Many people do fine, detailed things using fabrics, flosses, and needles, but such delicate crafts aren’t for everyone. Some people like to make something that they can mould more heavily with their own hands. That’s where things like woodworking come into play. Are you interested in working with wood and even with some power tools but you’re not quite ready to take on building entire pieces of furniture? Then you’re the perfect person to start learning how to whittle. Gene Messer has nice tutorials on some basic whittling projects for beginners.
You’ll hold the wood in one hand and make small, short cuts with your knife facing towards you. Your knife hand’s thumb is braced against the wood to allow maximum precision and control of your cuts . I’m in a career path where I cut my hands almost daily, usually because of exhaustion or carelessness. Focus on the object you are whittling and don’t carve at random. As long as it isn’t a hunk of something poisonous or pokey, just about any piece of wood can theoretically be whittled. Remember that you’re looking for something easy to work with, with a straight grain and as few knots as possible.
Dry Vs Green Wood
Now, once you had the bark off you should be left with a smooth, light base. Get a pencil or a pen (I recommend a fine-tipped sharpie), and draw your shape on a piece of paper. Never draw straight onto your wood before you’ve decided you’re happy with how it looks.
The nice thing about whittling wood is that it can be done anywhere. The idyllic vision of whittling wood has you sitting on the back porch while the sun goes down, chatting with a friend or a child. Also, many communities have groups of whittlers that meet, hang out and carve.
With some pull strokes the thumb will stop the knife so this is a good time to wear a thumb guard. Before I got my whittling knife I used my pocket knife, which, so long as it was sharp, did a great job. Throughout whittling history, whittlers used pockets knifes and some still choose them over specialised whittling knives. For me, the main benefit is that they are so portable. I always have my pocket knife on me during outdoor trips, so it’s nice to know that if the opportunity or need arises for some impromptu creativity, I’m covered.
to the textured leather surface to keep your blades sharp and ready to go. You’ll be surprised about http://www.digthedirt.com/contributions/251581-Whittling-Santa-Pencils the things you can whittle out of wood. Use push-strokes to whittle out the shape of the tail.
Step 8: Shape The Beard
Using your pocket knife is a great way to try out whittling without investing in a ‘proper’ whittling knife. If you’re just beginning whittling then having a blade that has the ability to lock is something to consider. A non-locking blade can be unstable and tricky to work with, and the potential for lost fingers is also higher than with a locking knife. Playing with knives… Not something to recommend to, well anyone really.
Softwoods are the best for whittling because they cut nice and easy. After you’ve learned the basics of whittling, feel free to move on to harder woods. No matter which kind of wood you use, look for wood with a straight grain as it is easier to whittle than wood that has the grain going in multiple directions. Avoid wood with lots of knots–those are a booger to whittle.
Beginner Palm And Knife Set
I start with a 6"-long blank. This provides plenty of wood to hold as I carve an owl on each end. When you finish the carving, simply cut it from the blank. Lubkemann’s focus is on whittling branches and twigs. This book has a great guide on how to carve an awesome looking knife from a tree branch.
- Trust your instincts and use different whittling strokes until you’re satisfied with the shape.
- Then this classic looking bass fish isdefinitely the project for you.
- But idle hands will find their way to a blade at some point, so curiosities may as well be channelled into something positive – like whittling!
- The sweep gouge and V-tool knife allow you to dig deep into the wood and remove big chunks of material.
It is beautifully illustrated and easy to follow. All you will need is a piece of wood and a carving knife. Some projects in this book only require a branch or a twig to get started. Now you can spend some quality time sitting on your porch. With a pull stroke, you use your thumb as a pivot and pull the whittling knife towards you.
What Is Whittling? ____________
Whittling is simply shaving a piece of wood with a carving knife to get a particular design. It can be a face, a shape or anything in between. There is no general rule when it comes to whittling. All you need to whittle is a piece of softwood and a high-quality knife with blades made from tempered steel for the best result. Additionally, a sharpening stone for whittling is also recommended. Like many outdoor activities, there are a handful of safety concerns regarding wood whittling.
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