The World of Playing Cards Logo

Woodcutting Tools

Published May 25, 2011 Updated July 17, 2023
Manufacturing Processes Woodblock

Woodcutting Tools

Having acquired the necessary blank wood blocks (lime wood) and planing them flat I, made my own set of woodcutting tools using watchmaker's tools, which are made from higher grade steel, and inserted them into wooden handles.

Woodcutting Tools

Above: set of woodcutting tools made from watchmaker's tools.

avatar
1,477 Articles

By Simon Wintle

Member since February 01, 1996

Founder and editor of the World of Playing Cards since 1996. He is a former committee member of the IPCS and was graphics editor of The Playing-Card journal for many years. He has lived at various times in Chile, England and Wales and is currently living in Extremadura, Spain. Simon's first limited edition pack of playing cards was a replica of a seventeenth century traditional English pack, which he produced from woodblocks and stencils.

Related Articles

Playing cards with prints by Sumio Kawakami

Playing cards with prints by Sumio Kawakami

Woodblock print designs created by Sumio Kawakami in 1938-9, each card having a different illustrati...

1985 Venus et Cupidon

Venus et Cupidon

“Venus et Cupidon” from Costante Costantini in his distinctive woodcut style.

1979 La Cour Galante

La Cour Galante

‘La Cour Galante’ playing cards with erotic images by Costante Costantini, Italy, 1979.

1978 Calcio Storico Fiorentino

Calcio Storico Fiorentino

‘Calcio Storico Fiorentino’ by Costante Costantini is based on an early form of football that origi...

1989 Geschichte des Buchgewerbes

Geschichte des Buchgewerbes

Geschichte des Buchgewerbes illustrated by Ludwig Winkler, published by Verlag für Lehrmittel Pößnec...

“Deck with French suits”

“Deck with French suits”

A facsimile of an early 19th century French-suited deck from the collection of F.X. Schmid.

1983 Jeu “Gerente”

Jeu “Gerente”

Jeu “Gerente” - published by Moncar in 1983 in the “Cartes de Fantaisie” series.

71: Woodblock and stencil: the hearts

71: Woodblock and stencil: the hearts

A presentation of the main characteristics of the wood-block courts of the heart suit.

70: Woodblock and stencil : the spade courts

70: Woodblock and stencil : the spade courts

This is a presentation in a more straightforward fashion of the work done by Paul Bostock and me in ...

1790 I. Schenck, Nuremberg

I. Schenck, Nuremberg

I. Schenck, Nuremberg, late XVIIIth century

Lilian Cailleaud’s Tarot Project

Lilian Cailleaud’s Tarot Project

Lilian Caillaeud lino-cuts his version of the tarot by Nicolas Rolichon of Lyon c.1600

Xilografías de Mallorca

Xilografías de Mallorca

Spanish National pattern re-printed from original woodblocks which are preserved in the monastery at...

Minchiate Fiorentine, 17th C.

Minchiate Fiorentine, 17th C.

17th century Minchiate cards reprinted from the original woodblocks.

41: A Guide to Dating Playing Cards

41: A Guide to Dating Playing Cards

Dating is a particularly tricky but very interesting problem to tackle and there are many pitfalls. ...

33: Functional Changes to Playing Cards

33: Functional Changes to Playing Cards

The emphasis throughout my collecting has been on the design of the courts cards, and it should be p...

28: How to Analyze and Differentiate Playing Card Plates (De La Rue, Waddington and the Berlin pattern [französisches Bild])

28: How to Analyze and Differentiate Playing Card Plates (De La Rue, Waddington and the Berlin pattern [französisches Bild])

My interest in postage stamp variants led me to apply the same principles to playing cards.