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How do wood-carving tools differ from stone-carving tools?

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Kara Walker: A Subtlety, or the Marvelous Sugar Baby — Sculpture Visitors viewing *A Subtlety, or the Marvelous Sugar Baby*, a sugar-coated polystyrene sculpture by Kara Walker, 2014, part of a temporary installation at the former Domino Sugar Refinery in Brooklyn, New York.

While both wood and stone carving involve the use of chisels and gouges, the tools differ significantly due to the physical properties of the materials being worked.12

Stone-Carving Tools

Stone carving primarily utilizes heavy steel tools designed to break or chip away material. Key tools include:
* Pitchers: Thick, chisel-like tools with wide beveled edges used with heavy iron hammers to knock off large angles.1
* Pointed tools: Used for roughing out the form by hammering at angles to break off chips.1
* Claw chisels: Toothed tools that remove stone in granules to refine surface forms.1
* Flat chisels: Used for final surface finishing and sharp detailing.1

Wood-Carving Tools

Wood carving requires tools that can cut through fiber bundles without splitting the material.1
* Gouges: The principal tool, featuring sharp, curved edges to scoop or shape wood.1
* Saws and axes: Often used for the initial blocking out of the sculpture.1
* Finishing tools: Wood rasps, files, and sandpaper are used to smooth surfaces.1
* Handles and mallets: Wood-carving tools typically feature hardwood handles and are struck with round, wooden mallets.1