Demystifying Wood Grain

[BrandantR]

Because many beginners, as well as seasoned carvers alike, often have a difficult time understanding and dealing with wood grain and all of the difficulties that arise because of it, I have compiled a document entitled "Demystifying Wood Grain, a Wood Carving Primer." In this tutorial, I attempt to demystify the somewhat elusive subject of wood grain and how to deal with it properly. I hope you will stop by and take a look, but mostly, I hope that it is useful to you by shedding some light on this sometimes difficult subject.

Here's the link to the post on The Old Stump Blog: The Old Stump: Demystifying Wood Grain

[pallin]

Did you intend that the second word in this post be "many?"

[BrandantR]

Yup, I sure did. But one quick edit, and it's changed. Thanks Phil.

[Robson Valley]

Clearly described. Suppose that you're intent on working with a featureless block of wood, say, basswood or yellow cedar (Xanthocyparis nootkatensis). The transverse aspect is easily found but can you list your tricks for determining the grain axis in the block? All I do is try a few gouge cuts with a 8/7 in some waste and hope the rest of the block follows that (Wrong, most of the time.)

[Sean R]

I just read your tutorial and it was a great read. Thank you very much for taking the time to do that. That is what I love about this forum, Everyone is so eager to help out us new and old folks alike being a new carver it is very nice to have this type of info.
Sean

[Donsexton]

That is good teaching. I have my way of feeling grain it works 100% of the time for me.

[brent]

Ain't nuthin like a good piece of mahogany or maybe walnut for good ole switchback grain. Just gotta love that stuff!

[BrandantR]

Originally Posted by Robson Valley

Clearly described. Suppose that you're intent on working with a featureless block of wood, say, basswood or yellow cedar (Xanthocyparis nootkatensis). The transverse aspect is easily found but can you list your tricks for determining the grain axis in the block? All I do is try a few gouge cuts with a 8/7 in some waste and hope the rest of the block follows that (Wrong, most of the time.)

The best way that I have found for dealing with wood where the grain is not visible is good old trial and error I'm afraid. I'll make a few "test" cuts in a location where I have plenty of wood to remove in order to get a feel for the grain direction. If your tool grabs and tries to go deeper, you are carving against the grain, just turn the wood around and carve from the opposite direction. If you get a little bit of tear out, but the tool doesn't grab too bad, you are almost there, but not quite. When your tool cuts smoothly and you have total control of the chip you are removing, you now know the right direction to carve.

Experience and practice are your best friends when it comes to understanding wood grain. I wish there was another, more easy way to put it. Here's one other hint; before you cut out your blanks, take a good look at the grain direction which is usually visible in the uncut board and take a mental note or even draw an arrow right on your blank to remind you. Also take time to lay out your blank so that the grain runs in the most advantageous direction. The best advice I can give is to take small cuts at first until you have the grain figured out.