I did some more carving! This time with hand-tools!

[jessio]

I've been practicing more carving. I got a set of pretty cheap wood knives that are good, but I'll have to sharpen them up some.


The flower's carved out of yellow pine. I know that's a lame wood to carve, but I got a bunch of it for free. I like the real rough look of it. I went to a meet-up of the local woodcarving club around here, and they said I must be really persistent to have made that, considering my tools!
The whale's a little relief carving from some piece of hardwood from my "Economy bag of random hardwoods". I think I'll turn it into a pendant.

I went to this meet-up of the woodcarving club (I had to find something to do besides fret about the election), they were sooo friendly and helpful! A woman showed me how to sharpen my tools, and another one gave me the blanks for the Christmas carvings up there. I think they're both basswood, they're not really that different in color. I'm going to paint the snowman spoon, that's why I didn't give it a face already.
Someone even let me borrow a regular carving knife! They're having a show in town this weekend, with vendors and stuff. I'm going to get myself a regular knife of my own, and some sharpening supplies The people in the club told me to get them to help me decide what to buy, so I don't pay too much or get something I don't want.

Right now I'm trying to make a rose ornament from some clipart I found online. Is a jigsaw a good way to cut a shape out of wood? I know my dad has one, but I don't know how to use it. What about a scrollsaw? My boyfriend has one of those.

I'm all excited about this!

EDIT: Also, can you make a leather strop out of any leather? The woman who showed me how to sharpen things had made her own out of some leather she had bought for that purpose. I don't eat beef, and I don't want to buy anything with new leather. Could I just get a belt or leather purse from a thrift shop and make a strop thing with that? Second-hand leather isn't a problem for me.

[BobD]

Jessio,
If you charge a flat piece of scrap wood with stropping compound you don't even need the leather!

I have a synthetic leather strop as well. A leather belt from a thrift store would be acceptable as well.

Bob Duncan
Technical Editor

[CarverFromNoWhere]

I get the leather belts from a second hand store like bob suggested, another thin is to look for the woman's full grained leather or suede jackets those are normally $3 and you can make a lot of strops from one. You want to make sure the rough side of the leather is where you will be applying the strop compound the glossy or finished side it wont stick to very well.

Yes, and yes both a scrollsaw and a jigsaw will work I would use the scrollsaw over the jigsaw, more control and accuracy.
Looks like your off to a good start I still have tulip I Carved in relief, one of my first carvings.
Carl

[kitaye]

I really like the snowman spoon. I bet that would be lovely all polished up and put in someone stocking for Christmas.

[Buckskin]

Looks like you are off to a whale of a start. Don't be afraid of pine. I carve a lot of it my self. In fact almost all the carvings in my gallery on here were from pine 2x4's, 1x4's etc. Good luck and keep at it!!

[markken5889]

don't forget to pick up a carver's glove!

nice work - welcome to a great hobby!

Mark

[Ron T]

Hi Jessio, you're doing very well. I'm glad to see you shgaribng your progress with us.

[Mottles]

Hi there, keep up the good work!
Kathy

[Eddy-Smiles]

Jessio...

Excellent start especially using such a tough medium! If you live near a Home Depot or Lowes you can usually find scrap pieces of white wood used as spacers for their pallets of construction timbers. It's a little softer and easier to carve and most of the time they'll either give it to you for free if you tell them it's for carving or the charge will be nominal. Not quite as good as basswood but a lot softer than yellow pine which hardens up real fast as it dries.

[BeckyLil]

Nice work, Jessio. You'll love the show. I went ot one last week and it was amazing. So much to see, so much to buy! LOL

If your show is anything like the one I went to, you will get inspiration and ideas in ample quantity. Have a great time!