Beginner's Guide

[Irish]

The WCI Message Board attracts a lot of new carvers and carvers that are isolated with no easy to reach carving clubs or groups. I often see them post with extremely general guestions because they simply are not far enough along to even know what question to ask

So let's help them get a good start! I believe that everyone has some idea, suggest, favorite tool, favorite wood, most successful finish .... tip to offer. Let's put them into one place and one thread for an easy "Getting Started" list.

So image a newbie sitting across the carving table from you asking "What one tip can you give me to get a good start in carving?" then answer it here. If your tip is focused on one type of carving style please include that also. Remember that even though you may think you idea is small or obvious or well known the newbies reading this may never have heard of it .. so it is worth listing.

If we all chime in we could have 100 tips and ideas before the weekend

Thanks, Susan Irish

[Irish]

Tip 1: Many of the basic supplies that you need for Relief and Chip carving can be found around your own home!

a heavy terry cloth towel to protect your lap while you work

a rubber non-skid matte that we use in our kitchen cabinets to keep the dishes from falling out is great for securing a flat carving to your table surface

old toothbrushes and old, clean stiff paint brushes are great for cleaning the fuzz bunnies from the deep crevices

a ruler, carbon paper, newspapers and a soft pencil for tracing

notecards and cereal box cardboard can be quickly cut into depth gauges.

So before you go hog wild buying new supplies at your wood store or hardware store do a quiet walk through the house. Save your money for buying New Tools!!!!

Susan Irish

[Eddy-Smiles]

Susan... Great idea and please don't take this as me trying to be a smart %@# but you might want to use your edit feature on your first post of this thread and change "attracks" to "attracts". It took me a second or two to figure out what you were talking about because with the "k" present my mind was seeing "attacks"....

[Just Carving]

Learn to sharpen your tools. Whether it be with stones, sandpaper, or machine--practice practice practice. Use the old non-serrated kitchen knives that never get used any more. Sharpen paring knives. Sharpen pocket knives. Sharpen old chisels that aren't used any more. Do it until you are good at it and then when you go to use your tools, you'll know when they're dull and need sharpening.

[Mottles]

Hi Susan:

Three words: Then comes #4

1. Bench Knife

2. Carving Glove

3. Thumb Guard

4. Something small and simple with easy instructions on how to carve to begin with whether it's relief or 3-D.

Kathy

[Grimnir]

Excellent idea Susan, thanks I'll be watching this thread with interest...

[Sharon of the Dell]

If you have long hair, tie it back when using any type of power tools or burners.....sharon

[Irish]

Eddy ... I think that Carving Wood Fairy snuck in and already did it ...

Just Carving!!!!! Perfect! Exactly what I was hoping for this thread.

Kathy, may I add STROP to your list. Once a beginner has followed Just Carving's excellent advice about practicing sharpening I would add that you can never strop and hone a tool enough. Strop often, about every 20 - 30 minutes while carving. Just a few licks keeps the edge.

Susan Irish

[feb]

Don't go out and buy every carving tool there is, or you'll find out later that you have 10 or 15 extra tools that you never use

feb

[Tom-H]

Do NOT be intimidated - by:

Getting started,
The wood,
The tools,
The techniques,
The process,
The project,
Other more experienced carvers.

Remember, that the carvers of the pieces you see in the gallery may have been carving for years and years. Only a very very few can pick up a carving tool and carve something that looks like anything the first time.

Tom H