Metro Creative Connection

Editorial Feature

Get creative with gift choices this holiday season



(MS) — This year make some holiday gifts — or give presents that foster creativity in your family and friends. Woodcraft offers many choices for creative gift-giving, as well as more traditional tools and accessories for woodworkers and DIYers.



Woodburning and Woodcarving

Pyrography, commonly called woodburning, involves the use of a heated pen to “burn” designs and pictures into wood. This popular technique can be applied to furniture, cabinets, boxes, and other wood pieces.

The Peter Child Artist’s Pyrography Machine from Robert Sorby is the perfect tool to help someone on your gift list learn woodburning. Woodcraft Product Manager Ben Bice describes it as “one of the best plug and play pyrography machines on the market and super easy to use.” Powerful enough to create dense textures and patterns, its lightweight pen delivers perfect balance for the finest detail work.

Bütz Carving and Detail Knives are an extraordinary value for novice and experienced woodcarvers. Made in Germany exclusively for Woodcraft, these knives provide carvers with carving tools that are easier to hold, more efficient in cutting and safer to use.

“The Danish Art of Whittling Snitte,” a 128-page book by Danish woodsman Frank Egholm, introduces young and old alike to whittling through templates and instructions for creating small birds.



Knife Making and Sharpening

Use the Camillus HT-7 Fixed Blade Knife Kit to make a custom knife as a gift — or give the kit as a gift. The HT-7, a perfect knife for use in the outdoors, is constructed from 5⁄32" Titanium Bonded® cutlery-grade steel and has been through-hardened to hold an edge. Kit comes with blade, screw-together rivets and fitted black nylon sheath. Scale (handle) material and epoxy are sold separately.

For the chefs on your list, pair a ZHEN Premium 67-Layer Damascus Steel Knife Blank with your preference in handle material to create a custom “parer” or paring knife with a 35⁄16"-long blade. Blanks are also available for a cleaver and nakiri, chef’s, santoku, and bread knives. Handle material comes in a wide range of woods.

King Combination Japanese Waterstones are a great value — two stones for nearly the price of one. Three grit combos (8" x 2" x 1" 250/1000-grit; 8" x 2" x 1" 1000/6000-grit; 71⁄4" x 21⁄2" x 11" 1200/8000-grit) will cover most of your sharpening needs.



Working Efficiently

For the home maintenance and repair experts on your list, consider one of the following tools.

• The Kreg Mobile Project Center (KWS1000) is a workbench, sawhorse, assembly table, and clamping station all in one that provides a versatile, sturdy work space for DIY, repair and woodworking projects. It’s easy to set up and folds to just 61⁄2" thick to store away,

• Light up a work area with the Stonepoint Rechargeable 1200-Lumen LED Work Light that provides 1200 lumens (high) or 600 lumens (low) of natural white light. Place the light on any flat surface using the kickstand that doubles as a handle or hanger.

• Great for a variety of household and shop refinishing projects, the Porter-Cable Restorer Handheld Drum Sander with Attachments is ideally designed to remove paint and finish from wood, brick and fiberglass. It also removes rust and polishes metal.

• The Kapro 946 Smarty Level has an accuracy rate up to 0.0005" (0.5mm) and gradient lines for measurements up to 2 percent. Leave that bulky 12" level hanging on the rack; this level is only 4" and clips onto your belt.

• Japanese style pull saws are easier to use than traditional handsaws, and the Ryoba style — crosscut on one side and ripcut on the other side — is especially popular. Woodcraft Product Manager Kent Harpool’s favorite is the Ryoba 180mm Razorsaw.

“When I have to cut something, this is the first saw I reach for,” says Harpool.

• Simple to use and clean, the HOMERIGHT Finish Max HVLP Sprayer will spray most solvent and water-based products — latex paint, milk paint, chalk paint, furniture paint, stains and finishes — whether on a trellis, an Adirondack chair or a fence.

To learn more about these and other products, visit your local Woodcraft store, call (800) 535-4482 or visit www.woodcraft.com. GG189356
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