[jfy1939]

Hello out there! I am a retired senior citizen and interested in carving some walking sticks with wood spirits. I am a beginner and doing this for fun to give to family and friends. The sticks have been collected on my own property and are red cedar. Are there any books or patterns available for the beginner wanting to do this. I have a good set of carving tools that my husband bought me several years ago. I took one six week class from a professional carver, also several years ago. (Just did relief carving in the class).
Thanks for any feedback.

[wood-whittler]

jfy1939,

there are many books on carving woodspirits {tom wolfe, skyler johnson} to name a couple. there are also some good tutorials on here. check out www.gargacoriginals he is on this board also he has some awesome walking sticks.

hope this helps

bart

[Mike-in-WV]

Originally Posted by jfy1939

Hello out there! I am a retired senior citizen and interested in carving some walking sticks with wood spirits. I am a beginner and doing this for fun to give to family and friends. The sticks have been collected on my own property and are red cedar. Are there any books or patterns available for the beginner wanting to do this. I have a good set of carving tools that my husband bought me several years ago. I took one six week class from a professional carver, also several years ago. (Just did relief carving in the class).
Thanks for any feedback.

Most of what I carve is known as walking "staffs" in my area but the wood spirits are one of the favorites . They are also fun to carve because you can let your imagination go wild and have fun with what you feel a wood spirit should look like. Here are a few of mine and I have been carving them for a long while now. If I can be of any help please let me know.
Please be assured that you have found the best place for help with your carvings. We have amateurs , professionals( some of the worlds best) and everything in between and they are all great people willing to help anyone who ask for it. Mike
http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v8...Anch=imgAnch13

[squbrigg]

Welcome aboard JFY1939.......or can we just call you JFY? Great gang here, lots of stick carvers, lots of spirit carvers, have fun.

Bob

[jfy1939]

Thanks for the input out there. FYI, I am a female! My carving tools have a W. Germany stamp on them, whatever that means. As I said, I am a real novice.

[Ashbys]

Hi Jfy

being female does not matter here, , your in good company here , Susan Irish , Lori Corbett , and many many more that show up the rest of us.

Your tools , with the stamp are excellent tools. If they are what I think they are they are made of some of the finest steel in the world. They will serve you well. just wear protection, and take your time you will do well .

[Robert Cahill]

I just read an article on carving 6" wood spirits out of cedar and hanging them in closets as a moth repellant. I realize this is not walking sticks but it could be good practice for one and the article mentioned they would make great gifts.

Robert

[Thor]

Hi Jfy,
Any tutorial of woodspirits can be applied to carving staffs. One thing you want to remember as a new carver is to learn to sharpen your tools well, and that takes awhile, but once learned is learned, and as Ash mentioned, wear protection. A carvers glove can save you a serious injury especially while carving something that you'll be holding in your hand while carving like a staff. I think if you search this message board, you'll find awoodspirit tutorial and a lot of examples in the carvers gallery. I have a book by Tom Wolfe on woodspirits on staffs that I like too, but it stays loaned out a lot.
Good luck with it, and please post pictures of your progress. Folks here will be glad to help giving you pointers.
Thor / Christina

[Dennis Taylor]

Robert can you post the location on the article you read on carving the 6" wood spirits?...and Thor possible the name of the book with sticks with spirits on them also...tks to both...Dennis

[Mitchell]

Browse through this link......

http://www.foxchapelpublishing.com/s...p=1&FullCat=47

Maybe you'll see something that you like. The book Thor mentioned is listed here + others.