areas out of a stamp. They are also effective for cleaning up and smoothing out any ruts left by a V-blade carving knife.
V-Blade Carving Knife
V-blade carving knives provide a bulbous handle to hold onto and a blade that is shaped like a "V." This unique carving tool comes in a variety of sizes of, enabling the carver to carve out fine areas as she uses the bottom of the "V" to remove the carving material.