I have been a relief printmaker for the past five years, and in that time I have managed to use every linocut tool, surface, ink or paper related to the medium. I have made over 200 prints, and printed close to 1000 copies by now, so I am someone who needs reliable tools. If you are wondering which tools give the best, most consistent results, I have been writing blogs on all the different materials out there. Today, I want to talk about the cutting tools needed for lino, which ones are the best, how to keep them sharp, and where to start!
Which tools should I use to carve detailed prints?
To give you an impression of my work, I am someone who makes overly detailed prints, so my favourite lino to use is hessian backed grey block, and I use the smallest lino tools to achieve this. Here is a blog I wrote on how to choose the best lino for you.
My best recommendation if you are serious about your printmaking for this will be investing in 2 of the Pfeil or Flexcut tools to start with, of their smallest gauges, and working with the same linoleum I do.
I want to go through all your options for lino tools in this blog, including letting you know which lino to choose for each of them to get the best of your tools, so you can make the best choice for your budget and experience level. At the end of the article I will also shortly address how to care for your carving tools.
My list of lino cutting tools available on the market, and my recommendations!
1) Esdee cutting tools with interchangeable blades, or other tools with interchangeable blades
3/10 Ease of use: 3/10, Maintenance: 3/10, Grip: 4/10 Price: 8/10
Find them here:
These are the tools I started with, and I have to say they are my least favourite. They are probably the most wide known started tools, but I have a much better recommendation to follow around the same price point, which will make the world of difference to your work.
I would however recommend them if you were only ever planning to carve with essdee soft cut lino, or the speedball pink speedy carve! So if your main goal with linocutting is to create small stamps, or just smaller works that are perhaps not meant to be editioned, and you are also mostly printing by hand (as a printing press can stretch this type of lino), then this combination of materials will work well!
If however you lean more towards fine art printing, and are looking for more professional and long lasting tools, keep reading! If you were to use them with grey lino like I was doing, you would have to change the blades every 20 min of use which is unsustainable.
2) Japanese starter tools set
8/10 Ease of use: 8/10, Maintenance: 6/10, Grip: 6/10 Price: 10/10
Find them here:
I have always been impressed with these knives for the price, and if you are a beginner wanting to work with traditional grey lino, and are looking for the cheapest option of a wider range of tools, I really recommend these! I also love that they can still be kept sharp with a slipstrop, meaning their sharpness can be maintained for a decent amount of time.
I'm not sure how these would hold up to being professionally sharpened though I don't see why it wouldn't be possible, so I think it's the best option if you really want a wide range of mark making in your work.
The only thing missing is they might not have an ultra fine tool in there, which may need to be purchased separately for the finest of details, though as I remember they do have some fine V tools in there, so you could get fine marks if you didn't press too hard with them (lines cut by v tools vary in width depending on how hard you push).
3) Powergrip japanese cutting tool
I haven't personally tried these but they look like another really good option!
Find them here:
My other recommendation for a beginner would be to start with just two professional tools, one really fine U shaped tool, and a larger one for larger areas of your block. The ones above look like a good affordable option for this, and they look like they would last in time, and like they can be polished and sharpened when necessary.
4) Pfeil tools, swedish made
9/10 Ease of use: 9/10, Maintenance: 9/10, Grip: 8/10 Price: 8/10
Find them here:
The best decision I made was to invest in my first set of Pfeil tools, and while I wanted to keep my materials cost low, these made a monumental difference to my work. These tools last a lifetime, and they can be professionally sharpened every two years, or even less then that if you are diligent about keeping them polished. They have a wide range of sizes which allow for different marks, and the experience of using them is wonderful. Depending on how you hold them, and the long hours you carve with them, they do have the possibility of hurting your palm. But if you are careful in avoiding this, and take necessary brakes, you will be great.
4) Flexcut tools
10/10 Ease of use: 10/10, Maintenance: 10/10, Grip: 10/10 Price: 7/10
Find them here:
Flexcut Tools have to be my favourite for their durability, how comfortable they are, and how sharp they stay. I have had mine for over five years and they are far from needing a professional sharpening, and I am diligent in polishing them. I think if you are planning to carve wood these are a necessary investment.
The micro palm set is probably the most useful out of all. They are perhaps more of a luxury, as I don't think you can often buy them individually, but if you can, do! I also love how fine they go in their series, their smallest tool is the smallest I have found across any range. I also find their handle more ergonomical and easier to hold for long periods of time.
5) Other japanese tools
8/10 Ease of use: 8/10, Maintenance: 9/10, Grip: 6/10 Price: 7/10
Find them here:
There are other japanese carving tools of which I have only tried one, for clearing very large areas on my block. While I believe these are as durable as Pfeil or Flexcut Tools, I am personally not a fan of the long handle, as it requires you to push harder into the lino, and it makes them slip more often. This said I may not have found the right way of holding these yet, and they probably just don't suit my style of work (I imagine if you made very large woodcuts these would be useful).
How should you care for your linocutting and woodcutting tools? How to keep your tools sharp?
The Flexcut Slipstrop
Find it here:
I think your tools should be professionally sharpened every two or three years, if you work in just lino like me, or more often if you work with wood. I have also been given some advice from artists who make woodcuts that lino can dull your tools and make them unsuitable to switch to wood unless they are sharpened professionally again, so I now keep a separate set just for wood.
The most important advice however, which for me is a non negotiable, is investing in a slipstrop polishing tool (the one above)! If you keep your tools polished every 15 - 20 minutes of use you will notice a huge difference in your work, and save yourself and your hands in having to push to carve. I make videos online showing the process of my work, and often get asked how come carving looks so smooth, like butter, and this is why.
We probably all have a distant memory of being forced to try out lino printing in school, and remember it as a hurtful experience involving lots of band aids. Polishing your tools often helps so much, avoids unnecessary accidents, and gives you immense control in your work. Carving should be a lovely, calming experience, and is often the best part of the process for relief printmakers, and I believe this is largely due to good tools, and caring for them properly.
Good luck printing!
Where to buy:
https://hickmandesign.co.uk/buy/equipment/lino-printing-supplies/ - these guys have lots of printmaking supplies!
https://www.jacksonsart.com/colour/printmaking?utm_source=awin&utm_medium=affiliate&utm_campaign=1656247&sv1=affiliate&sv_campaign_id=1656247&awc=79140_1728050976_41d5dcdb60567112b9bb1bf2e4afaa8b - Jackson's might have pretty much anything else! - if you use this affiliate link I will make a small percentage from the sale! <3
More Resources:
My article on how to choose your lino, talking about all the different types of lino available
My article on which printing brayers to choose for your work, and the different types available
Another helpful article from Handprinted on different lino blocks: - very good for showing you the different marks you can make on the blocks
Handprinted uk have an incredible blog as a resource for materials
Follow me on instagram, where I have so many videos on all the different aspects of printmaking in my "tools" story section!
Other:
More Blogs by Moatzart:
Comments