Woodcarving knife on a budget

[Gear Dog]

I made the mistake of picking up a knife and basswood blocks from Michaels. The blade didn't have an edge at all and the wood was rock hard. Lucky for me I found a carving club close by and they've taught me so much. The first thing they did was sharpen my knife for me so that I knew what sharp really meant. They gave me some fresh basswood to practice on. What a difference that made in my decision to keep carving. Soon after that I picked up a Butz knife and it was like night and day. At the advice of the club I stuck with that one for a while before picking up anymore knives. Many new carvers think getting a "better knife" will make them a better carver. A sharp edge and practice is all you need to become better. I agree little shavers is a great starting point. Good luck and date and keep all of your carvings. You will be suprized how you can learn from the ones tha didn't come out the way you wanted them to.