Question about Basswood I'm using ....

[C. McCoy]

As I have stated in some of my other threads I have picked carving back up and being in a part of the country where there is no carving stores I bought some basswood off of ebay to get started and I also found a box of some basswood I kept when I quit carving years ago. I don't think any of this wood is northern basswood.

I have noticed that the basswood I'm using splinters alot when carving in corners, doing detail and small areas. Is the due to it being poor quailty basswood ? Probably not dried correctly ?

It is getting a little frustrating because the largers areas look ok but the areas that call for detail, stop cuts, etc. the wood just seems to splinter. And no amount of clean up seems to fix it. Just makes it worse.

Is this because of the wood or poor carving technique ?

Thanks.

[mdallensr]

I tried to carve some local (Ohio) basswood that had been air-dried and it was so bad, I quit trying. The center of air-dried basswood logs can get soft and punky; it's like trying to carve cork. Even Ohio is not northern as far as good carving wood is concerned. I get mine from Wisconsin, Minnesota, Up-state NY and Vermont. The colder the climate, the slower the trees grow, and that means more growth rings per inch and less crumbly wood and fuzzies. So, far, kiln dried wood has been the best for me. It's consistent, reliable and doesn't check. Mike

[Plain_Ol_Ed]

You can try spritzing it with plain water or a 50/50 or so mix of water and rubbing alchohol. Might save a carving. Then again might not. Sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn't.

[C. McCoy]

After researching the forum it seems alot of carvers like to get their wood from Heinecke. I read nothing but good things about the wood from them.

I going to place an order from them for some basswood and hope I will see a difference between what I'm carving with now and their wood.

[Lynn O. Doughty]

Use that 50/50 mix of alcohol and water. It works!!!

[Just Carving]

Also--if the wood starts to splinter, turn the piece around and carve from the oposite direction. You might be splitting the wood grain rather than slicing through it.

Bob L

[C. McCoy]

Maybe splinter was he wrong word to describe. I was going to post a pic but I couldn't get a clear enough close up of the problem.

I have tried cutting both ways. I actually tried using a v tool both ways on a problem spot and the wood seems to "brittle up" if that makes sense. You can't make a clean cut to save your life.

I'll try to post a pic if I can get a clear pic.

[chuckbolton]

are u sure your tools are really sharp? i started carving some cypress knees after hearing the warning that they too are "punky" once i made sure my tools were sharp, i had no more problems. old wood gets harder as it ages. good luck

[C. McCoy]

Yes the tools are sharp. The v tool I mentioned I used is one I just purchased from Little Shavers and was sharpened by Rick. It was the first time I used it.

[brian-bailey]

Wood that is to dry will become brittle.

I would try raising the moisture content of the wood by placing it in a closeable container with a bowl of water or moisten towel. Keep it enclosed for a couple of days, then try carving the wood.

If the problem was dry wood, you will notice quite an improvement in carving it.