Woodspirits with just a pocket knife?

[Grimnir]

I really prefer just using my pocket knife for carving, perhaps due to the lack of good tools, but also due to years of knife use and very little experience with gouges etc..

So, does anyone have a tutorial or a book suggestion for carving woodspirits and the like with just a pocket knife? I've a Victorinox Pocket Pal by the way, the one with the 2 blades and none of the added gizmos on the other SAKs

[Plain_Ol_Ed]

I don't know as how such a book exists! I just pick up a block of wood and have at it from a picture in my mind. Like you, I prefer a pocket knife, a SAK even. I use a modified Tinker.

I do have gouges and chisels. Many, many, many of them, but prefer the simplicity of the pocket knife. I have way too many of them also.

[Tom-H]

I suspect I am not too much different, as I have various knives and gouges, but end up using a pocket knife most of the time. I know this is mainly because it's what I carry and I always have it with me, ready to carve. I would suggest that you get a supply of 1 x 1 inch basswood, and begin carving the wood spirits on the corners. I carve smaller, so I keep a bunch of 1/2 x 1/2 inch pieces in each car we have and always have some at hand, no matter where I am. With practice you can make any cut with a pocket knife that one can get from a gouge or V tool.

Tom H

[Just Carving]

In the Summer 2008 issue of WCI is a 3 page step by step article where you can carve a wizard with just a knife an a v tool--which is optional. I don't see much difference between a wizard and a wood spirit.

[Clifford_Parker]

I haven't seen a tutorial but have carved many woodspirits with just my pocketknife. Most cuts can easily be adapted for knife carving even if the tutorial calls for a gouge.

Congrats on the knife choice. My newest whittler is a Victorinox Pocket Pal and I really like it.

[Grimnir]

I think the main problem is working out how to adapt the cuts. I've literally been carving for one week so I'm a little short on experience as to what the cuts look like even.

Still, thanks to Chuckt I'll be getting the Summer issue of WCI soon. It was actually that wizard article that prompted me to take up carving so I can't wait!

[chuckt]

It's a great article and authored by our very own TomH (who posted a reply above). I've never gotten the hang of making good clean cuts for hair, so I rely on my Dockyard micro gouges or a small v-tool. They're not too terribly expensive, but if you've got no leeway - well - like the other said with some patience and care I am sure you can make these cuts cleanly with a knife. And 1x1 in basswood (or lime I think in your case Grimnir) shouldn't cost much either. So have at it mate.

Cheers
ChuckT

[Tom-H]

I don't know if others will agree, but I think a good way to start out using the pocket knife (or any other knife) in place of a gouge, is to start with stop cuts. Instead of using the gouge to "scoop" out rounded pieces of wood, use the knife to make stop cuts that set the limits of the wood to be cut out with the knife. Best example of this can be found in carving the face. Gouges are sometimes used to remove the wood that forms the eye socket, and defines the side of the nose and the top of the cheek area. This would be a rounded depression. When using the pocket knife, make stop cuts defining the side of the nose, top of the eye socket. Next, place the knife blade on the top of the cheek area, and slice up along the side of the nose, gradually deepening the cut, to the point where the two stop cuts come to a point at the top of the nose. Continue slicing the knife cut to the end of the stop cut that defined the eye socket. Remove the chip. What you are left with is the area around the eye. You may leave it this way (as in flat plan carving) or round the area off a bit. A lot of words, but after a few trys you'll get it.

The eye is a whole nother journey.

Tom H

[Just Carving]

Thanks Tom--I was thinking the same thing; that a wood spirit--in fact, most carving--can be done with a knife. I was going to try it but you've done the thought process for me. I kind of thought it would end up being flat plane style but I guess with a little more effort, I could pretty much accomplish the wood spirit with similar results to doing one with gouges and v tools. I prefer the KISS (Keep It Simple Sam) principle. i.e. working with one tool. Thanks

[Graywolf71]

All you have to do is follow TomH's article. I've carved with Tom and watched him do some amazing things with just a pocket knife.

I myself use a Flexcut carving jack which is the pocket special carving pocket knife, if you want to see one and the results you can get from it you can check out my blog, it's pictured along side the carvings i've done. I've carved for 5 years now and it's still the thing i use 90% of the time.

Michael Gray