Chris Pye Undercutting Tool Set by Ashley Iles

Chris Pye made up some prototypes of these tools to address a specific problem: tidying up junctions within deep recesses after the bulk of the wood has been removed. He found finishing cleanly to be a big challenge, especially when he cut down into endgrain.

He bent some fishtail skew chisels with narrow shanks and was so pleased with the results he asked Ashley Iles to make the chisels for other carvers. The set of three hand-forged Undercutting Tools consist of a straight or "regular" tool that simply bends forward at an angle of approximately 60 degrees; one that bends to the left at the forward crank; and one that bends to the right. All the blades retain the prominent working corner of the fishtail skew chisel, the curved cutting edge and sharp, somewhat rounded trailing corner. As Chris says, they're not tools that you will need every day, but for specific purposes (such as undercutting beneath leaves), they're fantastic.

Set of three. Made in England.