The rough carving is done with Kutzall burs. The goal is to get the unwanted gourd removed as quickly as possible. Once this is finished, I use stump burs for shaping and smoothing. Usually I finish up with the Turbo carver for the fine details.
Kutzall rounded cylinder -Be sure and pull the tool towards yourself.
Kutzall Cylinder - Notice the location of the thumb.
Adjustments are made frequently while carving.
Kutzall Cone Bur
The Kutzall Torch Bur works great for cutting around objects.
Kutzall Torch Bur also works great for shaping the gourd.
I use the torch bur to undercut different areas.
Tail feathers are refined using a rounded bur on the Turbo Carver.
Details are added to the feathers of the owl using a small rounded bur on the Turbo Carver.
Carving - Each bit has a specific use and practice with it usually makes that quite clear. As with many things though, favorite bits seem to end up being used for all kinds they were probably never designed for. If it makes the cut, it gets used often.
