I wanna start carving

Hey, my uncle sends me knives and i would like to start carving but don't ow what kind of wood to use. Could you recommend some for me please?

Alex

I am not sure what type of carving you would like to try. Either way Basswood is a great choice for any type of begining carving. It is cheap, at least in my area. And it is easy to carve.

Dale

As Dale said, basswood is great and should probably be you main wood. In addition you might try various scraps that you pick up. Some will be good, most will be bad, but you will soon figure out which is which.

An added piece of advice if you are not already aware - make sure your tools are very very sharp.

[Colin-Partridge]

Good advice from Dale and Ed when I started carving I started with driftwood and most of it is pretty good experience will tell you what to carve and what not to carve. Having said that I still do a whole pile of carvings in Sugar Maple and it is like carving cement. I find that the harder the wood the better detail it takes. Back to what I wanted to warn you about in found wood especially drift wood, it will dull your knifes and gouges pretty fast because it is usually full of sand. So those sharp knifes lose their edge pretty fast. It is always the dull tool that cuts you because you force it thru the wood. Good luck with carving it can bring you many hours of pleasure and relaxation not to mention you can make a few bucks as well.
Colin

[Hi_Ho_Sliver]

All good advice.....and only will ad, there are a number of sites that show you how to sharpen your knives, I suggest you look those up and learn how to put a razor edge on those knives before you even start.....then after all the knives are sharp.....BUY A GLOVE!!! LOL

i would also recomend a good book to start out with. i started with a book by rick butz. his books come with some patters and very good instructions and good pictures. it was a great help. I believe that it was called 'A beginers guide to carving' or something like that. it also mentioned how to sharpen. it is a good investment.

[AlArchie]

You can also start with one of the carving 'kits'. Some are just the wood blank with a pattern inked on it, and others are rough-outs with instructions. Try www.littleshavers.com for some ideas on these. Rick, there can also give you some wery good advice if you ask him.

Al

Alex,
Basswood, my first two attempts were in an oak 1x scrap and a piece of apple from the firewood pile. Got the carving bug up also blisters. Get a magazine and try a step by step project. Accept that some of your projects are most useful as firewood. Big projects are tempting but completable before your next haircut seems to be most enjoyable for me. (I am about 82% bald so the haircut schedule is pretty flexible.) Find a carving friend and/or someone artistic to be your second set of eyes. Visit this forum often. Avoid injury.
Ah Chip
PS: I am backtracking after three years to follow most of the advice above in my carving adventure.

[Hi_Ho_Sliver]

there are three really good magazines out there you can find out about anything you want to know but were afraid to ask! Wood carving Illustrated, Carving , chip chats...

Alex,

In addition to all the above positive advise, I'd like to add: check your local community for a carving club and go attend a meeting or two, you'll pickup and endless amount of knowledge, might even come home with a scrap piece of basswood. We're often working on a weekly small project and encourage new members and 'trial carvers', most clubs also have a 'library' of older books and magazines to lend out or read while at the meeting.

Anyway, I wish you much success with your new found hobby and hope to see a picture of your first carving. Speaking of this, always keep your first one, no matter how bad you may think it is.............Coffeeman (2 1/2 yr carver)