Miniature Russian carving tools

[gjdale]

I’ll second what Bill has just said. I too tried to place an order a while back but had to wait until Mihail returned in October. I received my set last week and they are every bit as beautiful as others have said. Again, communication was via Google translate and payment via PayPal - both painless operations. Mikhail has been a thoroughly nice person to deal with as well.

[Landlubber Mike]

Can someone PM me his email address?  I’d love to get a set as I’d like to start carving.

 

Just out of curiousity, any recommendations on which kind of handles to get?  I assume the palm handle ones are better if you don’t have enough hand strength?  I would think I would have an easier time with the ones that are more pencil like in shape, but I’ve never worked with the other type except in the case of a ball handle pin vise.

 

Thanks!

[Thistle17]

I got this address from druxey Mike.

Hi. I should emphasize that these are for experienced miniature carvers. They are, in the small sizes, very delicate tools, easily broken if misused. However, if you are up to it, they will make a superb investment. Michail's contact info:

 

mihail.kirsanov@mail.ru

 

Regarding handles is a matter of prefrerance. For fine work I would prefer the palm handle version for close in work. Go to Woodcraft and handle their miniature palm set for a similar sense of that style.

Joe

 

[Landlubber Mike]

Thank you Joe!

[allanyed]

I realize this string is over a year old now, but as I just ordered a set of chisels from Mihail that he is targeting to ship early February I would like any information on sharpening based on members' experience that have used his or similar sized micro chisels.   I use the Veritas for relatively larger chisels but gather from earlier posts that this does not work for the micro chisels.   I am envisioning a triangular block with various angles of 25 degrees, et al to hold the chisel at the proper angle when honing on a stone and then stropping but this seems almost too simple.  In addition,  I have a small leather stropping pad and stropping compound, but if there are suggestions on a better stropping device, I am all ears.  

Allan

[druxey]

Simple is good, Allan. I think the trick is to strop/hone frequently to avoid resharpening too often. If one does need to sharpen, a guide block is a good idea. One still needs a delicate touch when tuning up miniature gouges.

[NGCathey]

Mihail did send a set of instructions with pictures to sharpen.  Baically it was with sand paper glued to a board, with the chisel held in your hand. 

[Landlubber Mike]

My set from Mikhail arrived this week.  Got stuck in customs and took about 6 weeks, but well worth the wait:

 As everyone said, they are really well made and at a nice price.  I bought some micro gouges and other tools from Dockyard years ago, but these are much higher quality.  As you can see, I opted for the more decorative handles and glad I did so.  The tools are almost too beautiful to work with and dirty.

 

Mikhail is a very nice guy, and google translate worked very well for our communications.  He stayed on top of the delivery to make sure that the package got to me and periodically checked in.  I’m sure some may have misgivings about communicating in a foreign language with someone halfway around the world, but it was a very smooth process, customs delay aside.

 

I believe he makes batches of these twice a year, so if you are interested, it’s best to contact him sooner rather than later.  Mine was the last set for this batch, otherwise I would have had to wait until the fall.

 

Thanks Mikhail!

[mitbok]

Good day,

 

Mikhail has  two 10 chisel sets currently available :

Strait - 1.0, 2.0, 3.0 мм.
Half round  - 1.0, 2.0, 3.0 мм.
Angled left and right,  - 2.0 мм.
 "V"- shaped

Mini knife.

 

PM for details

[mitbok]

Got mine yesterday 👍

[guraus]

Hello all,

Can someone PM me the Mikhail's contact info please?

Thank you.

Alexandru

[allanyed]

Alexandru

Sending his email address to you now

Allan

[SJSoane]

I just received my set, with pear handles. It took 23 days from the time he shipped them, not bad during a global pandemic. They were slow to clear customs in Moscow and cross the Atlantic, but once they hit New York they moved very quickly out West to me. They are as good as everyone has said. Beautiful craftsmanship, super sharp. He even constructed a left-hand storage box for me, because I am left-handed. It means the slot for the sharpening sanding block (not included) is on the left end. Very thoughtful!

 

Mark

 

 

[druxey]

You'll love using them!

[Landlubber Mike]

Excellent!  They are fantastic!

[Bob Cleek]

I'm getting a sickening feeling in the pit of my stomach that these are the "Byrnes Saw" of chisels. I think I may have to start squirreling away the bucks to buy a set without the purser noticing!  

 

Are the figured wood handled ones a special order or does he have some sort of catalog? 

[Retired guy]

They are brilliant  received mine back in June will be doing more carving on my next build, Mikail was very nice to deal with and even showed me some of his carvings they are absolutely outstanding, a master carver.

He also gives you how to sharpen and with pictures.

 

 

Here is one of the pictures 

 

 

Bob they are not a special order you just pay more.

 

Very satisfied customer 👍

 

Regards

Richard   

[allanyed]

Guy,

What fishing schooner is in the photo?  Looks like the Effie M. Morrisey (Ernestina) but I know there were a lot of similarities in these schooners.  Just curious.

Allan

[aviaamator]

"Bluenose II"...

[allanyed]

Looking really good!!  

[Retired guy]

8 hours ago, allanyed said:

Looking really good!!  

 

Its the Bluenose 1921 do have a log going, thanks for the comment 👍

 

Regards

Richard

[EricWilliamMarshall]

I would love to get in contact with Mihail Kirsanov to order a set. If someone would be so kind as to share his contact info! Thanks!

[Duanelaker]

3 hours ago, EricWilliamMarshall said:

I would love to get in contact with Mihail Kirsanov to order a set. If someone would be so kind as to share his contact info! Thanks!

I would also love a set!

[mtaylor]

Contact allanyed via PM.  A few posts up from yours, you'll find his posts.   The reason it's done this way to keep Mihail from being spammed.  MSW along almost every other website gets crawled by bots and email addresses  do get sucked up and posted

[EricWilliamMarshall]

Will do, thanks!

[Mike Y]

Just for the information - looks like the order queue is pretty short now (Mikhail says that he has more time to manufacture them due to covid). My order was ready in just a few weeks (from the first email to the production process)! So if you were thinking about it, but were hesitating - now is the perfect time to order!

He has some standard cutter sets, from 15-ish to 25-ish items. One can even pick and choose the desired cutter types.

The price per piece is the same regardless of the cutter type, and only depends on the handle (plus box and shipping).

 

As all the others, I am very happy with the order and its quality (got the set of 23 items with pear handles).

Edited February 16, 2021 by Mike Y

[No Idea]

I too have ordered a set from Mikhail - He must be quiet at the moment as I paid for them today and he is starting work on my order in the morning.  I've gone for the full set with pear handles as I just couldn't justify the extra cost of the nicer handles even though they look amazing.

 

So if you want some now the time to order and as others have said Google translate works great and he takes payment through PayPal so no risk either.

[Bill Tuttle]

I just finished using some of these carving tools that I bought from Mihail three years or so ago.  I had misplaced my instructions for sharpening that he supplied and found a need to contact him again for help.  He provided me with a detailed e-mail regarding the sharpening process.  I can only applaud again these tools as they are the best small carving tools I have found.  In this correspondence, he mentioned to me that he still had three sets left for sale at $420.00.  Just wanted to post this as he travels somewhere in the summer and these will not be available again until around October.  If anyone is interested let me know and I will provide his e-mail as we have done in the past.

[No Idea]

I have to agree with you here - I took a chance based on what I had heard on this forum and bought some myself.  I found Mikhail to be very informative about what he sells and how to look after them too.   I ordered my set and they arrived two weeks later!!!!  They are simply fantastic and I love my set.  The only place I have ever received such great service is from Jim Byrne's last Xmas.  He sent me my order with no payment what so ever.  I received it and got the bill in January.   thats how business should be done.

[Bill Tuttle]

I agree with you.  I was a Commercial Banker for 40 years and in the early years of my career when I did consumer lending you could tell a customer to go ahead and write a check and come in and sign the note later.  Couldn't do that now.  

 

Mihail's service as well as Jim's is beyond compare.  I just hope someone else jumps on these carving tools.  They are really great tools. 

 

There is a learning curve on sharpening and I am still a novice on these.  I use shapton ceramic stones on my chisels and planes and can put an edge on those that scares me but these tiny little gouges are not easy.  I am even sharpening them under a low powered microscope.  I am getting better just have to use a light touch.