[Bartster]

anita,

cedar is considered one of the carveable woods and it is but you have to have extremely sharp tools because the wood splinters kinda bad. you need to switch to basswood and try the elephant again,the basswood is softer and easier to work. rick at littleshavers has a really good starter kit to get you started with some really sharp tools for a good price. as far as wood look at heineke wood products their website is www.heineckewood.com they have some good stuff. flexcut also makes a good starter set also for a little more than ricks. hope this helps

bart

[knightflight]

Originally Posted by wood-whittler

anita,

cedar is considered one of the carveable woods and it is but you have to have extremely sharp tools because the wood splinters kinda bad. you need to switch to basswood and try the elephant again,the basswood is softer and easier to work. rick at littleshavers has a really good starter kit to get you started with some really sharp tools for a good price. as far as wood look at heineke wood products their website is www.heineckewood.com they have some good stuff. flexcut also makes a good starter set also for a little more than ricks. hope this helps

bart

Thanks for all of your pointers, Bart. I appreciate it!

This cedar has been splintering a LOT!

[GeorgiaCarver]

I love cedar but as has been said, very hard wood that you need razor sharp tools for.

I agree with Basswood, soft easy wood to get started with.

Greg

[love2carve2]

Anite,
Welcome to the group. The best way to learn is by doing. Practice, practice, practice. You can learn a lot from a carving club. I agree basswood is the best to start carving with. You will find the people here very informative, knowledgeable and willing to help and answer any questions. Glad to have you on board.
Mary

[Just Carving]

Hello Anita

Welcome! You've taken the hardest step--you've started carving! And a good start it is!

Your elephant looks a lot like some of my carvings when I first started 2 years ago?!?! Wow! Time flies!

Anyway, not that I'm good, but I'm getting better. And you will, too. Your tools are important--especially the sharpness. But you don't need to run out and spend a whole lot of money--yet. What you have may be better than you think, and all they may need is for you to be able to "tune" them up real good. If the tools turn out to be not so hot, at least you'll learn that, and have some "expendable" tools to practice sharpening on. However, when you're more experienced, then you'll buy every tool you see! LOL BTW--Rick at Little Shavers does have a great starter set, and he'll steer you in the right direction to where you want to go. Call him and ask away, and you'll bet set to go.

In the mean time, you need to learn to sharpen your tools. Here in this forum are the sharpening gurus of North America, if not, the world. I'm still learning, that's why I keep checking in here at the forum. There are many ways of sharpening. But when I started, I did the least complicated and cheapest way of sharpening--sandpaper--otherwise known as the Scary Sharp method! And I'm still doing it the same way, and it works for me. So, here's a link (with more links within)to get you started learning about it:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scary_sharp

You can get the sandpaper at the big box stores, hardware stores, or auto parts stores. As far as a piece of glass, you can use a piece of hardwood, masonite, etc. as long as it is smooth and lays flat.

Basswood is your best choice--the creamy white kind, clear of knots, splits, and defects--to carve, and since you happen to be right smack in the middle of capital of the best basswood around, you shouldn't have too much trouble finding it. But Dale at Heinecke will take good care of you as he does all his customers.

So sharpen them tools, get some basswood, and give it another shot. I'll bet you'll see improvement. And whatever you do, make sure you ask a lot of questions--that's the only way you'll learn!

[Eleanor]

Hi and welcome Anita, I am new here too! Your elephant is very cool, the red cedar is soo pretty, can't get that wood here in England ( unless I'm mistaken) . Carving took off for me when I discovered what a good, really sharp gouge can do. The difference between cutting cement and carrots, really.All my teachers in Austria seemed to do nearly everything with about 2 gouges, you don't need loads.

[squbrigg]

Welcome aboard Anita. You have recieved some great advice on: tools, wood and sharpening, so I'll just say, enjoy the experience of carving, and may it bring you as much pleasure as it has me over my lifetime.

Bob

[Dylan]

Welcome to the broad Anita. If your interested in relief carving I might could give you some help. ly, relief carving needs about the most tools of any carving style.

Dylan

[knightflight]

Originally Posted by Dylan

If your interested in relief carving I might could give you some help.

Actually, I am quite interested in carving green men. My "oldest" hobby is drawing and drawing faces is my favorite thing to do. So I think I would really enjoy carving faces!

[knightflight]

Originally Posted by Just Carving

Welcome! You've taken the hardest step--you've started carving! And a good start it is!

Thanks for the encouragement!

Originally Posted by Just Carving

Your elephant looks a lot like some of my carvings when I first started 2 years ago?!?! Wow! Time flies!

Is that good or bad?

Originally Posted by Just Carving

In the mean time, you need to learn to sharpen your tools. Here in this forum are the sharpening gurus of North America, if not, the world.

Thx for the advice. It is also very reassuring to know that there is a lot of expertise on this board and that it is such a helpful community of folks! Everyone so far has been very warm and welcoming and helpful!!

Originally Posted by Just Carving

So sharpen them tools, get some basswood, and give it another shot. I'll bet you'll see improvement. And whatever you do, make sure you ask a lot of questions--that's the only way you'll learn!

That sums up well my first important lesson as a woodcarver! Thank you and thanks to everybody else who took the time to write to this newbie and offer such good advice and encouragement! You're great!