dry fibrous basswood

[therenow]

let me say from the start that I am struggling with chip carving. I have some 3/8 inch basswodd that has been in the house (Arizona) for some months. When I try to chip carve I get a lot of chip outs and fibers, particularly when cutting with the grain. My knives are sharp, using the ceramic stones , etc.

But, I have read on these posts that a mixture of 50% alocohol and water, sprayed on the surface will ease that problem. My Buddy says spray the alcohol down your throat and it won't matter

Here is my question: should I spray the mixture how often and/or before carving and let it absorb into the basswood.My buddy thinks it is a waste of alcohol but then...he was never the smart one and often is chasing snipes

[Crazy8]

In Wayne Bartons 'The complete guide to chip carving', he says to put your piece in a bag with a pan of water from one to three days. The wood doesn't touch the water, it is just to get the moisture. After you finish carving for the day wrap it back in plastic. I am new and I haven't tried this yet but it is what I read so I passed it along. He wrote the book so I guess he knows a little more than I do

[Steve Reed]

I would go with the technique above. You don't want to spray if you're chip carving. JMHO