Carving tools for solid wood hulls

There are a lot of historical ship model kits with solid wood hulls (Blue Jacket, old Model Shipways etc). Which gouges and chisels (sizes please!) are essential for carving the hulls to their final shape? Any recommended manufacturers?
{Grigoris}
Carving chisels are not essential, just nice to have. I have made do with block plane, carpenters wood chisels (very sharp), rasps, files and sanding sticks. These are made in a variety of grits by coating both the abrasive and stick with rubber cement, let dry to touch and stick together.
{ Phil Krol}
For the most part, gouges and chisels are not essential to complete a machine carved hull as found in most kits. The typical hull can be refined with various grits of sandpaper wrapped around blocks and dowels. However, a quality gouge or chisel can make the finishing process a lot more enjoyable and efficient.

A spoon gouge with a #5 sweep and 1/2" to 3/4" width will address most of your needs. Acorn and Lamp brands are fine lines and can be purchased from various suppliers such as Woodcarver's Supply. The now defunct Woodworker's Warehouse used to sell a small gouge (#5 sweep, 3/4" width) for about $13.00 that was surprisingly good. It wasn't much to look at, but the steel took and kept a good edge.

Any quality chisel set (Craftsman, Marples, etc) will do.

You will also find the following tools useful:

  1. coarse round file about 3/8" in diameter
  2. round and flat "Surform" tools
  3. small convex, concave, and flat spokeshaves (X-acto and Garrett Wade used to offer them)
  4. broken glass (it's razor sharp when freshly broken)
Of course, keeping the gouge or chisel sharp is of utmost importance. Even the best of them will not cut well if they're dull. I use a leather wheel chucked in a drill press and various grits of jeweler's rouge to maintain a mirror finish on my cutting edges.
{Al Ross}
I use chisels to carve wood hulls but I also use a small Draw Shave with a three inch blade, I keep it very sharp and I find that it will make quick precise work of wood removal. I also use a # 13 bent, # 7 straight and a #3 gouge I mostly use the # 3 for clean up around the bow and stern areas. I have a set of Marpels Sheffield chisels, they have carved the hulls of about 150 solid hull models over the past 55 years.
{Roger Belanger}
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