using the wood around me

[jschney]

hey, so brand new whittler, just recieved a knife for my birthday. Ive done a little research, found out that basswood is a good choice for materials, but id rather go out in the backyard and find wood to try whittling. any suggestions on what type, size, shape or wet or dry wood? thanks.

[Donsexton]

I will give you my two cents, yes you should carve some of the wood in your back yard and yes it can be green and wet. Additionally you should try to get what ever wood you think is desirable for a whittler some of that basswood. I carve green wet wood mostly.

[Dan S]

For my two bits I'll agree with Don. However, if you decide to take the time to do a really detailed piece, buy some good basswood.

Take care,
Dan

[AlArchie]

Box elder, birch, aspen, spruce, some pines, balsam all make good whittlin' material. There are bark whistles, branch roosters, mice, walking sticks, canes, and even piles of shaveings that can all be made with just a pocket knife and a few sticks. Toy canoes, toy boats, neckerchief slides, ball in cage, and chains can all be fashioned from those simple materials using only a pocket knife. Add to that list wood spirits, and even small wooden dolls for little girls. Lots of good material and ideas in the back yard, if you just take a few minutes to look around and let your immagination go.

Al

[Old Codger]

Welcome aboard and the WCI Forum Jschney! Hope you enjoy the forum and your new hobby of wood carving... Yep! Lots of 'backyard wood' can be used for carving and with some amazing results... One of my sons carves walking sticks out of wood that he's pruned from his and his neighbors trees...the two he gave my wife and I are just goregous so have fun with your new knife! I'm a newbie myself and prefer basswood, but that's a matter of choice, I just prefer the way it carves. Be sure and post some photos of your carvings and share them with us when you have a moment or two... Thanks!
Kenn

[thebirdwhittler]

Hi
Lovely to see you on the forum
A good place to look is in your local woods, When I first started out whittling many years ago I found many bits of wood all shapes and sizes and even today I still have one piece that is a talking point when I do a craft fair.

Whittling is a lovely hobby and will give you a lifetime of enjoyment and I look forward to seeing your work

Regards
Glyn

[E George]

Hi JSCHNEY,

AlArchie's list is very good. It does depend on the trees that grow in your area.

The best way to find out if a wood is good to carve is to try to carve it. Take a few cuts and see how it carves. If you like the result, try a simple carving such as a wood spirit or flower design. If a type of wood doesn't work for you, just cross it off your list and try another type. Explore: eliminating things that do not work is as important as finding things that do work.

Some carving books will give you a list of woods and their carving characteristics. Whittling and Woodcarving by E. J. Tangerman and published by Dover (www.doverpublications.com) has a good chart in it. Check out some of the books that WCI publishes as well.

Equally important is the choice of design to be used. For example, hard wood with an open grain, such as walnut or oak, will not produce the detail that can be achieved with basswood. Fruit trees such as apple, pear or cherry have close grain which is good for detail; however, fruit wood is a hard wood compared to basswood.

Check in your basement: an old piece of mahogany from a chair or bed frame is great for carving. Maybe a neighbor has some scraps of wood he or she would be willing to give you.

One of my first carvings was made from a piece of firewood and another was made from a piece of mahogany from a bed that I helped my father cut up.

Keep on carving: it is great fun.

E George

[Ron T]

Hello and welcome, jschney. If you say what country, region of the country, state, etc. that you're, it may help others to give you more specific help. What kind of knife did you get?

[jmischel]

"backyard wood" is my favorite type to carve! To me, the most rewarding carvings are those that I make from a piece of wood I picked up in the back yard, along the trail when I'm walking, or that I liberated from a trash heap somewhere. Wet or dry makes no difference to me: just pick up a piece of wood and make something out of it. Granted, if I'm going for something in particular I'll dig into the basswood pile, but I much prefer carving the harder woods that have more character.