Without a doubt, there are few things as exciting as a smoothly planed block of basswood. Â*The possibilities are endless; it could be anything your mind might imagine; a cowboy perhaps, or another Santa. : Â*It could be a Christmas gift to someone special or a blue ribbon winner at the next carving show.

Of course this is where the trouble begins; it's all those other half finished carvings that once held the same mystery and anticipation. Â*There they sit; waiting for you, calling to you, piling on the guilt. :-[ Â*Surely they could be completed with just a couple hours of your time; except the excitement is gone; and here is this blank basswood block full of dreams unrealized. Â*

It is strange to think that each carving once held that same fascination; but sometime after that first cut, the interest began to wane. Â*
So what is my point? :-/

Well, I have found an answer to the age-old question; To finish it or not?
Not, life is too short to fret over unfinished carvings; there are so many ideas that need to be explored, so many carvings to be released from their captivity within the block.

Now, I need to find the answer to all the unpainted carvings. :P

[woodenleg]

Unpainted Carvings???? Unpainted carvings..... Are they supposed to be painted????

How's that for an answer. Interesting post Rick.

[icarve2003]

Yeah, but what if that beautiful block of basswood turns into an unfinished carving? LOL

The guilt is eating away at me Rick, hear them calling me

[Callynne]

Hmmm, maybe this is one of the good things about starting to carve this late in life. I have finished every piece I've started! The housework on the other hand..... Callynne

[Colin_Partridge]

Rick you had to bring that up didnt you. > I think I hear them calling me from the workshop but I'm afraid their crys are falling on deaf ears. Your right if you dont finish a carving the passion is gone and if you leave it for any period of time then you are at a different stage of your carving and you dont want to regress. ???
I think the solution to this problem is a huge fire but every time I pick up the unfinished carving I think: No maybe I will finish it later. :-/ I have a lot of those maybe I will finish it later's hanging around. I am sure they wake me up some nights calling out to be finished. : As you have probably read I am finishing a carving for a friend whose uncle died suddenly and he wanted me to complete the carving. I am having the same problem and I think it is because it was his passion that was in the carving not mine. Also maybe its because its an owl and I am not a bird carver.
Colin

[woodenleg]

At times, I've noticed that the ones I 'piddle' with are ones to which I am not really sure what to do and it seems to do them some good to sit every once in a while. On the other hand, if I am doing one for which I know the next cuts to make, it is hard putting it down...

[Dave_from_Toronto]

I have found that I have two reasons for not finishing a carving. Either the wood is too much of a challenge (punky or too flaky to hold detail - fortunately I currently have only one in that category and I might try something to harden it) or I get to the point where the carving is too much of a challenge to my skills at that time. For these, I just let them sit until my skills catch up (or I get a new tool profile.) I'm just now getting back to a miniature carousel horse that has been sitting for two years.

I find that generally I get so engrossed in a carving that I want to finish it as soon as possible. For the ones that I'm having trouble with, this urgency is lost and it is sometimes very difficult to get it back.

Maybe its just me but the more I experiment with other kinds of wood, the less I like Basswood. I'm sure the reason (in part) is that around here a good block of Basswood is an anomaly. :'(

I am pleased to say that I have only two carvings right now that are gathering dust.

I personally like to finish 1 before I start on anther. that way I can actually measure my progress and skill as I go along.

Once I complete it, i am done with it. As my skill progresses I do not go back and touch up the older ones. they are done and complete. They might not be my better work but I completed them and they are unique. If I am not satisified at a later time, I will do a totally new carving rather than going back to an older 1 and trying to fix it, as I thought it was just fine when I decided it was finished. Figure it is like going back and trying to add a smile to the Monna Lisa

[mdallensr]

If you really want to appreciate a good block of basswood, try some other woods for awhile. I've been carving mahogany, cherry, butternut, Alaskan yellow cedar and pine and forgot how nice and easy basswood is to carve. I like to carve those other woods, and they each have a place, but for animals and other items that are going to burnt or painted, basswood is the right stuff!.