[Plain_Ol_Ed]

And there you have it .... what's the best deer rifle, golf club, fishing lure, etc. It's what works best for you.

[mark yundt]

True,,one of the largest Polar Bears was taken with a single shot from a .22. I'm sure many great fish were caught with a broom stick,,some carpenters twine and a bent nail. If it works for you ,,go for it. Would I suggest it,,,,well? Though there are many ways to skin a cat,,,some methods will over time produce certain consistent results that can be seen and verified.

It can also depend on how you carve. Are you a knife carver or do you use chisels?

You can do whatever you choose to do. But if you look at the consistency of the better carvers past and present they generally as a rule clamp down their pieces in some way. Sort of makes sense to spend your energy going after clean cuts if you're not chasing your carving all over the bench. For me I tend to think the smaller the carving I'm working on,,the more important it is for me to secure it all the more. One slip on a tiny carving and it's junk.
I always thought it was interesting that stone masons secure their work. Engravers have a variety of special vices. Architects taped their drawings to a desk.People that pencil sketch tape or use spring clamps to hold their PAPER and painters stretch their canvas over a wood frame and clamp it in an easel just to dab at it with a PAINT BRUSH ,,,how much force is that?

Yet somehow it makes sense to force a sharp chisel through a block of wood,,hold it with one hand or try and force it against the bench with both hands as you jamb it into a corner while you try and carve it with any degree of confidence. I still haven't found a good reason for doing that as opposed to clamping it down somehow and leaving both hands free to guide a chisel.

[xsailer]

I do both hand held and bottle vise. There are times when the best angle of attack (carving) is hand held. Also use the table carving board when away from home for those heavy cuts.

[Tucson Bill]

Speaking of all this I went to the Chipping Away website and found they had the Jerry Rig vise on sale for 25% off. Since I have been wanting one, it is winging its way to me even as we speak!

[doris]

another good reason for clamping is, you can see the whole piece. this is inparticular useful in smaller pieces, where the holding hand would cover up most of it.

in the moment i carve the small umbrella for mary poppins, and i left small pieces of wood on top and bottom to clamp it. sure, i often have to loose the clamp, turn the carving and fix it down again, as it is carving in the round, but, on such a small piece, i can see the whole piece while carving, (good for getting the proportions correct), and if my gouge would slip because my holding in hand is not steady enough, the whole carving could be destroyed, since so small...

[Ashbys]

Mark ,
I agree 100 % it is about how you carve. If I am doing a twisting walking stick I am using a knife for the most part.

If I am doing a relief carving I am using chisels.

If I am doing a small figure , knife.

Tree chisels or chain saw.

If I am doing a tail section of an Airplane . Chisels and clamped . But it I am working on a job for someone, outside of a staff it is clamped. If I am carving for myself , then it is choice, because speed is not a concern.

Garry

[RussL.]

Clamp everything so far.
I don't own enough fingers not to. ;-)

RussL.

[martyslc]

Originally Posted by Plain_Ol_Ed

And there you have it .... what's the best deer rifle, golf club, fishing lure, etc. It's what works best for you.

LOL good point ED and Gary!

[davidinsarasota]

Clamping is good. I am new at carving, so I can trace the first moment I was hooked to the first time I ran a gouge through a clamped piece of wood.

[Scott]

Clamping for sure. I started using inner tubes 1/2 filled with sand as well.
inner tubes right to truck inner tubes. It works very well for odd and organic shapes.

Scott.
http://www.caribooblades.com