Pumpkin-Carving Tips From the Pros

A knife is not the best tool for carving a pumpkin. So what works? I spoke with America's king and queen of carving, Tom Nardone, author of Extreme Pumpkins and Extreme Pumpkins II, and Lisa "The Pumpkin Lady" Berberette, for the inside scoop on America's favorite backyard craft.

Both experts agree that the knife is the wrong tool to create a jack-o'-lantern. Though convenient, knives are clunky and awkward, which makes them dangerous. Plus, says Berberette, "If you're a father, you don't want to look stupid carving a pumpkin in front of your 4 year old."

That fear of looking incompetent in front of the kids may explain why Berberette's site, pumpkinlady.com, attracts several million visitors in the month of October. She gives away free pumpkin stencils, as well as step-by-step directions for carving.

Berberette favors a simple pumpkin-carving kit, the kind that you can find at Wal-Mart(WMT Quote), Kmart(SHLD Quote), or your local drug store. "After all these years, I still use the Pumpkin Masters carving saws," says Berberette. But after a recent guest appearance on The Martha Stewart Show(MSO Quote), she's considering a switch to Stewart's carving tools, available at Macy's. "They have better handles, and their blades are better," Berberette says.

Nardone prefers power tools for pumpkin sculpting, because, "That's what I've got. Since I've got 'em, I use 'em." His site, extremepumpkins.com, is dedicated to those who carve a bit more assertively.

Ben Franklin

To those for whom money is no object, Nardone recommends a cordless set of power tools for pumpkin carving. "You want to buy a cordless tool set, the kind where they all use the same battery pack; a jig saw, a reciprocating saw, a drill and an angle grinder. For $1,000 dollars, you could look like a carpenter." Nardone is even angling for a sponsorship from toolmaking company DeWalt.