Where can one find SOFT basswood?

[santagibbs]

I am about to throw up my hands to carving!
I order roughouts and the wood on some them are so hard and I just don't want to go to the trouble sending them back.. That company has now changed owners.. I would like to order a few things but am afraid theywill be hard as a rock.. I got some John Nelson's roughouts and the wood was so nice and soft that it was sheer pleasure to carve that Santa.. I order some long blocks from Dick Blick two x threes etc. and they were hard in parts of it and you could even see the grain in it.. I know my knives are sharp as the Jon Nelson wouldn't haved carved so well if they were dull.. I have chunked two little snowman and a baby racoon last night and am so very frustrated. I almost feel like quitting . Does anyone know where there is some nice soft basswood.. ? Thanks for telling me. Charlotte

[Colin-Partridge]

Charlotte,
I know what you mean I have a bunch of roughouts that are so hard that I have been carving on them for a year now and still havent finished them. I have heard it depends where the basswood comes from. From what I am told is that Northern Basswood the stuff we get here in Canada is by far the best. Must have something to do with the really cold winters I would think. I dont know that for sure but that is what I have been told. Dont give up we would hate to see you leave the board now we have got you back.
Good luck
Colin

[Bob_in_TN]

Hi Charlotte, can't help you on roughouts, I think we're all in the same boat. You get one that carves like butter and the next one is like rock. I haven't ordered from the company that recently changed ownership since the new owners have taken over. Hopefully they will use good wood for their roughouts.

If you just want basswood, there's only one place to order, in my opinion.

http://www.heineckewood.com/

It's the best, IMHO!

Hope this helps, Bob

[Hi_Ho_Sliver]

Yep listen to Bob,.... heinecke! Also did you mist rubbing alcohol on the wood? if its still hard, soak it in water for a couple of hours...but remember if you do to spray some wd 40 on your tools or wipe down with oil after you are thru carving, you don't want moisture to rust your tools.......also you FORGOT! Geez I give you all this good advice and you forget!Hammer You can't mess up a carving! no, you can't! carve deeper, cut it off and glue another piece on! lol sic'em Charlotte you can do it!Talking

[santagibbs]

Bob, thank's for telling me about the company that sells the best.. I will give them a call.. I don't know if I am suppose to mention a company name on here but I think people should be well advised to what to expect when they order.. Someone told me the new company that took over the other company that has sold roughouts for years ( that is where I ordered many) has been selling hard wood too.. maybe they are trying to get rid of old stock.. You pay a lot of money for large stock and then get cement.. GRRRRR Thanks for your advice.. Charlotte

[Nancy-ID]

Charlotte,
I can't help you on the rough outs but here is where I get my basswood. It is always nice!

http://www.woodchipshop.com

[santagibbs]

Yes Hi Ho, I did what you said and misted with 100 percent alcohol .. It didn't help but I didn't soak it in water.. I will give that a try.. I started to soak it good by just opening up the window and chunking it in the pond ..but put it on the shelf , last summer.. I had already done a lot of work on it.
I am trying to hang on.. Now instead of the little raccoon I was going to put with the Mama Racoon I am putting a hound dog... changes the scene to a more scary scene for the racoon... and the chubby little santa .." hum..." maybe I will call him Santa Jr... could a Santa Jr. have a beard.. Yep., if he was Santa's kid .. he could... ???? Thanks for the incouragement... Hi Ho...Cowboy

[santagibbs]

Oh, thank you , thank you Nancy.. that is good news.. I appreciate that so much.. If I could get good soft basswood.. maybe , Just maybe I could do with out roughouts and just use the bansaw.. Thanks so much.. Charlotte I think I will try both places as I need some basswood.

[santagibbs]

Oh, and Nancy , I just realized that is where I got an order a month ago.. I ordered my original bucket box from them and was well pleased and happy for the neat way to arange my tools..Charlotte

[Just Carving]

Charlotte,

Sometimes I use a chisel rather than a knife so I can get better leverage in making my cuts. I carve in different woods and depending on what I am carving and what type of wood I'm carving, I'll switch to a chisel or a shallow gouge. I find out whatever works by trial and error. Pushing a palm chisel might be easier than trying to push a knife through wood because your hand is on the handle pushing directly behind the cutting edge. So, if you have trouble in cutting the wood, try switching to a chisel or a shallow gouge. I have a few chisels but a 3/8" wide chisel should take care of the same work that you would be doing with a knife.

Another alternative is to carve in eastern white pine, red cedar, or aspen instead of basswood. Samples of all three should be easy to find at the home improvement stores. Carve a few small things in each wood that you're able to try, and you might find that basswood isn't all that great as they say it is.