My first whittling projects

[nuts]

Hi. I'm new here and I've joined mainly for whittling/woodcarving advice. I got a basic knife, a book, and some basswood blocks for Christmas - here are my first few projects. Posting partly because it's nice to show them, but also because I'll want to refer people to them when asking advice.

First of all, I copied a couple of designs from the beginners' book. And owl and a chain

Then I wanted to use my own creativity so started designing my own things.
First of all, I wanted something functional. I went for a pen holder for my desk, in the shape of a sea otter with a clamshell.
The clam looks a bit more like a hot dog, I didn't get the shape quite right

Next I went for one of my other hobbies and made a rugby player. He's built a bit more like a prop than the winger I intended, but I'm still pretty happy with this one.

And finally, my most detailed piece to date - an under-the-sea scene. Based around a sea horse latched on to some seaweed, and I included a couple of small fish. They're partly to add interest to the other side, but mainly to provide a connection between the strands of seaweed so it's not so fragile.

 

[paulrbarnard]

Nice start. I’ve never managed to proceed beyond a tent peg.

What knife are you using?

 

[nuts]

Nothing fancy. I got a basic set for Christmas - looks to be this one https://www.amazon.co.uk/Comstine-Whittling-Kit-Woodworking/dp/B0BN665325/ref=sr_1_10

The knives didn't come with a great grind or edge, so I bought a set of sharpening stones. The two normal knoves are now pretty usable, but I haven't yet been able to successfully sharpen the curved one.
If I do stick with it, I'll look at upgrading my knives at some point.

 

[Adam W.]

The Mora knives are good and very cheap and I think Robin wood does some nice stuff too.

https://www.robin-wood.co.uk/shop/

 

[nuts]

The Mora knives are good and very cheap and I think Robin wood does some nice stuff too.

https://www.robin-wood.co.uk/shop/

I've heard of Mora being good. Are they 'good good' or just 'good for the money'? I'm going to stick with what I have for the short term, but would happily pay a bit more if I'm getting something worthwhile.

Also, Mora (and other brands) seem to have multiple blade sizes. And a choice of carbon or laminated steel. How do I choose?

 

[paulm]

For small, detailed carvings like those you may find the Flexcut range of carving knives suitable.

 

[Adam W.]

I've heard of Mora being good. Are they 'good good' or just 'good for the money'? I'm going to stick with what I have for the short term, but would happily pay a bit more if I'm getting something worthwhile.

Also, Mora (and other brands) seem to have multiple blade sizes. And a choice of carbon or laminated steel. How do I choose?

They are just good and have been developed over a very long time. To find which works for you requires you to find that out for yourself by trying it out.

You can buy super expensive fancy stuff and find that you don't like it, however, DAMHIK.

 

[Jacob]

I always think that if as a beginner you have a "set' of tools you are likely to be endlessly swapping between them. Probably better to have just one or two, to familiarise yourself with.

 

[stuckinthemud]

I never got on with flex cut as the handles lock your hand in one grip. I like a wood-handle Sloyd type with a 2 inch (short) blade but I have tried many makes and shapes over the years. The Tangerman books give great advice on blade selection and the main types of cut used in whittling. Your work is excellent by the way, it took me a long time to get that good

 

[stuckinthemud]

I may have read this book at least once, or maybe twice

 

[stuckinthemud]

The page on basic cuts. The cut I find most useful is a see-saw action where you place the thumb tip (of the hand holding the workpiece) at the end of the knife handle and lock it (your thumb) straight, then pull the handle toward you. This cuts a very small chip with great power. The cut is repeated while the workpiece is gently rolled from side to side. As you get used to the technique the speed will increase and because knife, hands and workpiece are locked together the technique is relatively safe

 

[nuts]

I never got on with flex cut as the handles lock your hand in one grip. I like a wood-handle Sloyd type with a 2 inch (short) blade but I have tried many makes and shapes over the years. The Tangerman books give great advice on blade selection and the main types of cut used in whittling. Your work is excellent by the way, it took me a long time to get that good

Thanks. I hadn't even considered handle shape as an important (and personal) variable, my mind had only gone to the blade.
Do you know of anywhere in the UK that sells knives in a real shop, not online, and lets you try before you buy? I live just to the West of London, so ideally within reasonable travel.

As for the book, that looks like a well-thumbed reference. With the package I received for Christmas I did get a beginners' book which shows a Push, Paring, Stop and V-shaped cut. I've taken to using my thumb on almost every cut I make, as I learned early on that I split the wood up the grain if I lose control by using one hand.

 

[LittleEars]

I always recommend the flexcut sets for beginners. I haven't been on a holiday without them in the last 10 years. They are perfect for filling that spot between whittling and carving. Over time you can slowly build your collection of Sheffield steel up as you start to carve bigger things.

 

[Jorny]

Mora knives are just really good. They are used by a lot of very skilled carvers. Fancier knives do not offer that much more than a Mora knife. The Mora 120 is all you need.

 

[LittleEars]

Mora knives are just really good. They are used by a lot of very skilled carvers. Fancier knives do not offer that much more than a Mora knife. The Mora 120 is all you need.

I like Mora knives. But my favourite is my Brusletto Balder for whittling.

 

[MarkAW]

Tip from another beginner's experience:

Be mindful how much pressure you're putting into your cuts . I applied too much, slipped, cut through the cut resistant gloves (not that cut resistant) cue a trip to minor injuries clinic a few days later as it was deep and not healing.

 

[nuts]

I always recommend the flexcut sets for beginners. I haven't been on a holiday without them in the last 10 years. They are perfect for filling that spot between whittling and carving. Over time you can slowly build your collection of Sheffield steel up as you start to carve bigger things.

There's an interesting detail in there for me - what's the difference between whittling and carving?

 

[LittleEars]

There's an interesting detail in there for me - what's the difference between whittling and carving?

Carving is chisels, gouges etc. Whittling uses a knife.

 

[stuckinthemud]

You must never put a part of yourself in the path a blade will take if it slips, or more likely, if the wood fails and the blade flies through the space the timber was occupying. The one that makes me shout at pupils is anything in the lap using a leg as a temporary work bench. Femoral artery is very near the surface and a cut to it is pretty much always terminal. The thought of a draw cut or similar going wrong with a board balanced on your lap?!?!!! A rocking stop cut requires a lot of downward pressure and more than once I’ve given myself a stern talking to for leaning the work on my leg then got off my bum and walked 3 feet to lean it against a convenient surface

 

[stuckinthemud]

Incidentally the techniques using a thumb pivot are easily adapted to “whittling” with gouges, especially gouges with curved long profiles - spoon and sow-back gouges. You put your thumb in-canal and lever the gouge kinda down and forward then back and up