Whittling, the age-old craft of carving shapes from wood using a knife, is both an art and a relaxing hobby. Whether you’re looking to create intricate designs or simple wooden figurines, whittling offers a perfect blend of creativity and craftsmanship. In this comprehensive guide, we’ll explore everything from essential tools to beginner-friendly techniques, ensuring you're set for success in your whittling journey. You can check out our own line of high quality whittling sets, each of which come with wood carving projects for beginners, here. 1. What Is Whittling? Whittling refers to the practice of carving wood into shapes using a handheld knife, typically a whittling knife or pocket knife. Unlike more formal wood carving, which can involve chisels,...
When using chisels and gouges, the mallet you choose is a critical part of getting the cuts you want. Learn more about how to choose the best wood carving mallet in our article here.
Wood carving is a skill that artists of all ages can acquire, as long you are willing to put in the practice and exercise a little patience. To get started, you just need a few tools... including a few good blocks of soft carving wood!
Not all chisel blades are created equal. Any wood carver who has experience using a professional quality gouge versus a "Harbor Freight" alternative knows that. So what's the difference? Or more specifically, why do the two cut and feel so different? The steel holds the answer. In this article, we explore how professionals Joe Dillett and Dick Belcher test the metal of their wood carving tools (literally), as they demonstrate on Schaaf Tools gouges. The Spark Test When Wood Carving Illustrated first got their hands on our 12 piece beginner carving chisels, they sent the set to Dick Belcher, of Belcher Carving Supply, to test the steel quality. I remember hearing the chisels passed the spark test, and Dick was...
Gift shopping for the woodworker in your family? We took the time to come up with some thoughtful, unique wood carving gift ideas for any budget. Here are our 2020 favorites.
