this may be a stupid question, but what is the difference between whittling and carving... or is there a real difference?

There are no stupid questions, but there are stupid answers.

This question has several answers, the one I subscribe to is:

Whittling is the removal of chips to discover what is left.

Carving is the removal of chips to discover what you planned.

An alternate answer:

Whittling is done with the tool in one hand and the wood in the other.
In carving, the wood is held by some other means than the hand.

Good going Rick! I dont believe I or anyone can beat that explanation. Smokey

Right on Smokey, I think Rick hit it right on the head. I know now that I'm a whittler.

[mikeg]

I suspect you'll get almost as many answers as there are people on this forum.

I always liked the answer of whittling is done with one tool, generally a knife. Carving is done with any and all tools you can lay your hands on.

mikeg

I always thought of it like this....

Whittlin' is the removal of wood without a specific goal in mind.

Carving is the removal of wood to achieve a specific goal.

Now, what's wood sculpturing?

I agree that there are MANY different possible answers.

[quote author=mikeg link=board=Beginner;num=1096263418;start=0#4 date=09/27/04 at 08:00:42]I suspect you'll get almost as many answers as there are people on this forum. Â*

I always liked the answer of whittling is done with one tool, generally a knife. Â*Carving is done with any and all tools you can lay your hands on. Â*

mikeg[/quote]

Yep, that's what I've always thought. Whittling is done with only a knife while carving uses gouges, chisels, etc.

Bartleby.com says:

whittle

VERB: Inflected forms: whit·tled, whit·tling, whit·tles

TRANSITIVE VERB:
1a. To cut small bits or pare shavings from (a piece of wood). b. To fashion or shape in this way: whittle a toy boat.

INTRANSITIVE VERB: To cut or shape wood with a knife.


carve
VERB: Inflected forms: carved, carv·ing, carves

TRANSITIVE VERB:
2. To cut into a desired shape; fashion by cutting: carve the wood into a figure.

3. To make or form by or as if by cutting: carve initials in the bark; carved out an empire.

4. To decorate by cutting and shaping carefully.

INTRANSITIVE VERB: 1. To engrave or cut figures as an art, hobby, or trade.

Tangerman says in the foreword of 'Whittling and Woodcarving'

'To whittle, you need only a pocketknife and the side of a discarded box. (back then, 1936, boxes were wood) To carve, add a few chisels and a carpet covered board for a worktable.'

I considered myself a whittler when I was using only a knife to make puzzles, fans, ball-in-cage, chains, etc. (all of which are planned and have specific goals ) but now call myself a carver because I have different tools for different tasks.

[Hi_Ho_Sliver]

My Dad and his family were mostly in Alabama, when they would have a family reunion, all the men would gather around, pull out they trusty pocketknife, a chunk or stick of cedar and they would start (whittlin') I never saw any of them make anything, they seemed to be trying to see how thin a shaving they could pare off! But I do know, some of them were making toothpicks! LOL 'cuz nuthin' gits in the way of eats!'

[Kenny_S]

Ah, I see most here are whittlers eh?
I agree with HIHO, Nothing like a good whilttled toothpick for after meal fun!

[Kenny_S]

To add my 2 Abe Lincolns gentlemen, I could care less what you call me, A carver or Whittler, Just don't forget to call me for dinner.