[icarve2003]

O.k., I want to try one of these. :P

I've got a couple of 3 foot long by about 8 inch diameter pieces from a walnut tree that have been sitting in my garage/workshop for about a year now.

Should I use one of these or start scouting around for something else?

I've got an idea of how I would like it to look, I just need to get it on paper and start chipping. Is it best to peel the bark off of the area before carving? ???

[Colin_Partridge]

Hi there,
Black walnut is great to carve and sure you can carve the whole log and seeing its only been down a year it shouldnt be too hard to carve. When it comes to wood walnut is one of the hardest woods but it takes detail beautiful I find the harder the wood the better detail it takes.
If you havent been carving long I would suggest that your first woodspirit should be in a softer wood like cedar or pine or even bass wood or willow or butternut. Removing the bark is up to you some wood the bark will stay on fine like butternut or walnut some woods you may as well take it off because it will eventuallly fall off anyway.
Good luck and make sure you post a picture when you complete it.
Colin
http://www.geocities.com/partridge_ch

icarve,

I have to agree with Colin, though walnut is a beautiful wood it is harder to carve than many other good carving woods like pine, cedar, basswood, butternut, poplar/aspen, willow, or birch. My first woodspirit was in cottonwood bark and though it carves easily it has a tendency to break so might not be a good choice either.

If you do go with the walnut make sure your tools are RAZOR sharp!! Walnut, oak, and other HARD hardwoods can give you quite a workout on your honing and stropping skills.

Good whittlin, Cliff
Charles City, Iowa
http://cliffordparker.tripod.com