Learning Basswood.

[Rook]

Finally got my shipment of basswood, and I have to say this to all my fellow novice carvers; bite the bullet and buy some basswood! Frankly, I'm kicking myself for not doing it earlier. I'd put off buying some until now and I should have done so much sooner. (Also got a strop and yellow paste.... Wish I'd done that earlier too!)

Now, on to the carving of the day. I wanted to learn basswood now that I have 21.6 pounds of it. But, I confess that my attempts and failures at faces have knocked me back a tad. So I decided to do something a little more simplistic. Not easy, but simpler than say, a realistic carving of a human.

I took a look through some of the Videos Gene has submitted and I opted to do an axe, with a twist. I did a felling axe rather than a splitting axe.

DBaxe.jpg

Don't feel like I'm plagiarizing Gene, and it taught me a lot. The grain is pretty awesome and reliable in the basswood. Seems like I can concentrate more on what I'm doing, not what the wood will tolerate.

So, thanks Gene for the idea, thanks Rockler for the wood, and thanks to this forum for giving me the initiative.

TJ.

[Ron T]

Hi T.J.,

I'm glad to hear you're enjoying the basswood. But, don't give up on carving faces. It's fun though challenging. I read a lot of tutorials and tips in the carving magazines. And of course, lots of hair pulling and practice.

[Rook]

Originally Posted by Ron T

Hi T.J.,

And of course, lots of hair pulling and practice.

There's the problem, my hair is already going thin and I haven't finished my first quarter-century, I can't afford to start pulling any out!

I'm not giving up on them, I just have the kind of personality when I feel like I need to counter a failure with a success. Just my nature. I foul up two pieces, I need to get a couple good ones done to counter the bad juju. Plus it helps me rebuild my confidence.

TJ.

[arfer1943]

Basswood (Lime in Europe) is THE wood for carving.

Why did all the masters use it almost exclusively if it wasn't? Sometimes other woods may be chosen for special purposes (Oak for outdoor signs for instance), but in my experience it is the most consistent.

Wood grain does not intrude, it takes detail well and finishes well.

Pine is OK for low detail carving, boxwood for intricate small carvings, but all round, use basswood.

If you've never tried it, you ain't carved (lived).

[Whittled Thumb]

Is that a kevlar glove or a garden glove? If its a common cloth glove, do yourself a favor, go down to Bass Pro Shop and buy you a pair of steel woven fillet gloves! I learned my lesson it was painful and expensive! If they are kevlar then carry on

[Rook]

It's a carving glove from treeline. Being a coward I tested its protection by placing a piece of wood inside and seeing if a nick would leave a mark. As expected, no protection from stabs, but it'll not let a slice through.

On a side note, it'd be highly recommended if you were an eskimo. Make a coat out of the same material and you could hike around the north pole, lol. But, the peace of mind is worth the discomfort.

TJ.

[Old Codger]

Hi TJ! Nice 'Axe' you carved there!!! I just finished two of them today for the wife... Gene's always coming up with great ideas for we 'newbies' and you're right, a nice job like that does make you feel better and more confident... You can't beat Rockler for the 20 lb box of basswood either can you? Good quality basswood and fast service too. Now what's your next project? Again, nice axe and keep on sharing the photos of your work with us, we enjoy seeing them...
Kenn

[Rook]

I carved a boot today after finding another of Gene's videos..... Let's just say I need to work on it a bit. Without mistakes, we cannot learn, and I educated myself some today. Kinda odd really. I did a ball in a cage last night without much trouble, but couldn't carve a simple boot today. Some days, it's just not in the cards.

Thanks to all for reading and responding, I appreciate it.

TJ.

[A_Swope]

Nice carving TJ,
Im the same way, if a carving isnt to my liking I keep making the same thing over until I get a satisfactory one.

[flyfisherman_53]

Ok break it down for us you said you got 21.6lbs what was total price. Just courious as I purchased a 2"x14"x 16ft piece of basswood and only paid $5.00 for the entire piece and it was ruffcut. Made a rocking horse for the grandkids still have more than half of it left.