There are many different knives for wood carving, but the best two for beginners are a simple chisel and a knife with a curved blade. The chisel is excellent for beginners because it is easy to use but still extremely versatile. You can use it to create basic shapes and textures and more complex ones. Curved-blade knives are also popular among beginner woodcarvers because they allow you to make cuts that would otherwise be difficult or impossible with an ordinary straight-edged knife.