FLEXCUTWood Carving Tools | Flexcut SlipStrop | Polish and Debur Cutting and Carving Tools For Razor Sharp Blade Edges | Includes Polishing Compound | PW12 | Made in the U.S.A.

Good.

it works very well, my gouges are sharper.

First off, it does what it is intended to do. Even a novice to sharpening curved implements can use it (for final polishing). The included polishing compound seems to work just fine and the amount included should last a while.Now for the less than desirable traits. The wood looks like purpleheart in the packaging - it isn't. It's some very soft white wood with a light purple stain applied. Any use on a gouge will dent/bruise the wood and any "misses" honing the inside of a curved gouge will cut into the wood easily. That wouldn't matter if the split leather pads were either (re-)movable and could be placed in/on any of the grooves or just covered everything. As a leatherworker, I understand that getting the leather to correctly fit all of the curves and angles would have been a challenge (which could be overcame by casing the leather, pressing it to the piece or a master while it dried, and then gluing it on), but it is a noticeable shortcoming of this design.Overall, I really like this tool. But, when it comes time to replace it, I will probably make my own out of a more durable wood and cover all of the profiles with leather.

I have bought this same thing twice now. I wore out the first one after several years and am now on my second one. Perfect for difficult to sharpen chisels and gouges.I wouldn’t hate it if it was a little bigger, but it gets the job done.

Great tool

Why didn't I know about this before? It easily keeps my tools sharp and without burns. 5 out of 5!

I have just taken up wood carving as a hobby and started out with a selection of Flexcut knives and chisels. I have a selection of expensive sharpening devices and have always been able to put a razor edge on any knife I own, but I had to get “creative” when it came to honing and stroping the edges on some of the smaller chisels including using an old cardboard box or a rolled up piece of leather.Then, while looking for books on relief carving I saw this and thought to myself “why not”. Now that I’ve had it for about a week I’m confident enough to give it a well tested review.The varying shapes has taken any hassle out of keeping my working edge razor sharp. While there are a few that are not the exact shape of the tool, it’s easy enough to lean the edge to one side or the other to make good contact. My only complaint, which seems to have been voiced in other reviews, is the compound bar tends to become “powdery” if not warmed up a bit first.Overall, this simple little wooden block has helped me to streamline my work flow. No more miscellanious stuff cluttering up my work space unnecessarily. If you’re looking for an easy low cost way to keep your edges sharp, this is for you!Happy Carving!

I purchased this block to sharpen a cheap set of linocut tools. It felt like extra money at the time but it's saved me money by being able to properly care for my carving tools. The block is great and used after sharpening stones has helped my tools last so much longer.