I'm such a whittler

[Indoorsout]

Well, I managed to sweet talk my lady into letting me choose something from Amazon tonight as a stopping smoking reward - Whittling Twigs & Branches, Wood Spirits and Green Men and for a finale she's getting me a new pocketknife, the Victorinox Pocket Pal Swiss Army Knife.

Yeee hah! My first real SAK and a new hobby as well Gotta love stopping smoking

 

[Schwert]

The Whittling Twigs and Branches is a great book. He makes these little carving easy and fun to do. I even showed my neighbor kids how to do herons and chickens a couple of years back.

Only one band-aid (sticking plaster...what an odd name) required.

Good job on quitting smoking...have fun whittling.

 

[DoctorSpoon]

I love that book too! Here's some roosters:

and my son's assorted balancing men

These are great fun. On our last spoon carving course he ran a string the length of the village hall and got everybody making them!

Far better for you than ciggies. Mind you I've been off them for two years now and have developed a serious spoon making addiction instead
Nicola

 

[Indoorsout]

A recommendation from the Doc, what more can a guy ask for I'll have to find some bigger branches and do some spoons soon. I've a little gouge I'm thinking may work in place of a spoon knife

 

[DoctorSpoon]

Spoons made from branches are great (and very easy). This is my favorite I made in Sweden a couple of years ago - it's the perfect thing for bailing natural yogurt out of one of those big pots onto your chilli! Note the bits of bark on the sides of the handle:

It's made by finding a suitable side branch sticking out the side of a main branch. Here's some I collected from some sycamore tops whilst Robin was logging up the rest:

The side branch makes the handle and you split the main branch in two to make the bowl. Here's before and after pictures of a little salt spoon I made which I think show where they come from:

For little spoons like this you don't need an axe at all which makes them great casual whittling projects. You should be able to carve the bowl out with a little gouge. If not these Frosts hooks do the job and only cost around a tenner:

Nicola

 

[Tony]

Nicola, do you put a finish on the spoons or just use as they are? Some spoons i oil and some i don't.

 

[sandbender]

I love that book too! Here's some roosters:

I love the roosters

And my fiancée has fallen in love with the round pot or kettle in the background, do you know where I could find one?

 

[DoctorSpoon]

And my fiancée has fallen in love with the round pot or kettle in the background, do you know where I could find one?

That is a very beautiful teapot by a very talented potter called Svend Bayer - originally Danish but lived most of his life in the UK. If you Google his name you'll find his stuff in various galleries and exhibitions, but the price tags are quite high. He and my husband Robin are big admirers of each others work and Svend gave him this teapot when we visited him last summer.
Nicola
PS here's a bit about him http://www.studiopottery.com/cgi-bin/mp.cgi?item=112

 

[sandbender]

PS here's a bit about him http://www.studiopottery.com/cgi-bin/mp.cgi?item=112

Thanks for this, and the link


:You_Rock_

 

[brancho]

The little book of whittling is great but I only borrowed it from the library I need to buy it I think.

 

[aarya]

Whittling is fun.
I tend to go more for abstract or weird-looking thingies.
All three figures are birch by the way.
Like the eye, and the... Other thingie.

Or my latest carving, a jumping fish.
(Supposed to be a trout, but as i`ve only had pictures online as inspiration, it might not be accurate.)

Still haven`t made a spoon though.
Hopefully i`ll get there, eventually.

 

[hiho]

there good aarya

 

[SKI]

Some Very Good Bit's. I Think I Might Have A Go