Whether you are a beginner or more experienced wood carver, I encourage you to check out the Getting Started section, as well as the Appendix in the back. These two sections cover everything from whittling safety to picking the right knife. Once you know the basics, move on to the exercises. They will help you warm up and get comfortable with the knife before you get started on the projects.
What is Whittling?
I define whittling as carving wood with just a knife; whittlers don’t use chisels, gouges, or power tools. When some people think of whittling, specific projects come to mind: pointed sticks, wood chains, and a ball-in-cage. But when I think of whittling, I think of any carving that involves only a knife.
Whittling doesn’t require a large investment in tools or wood. All you need is a good knife, a good piece of wood, and a decent strop to keep your knife edge sharp. I give suggestions on knives and wood to use in the following sections (pages). If you aren’t sure how to sharpen a knife, check out the Basics of Sharpening section (page) in the Appendix.
Whittling is a great hobby that you can take anywhere you go. While some pull out their cell phones when they’re in a waiting room, I work on my latest project! This is why most of the projects in this book are small—I like to choose pieces that can fit in my pocket. I also enjoy doing projects that can be completed quickly. This is what makes whittling fun for beginners—they get immediate satisfaction and are anxious to keep on whittling more pieces.
My whittling often attracts attention from the people around me, especially children. Children are the best audience for whittling because they like small things and they don’t need too much detail to figure out what the whittled animal is. However, even if everything you make is for children, your piece will need some distinguishing characteristics. For example, lions are known for their thick, bushy manes, which are easy for both children and adults to identify quickly. The projects in this book will show you what features to leave in and what to leave out when depicting an animal. Hopefully, it will inspire you to design your own whittled animals, too!
What is Flat-Plane Woodcarving?
Flat-plane woodcarving is a Scandinavian folk art form that employs flat edge cuts rather than rounded edge cuts. Using one knife, the carver establishes a shape using very few cuts, letting the carved facets remain rather than sanding them smooth. Harley Refsal, a master at the flat-plane style, calls it “the difficult art of simplification.” Flat-plane carving often falls under the umbrella of “whittling.”
GETTING STARTED
What Makes a Good Whittling Knife?
One of my favorite things about whittling is that you can do it anywhere. This means the knife you use should be easily transportable. I prefer a folding pocketknife; nothing beats the convenience of safely slipping a folded knife into your pocket. If you would rather use a regular carving knife, just make sure to sheath the blade properly before transporting. Many carvers use cork or a length of silicone rubber tubing for this purpose.
Many manufacturers create folding knives for whittling (or carving) with blades that resemble classic carving knives. These specialty knives can get expensive. They are worth the money if you do a lot of whittling, but you don’t need to buy a specialty knife to whittle.
Many carvers keep a second pocketknife for everyday use in tasks such as opening cardboard boxes, to avoid dulling the sharp pocketknife they use for whittling.
When selecting a knife for whittling, keep the following factors in mind:
Carbon Steel Blade
Many pocketknife blades are made from stainless steel. Stainless steel holds an edge for a long time and doesn’t corrode if you close the knife with a wet blade—both great qualities for pocketknives. But because stainless steel dulls slowly, it sharpens slowly as well. Most carving tools are made from high-carbon steel. Knives with high-carbon steel blades are more expensive than knives with stainless steel blades, but they are easier to sharpen.
Many manufacturers are creating high-carbon stainless steel blades, which combine the durability of stainless steel with the added benefits of carbon steel.
Blade Location
Some pocketknives have 10 to 20 blades. These knives are generally less comfortable to use for long periods of time, and the blades you want to carve with are seldom in the center of the handle. If the knife blade is not in the center of the handle, you lose leverage, which reduces your carving power and control. Instead, look for a knife with two or, at most, three blades, which should ensure the blades are conveniently placed.
Blade Shape
Look for a sheepsfoot blade—one where the tip of the knife is closely aligned with the main cutting edge, similar to a utility knife or standard bench knife. Many pocketknife blades have a drop-point shape, which centers the tip of the knife in the middle of the blade. The drop-point shape works well for general cutting purposes, but makes it difficult to carve small details. I prefere a blade that has had the bevel removed and ground flat. You can reshape a blade using sharpening stones and sandpaper, but the process is time-consuming.
A sheepsfoot blade (top) is better suited for whittling than a drop-point blade (bottom).
Locking Blades
A locking blade keeps the sharp knife from accidentally closing on your fingers, which is a good safety feature. However, as long as you are always aware that a knife can close on your fingers, you should be safe, regardless of whether or not your knife features a locking blade.
Choosing the Right Knife for You
Selecting the ideal knife for you is a matter of personal preference. The size of your grip compared with the size of the handle will greatly influence how comfortable the knife is to use over extended periods of time. The ideal knife for your friend may not be well suited for you. Ask other whittlers for their opinions, but then handle and test several knives before making a purchase.
Selecting the Wood
The main requirement in selecting wood for whittling is that the wood must be able to hold detail. To hold detail, wood should have a tight grain free of knots. Several species of wood meet these basic criteria; however, for newer and less experienced whittlers, the wood should also be easy to whittle. For this reason, basswood is preferred in the United States; in Europe, carvers prefer lime wood or linden wood. These varieties of wood are readily available at modest prices. This does not mean that other types of wood cannot be whittled; it just means that, generally, newer whittlers will have more success with basswood. Keep in mind that not all basswood is the same. When whittling harder basswood, spray a mix of 50-50 water and rubbing alcohol onto the wood and let it absorb. This will make the wood more workable.
Preparing Wooden Blanks
The first things