first project

[LFCmark]

Ok I am getting my knife this week. What should my first project be? I would like somthing i could do muiltiple time without getting bored of it. Any help would be great guys. I am excited to get started.

[big dave]

the 1st project for any new carver is to learn how to sharpen and maintain your tools, sharpe tools are a must Allen Goodman has a video on youtube allengoodman69 on how to maintain your tools

[TOEKNEE]

ditto to what big dave said, learn how to properly sharpen and maintain a good edge on your carving knife, and carving becomes WAY WAY WAY more enjoyable. i have be to classes and club functions where people try to carve with dull tools, and all they end up doing is getting frustrated. (are you listening mom and aunt sherry!!!hahaha!!!)

[LFCmark]

Ok i have watched how to maintain my tool. But i have a question. My father has a knife sharpener is that safe to us on my knife. Know that i have learned how to sharpen my knife using other system than that. What should i do now. I am ready to Carve!

[Joy]

Your first project depends on what you are interested in. You have a knife so maybe you should check out Gene Messer's videos. Or you could carve an old boot. Whatever you carve you will be learning how your knife cuts.....how the grain of the wood reacts, etc. It is all about "doing" and having fun.

Don't forget to protect yourself with a safety glove!

[Robert Cahill]

I agree with Joy myself I'm partial to Jack Price type carvings. Also you may try Mary Finns book on carving egg heads she has great tutorial for making your own eye sticks nose stick and lips .Just my opinion and may not even be the type carving your interested in.

[Dicky]

An old carver taught me a good beginners exercise. He told me to take a hunk of wood and carve it into a sphere. The rationale is that you will have to cross the grain of the wood in every possible direction. Just have fun with it.

[BrandantR]

The first project that I did was Lynn Doughty's cowboy boots. It was a great little starting carving that teaches one how to round over edges, use stop cuts, and was simple enough to finish fairly quickly. The most important thing a new carver can to is get used to his/her tools. These boots are done as a pair and you can make as many sets as you want to get the feel of carving and how to work with the grain of the wood.

[Gulf Coast Handyman]

I think anything that you are interested in would work as a firt project. My first was a dolphin, I used a piece of 1 x 1 x 12 bass wood, cost a couple bucks, and you can get 3 or 4 dolphins out of it, mess one piece up and you make a design change or move on to the next piece. It was good practice for me, and then I moved on. Just DONT be afraid to make mistakes, that's how you learn. Hope this helps !

Dave