Wood Splintering

[Suetz1972]

I'm "very" new to the wood carving craft. My only experience is viewing videos on-line and looking through books..My question is while practicing with vairous woods (balsa, pine and misc. craft wood) I've found the cutting "against" the grain of wood causes splintering...when cutting with the grain I have no problem making the desired cuts. Any suggestions for what I need to know (i.e. techique, different wood, etc.) Thanks experts!

[Claude]

Welcome to the forum!

1) Make sure your knife is sharp. The way to tell is to put your head next to a lamp of some sort, then hold the knife blade flat under the light so the light reflects into your eyes. Slowly rotate the blade until the edge is straight up. At this point, if you see any reflection at all from the edge, your knife is not sharp enough.

2) Don't carve against the grain. Look at the wood grain and try to always carve with the grain, or across the grain, not against it. If the wood starts to split, you need to shift and carve from the other direction

Claude

[carver33]

Claude has given you some very good advice. The only thing that I can add is when cutting across the grain use a more of a slicing motion then you normally do when cutting with the grain.

What tools are you using and do you know how to sharpen a knife?

[Mitchell]

Don't use Balsa. It's too soft.

Pine is difficult as the growth rings have hard and soft differences that can cause splintering.

The advice already given is excellent -> keep your tools sharp and use a slicing motion instead of a stabbing or straight "push" of the blade into the wood.

[Suetz1972]

The knife I'm using is "Walnut Hollow" Carving Knife (purchased from a craft store)...according to the package it is supposed to be "pre-sharpenened" and ready for use. I haven't used the knife long enough (in my opinion) to require sharpening at this time, unless the manufacturer did not do it's job!!?? Looks like I'll have to find a distributor of basswood or butternut wood in my area and work from there.

Thanks to all for your input. I'll keep you posted on my wood search. But for now I only have access to Lowes, Home Depot and craft stores...I'll have to dig deeper in my home town for wood sources.

[LeeRoy]

Being a new carver also. I too bought a Walnut Hollow knife. They might say that is ready to go, but the one I got was't. I had to lower the grind and sharpen it before it would do any cutting. I will be looking for another knife, this one will make a good back up knife.

Happy Carving
LeeRoy

[carver33]

As far as the Walnut Hollow knife goes, you might want to take a look at this thread and form your decision from there:

Walnut Hollow Knives ?

For wood, Basswood is the best and you'll probably have to order it. A prime source is:

Heinecke Wood Products

where many of the carvers here get their wood.

[scooter]

I too, started w/a Walnut Hollow knife, and when I look at it now, I'm amazed that it didn't deter me from carving altogether (not the bigggest fan of a WH knife). I'm glad that the carving bug didn't die with me, as that knife is a carving bug killer.

Your mileage may vary, of course.

S~