How to / I whittle faces !

[erehwon]

Daft question but is there a prefered knife to have a go at doing this sort of carving? short blade? certain shape?

If so any reasonably priced recommendations.

 

[Gary Elson]

Hi Sundowner
Great work I really like fitting a face into a naturally twisty piece of wood

Gaz

 

[Sundowner]

Hi Sundowner
Great work I really like fitting a face into a naturally twisty piece of wood

Gaz

Hi Gary,
Isn't it weird, but, sometimes you find some gnarly wood and you just know that it needs a face

 

[Sundowner]

Gary, I hope you don't mind putting today's "wine&whittling" wood spirit on? Not too happy with it as its pure white maple and i can't wait til my new proper whittling knife comes!!

 

[Gary Elson]

Daft question but is there a prefered knife to have a go at doing this sort of carving? short blade? certain shape?

If so any reasonably priced recommendations.

Hi Erehwon
I read somewhere that a blade about 1.5 times the length of the wood your carving is a good place to start
I’ve just made a new knife which is about 30 mm long the wood blanks I use are nominally 30 x 30 x 80mm high the idea being it reaches across the timber in one go
I also like a straight blade or a very gentle curve I also use a Ben Orford sloyd knife which is excellent

 

[Gary Elson]

Hi Sundowner
Don’t mind a bit you posting your carvings the more the merrier as they say

As for gnarly bits of wood can’t remember what this was but it was flippin ‘ard
What do you think?
Cheers
Gary

 

[Sundowner]

Hi Sundowner
Don’t mind a bit you posting your carvings the more the merrier as they say

As for gnarly bits of wood can’t remember what this was but it was flippin ‘ard
What do you think?
Cheers
Gary


View attachment 49692

Love it. But a long way away from my ability

 

[Alreetmiowdmuka]

Had a go too this was my third attempt.i used a carving jack multi tool jobby.

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

 

[Sundowner]

Good job. I like it!! Looks a bit like Sauron from Lord of the Rings

 

[Sundowner]

I've whittled a few more too...

 

[Bionic]

I was hoping to show off my feeble attempt at following the excellent tutorial at the beginning of this this thread but due to a bit of a “doh!” moment I’ll have to make it a work in progress. Taken whilst waiting for those excellent folk that are our NHS to do their magic on my thumb, don’t think I’ve ever felt quite such a prat

 

[Sundowner]

I've got more cuts than carvings. Fortunately I didn't have to go to A&E. Now try whittling the wood and NOT your thumb

 

[Sundowner]

This is my latest wood spirit, I really like that one

 

[Sundowner]

I'm doing conveyor belt stuff now!!! But only because it's fun. Another 2 from today, one of ash and the other maple

 

[woodspirits]

Great carvings keep em coming!

 

[Gary Elson]

Great stuff there Sundowner

Hi Bionic just checked my original tutorial couldn’t see any thing about thumb carving but hey if you want to go freestyle .........

 

[Bionic]

I’m trying to cut back on the thumb carving (although it does provide some lovely shades of red ). I have managed to add the final touches to this little chap even though it’s lacking a little finess due to carrying injury Clearly it’s not a touch on the OPs example but all things considered I’m just happy to have finished him

 

[Gary Elson]

Hey Bionic
Great work love his face
Gaz

 

[Bionic]

Thanks. Still got a lot of room for improvent yet though I think.
Thanks again for the great tutorial at the start

 

[Sundowner]

21 tries later.......