Greetings

[Inadv]

Greetings Everyone,

Since everytime I google a question about wood carving, The Woodcarving Illustrated forum pops in at the first page, and since you folks always seem to have the best answers and advice, it's time for me to be a subscriber. So as time goes on you can expect to see me here.

Also while I'm introducing, I'd like to ask my first two questions. Does anyone here also carve in soapstone or slightly harder materials such as catlinite and steatite? If so could anyone recommed a good knife for soapstone? As I'm really quite new to wood carving, though I've whittled sticks since boyhood, I'm interested in carving some relatively green (found) wood. Can anyone in WNC recommend good species for this purpose and or sealers to prevent splitting after the piece is carved from aging (drying).

Thanks!

[Inadv]

Greetings Everyone,

Sorry folks... Didn't know there was a seperate forum for newbies here, and I originally posted to the General Carving forum. Been reading posts since then, and will likely spend a goodly few more evenings trying to get some pointers, and I always do from folks who carve remarkably beautiful work and are very knowledgeable in their craft.

Since everytime I google a question about wood carving, The Woodcarving Illustrated forum pops in at the first page, and since you folks always seem to have the best answers and advice, it's time for me to be a subscriber. So as time goes on you can expect to see me here.

Also while I'm introducing myself, I'd like to ask my first two questions. Does anyone here also carve in soapstone or slightly harder materials such as catlinite and steatite? If so could anyone recommed a good knife for soapstone? As I'm really quite new to wood carving, though I've whittled sticks since boyhood, I'm interested in carving some relatively green (found) wood. Can anyone in WNC recommend good species for this purpose and or sealers to prevent splitting after the piece is carved from aging (drying).

Thanks!
__________________

[Donna_T]

Welcome to the message board. It's the go-to place for all kinds of carving information and help.

I've not tried carving soapstone, but I have carved green northern white pine. That's the only fresh, green wood I've tried. It was a fairly small piece--about 3-4" thick and 8" or so tall. I had no problem with it curing and splitting. It took me several days to complete it and I just kept it in a bucket of water each night to keep it wet. Once I finished it and got it painted, I just sealed it lightly with a Krylon matt spray. It was an interesting experience because I usually only carve dry, cured wood.

Donna_T

[bigEd_H]

Hi Inadv, welcome to the forum. Nice to have you join us. I can't help you with carving soapstone. That sounds interesting, though.

[Mitchell]

Pentacryl (Sp?) will keep green wood from splitting as it drys to some degree. There have been some posts about it in the past.

I'll try to find one or two.

Here's one: How to deal with fresh cherry logs

BTW - I combined the two threads.

[squbrigg]

Soapstone will be too hard for edged tools, but does great with power. If you want to carve it the old fashion way, use files and lots of elbow grease. Most stone carvers use power now a day, soapstone being the traditional material of our Inuit People in the North. A couple of good friends of mine carve it, better them than me .... too darn hard and dusty, I'd rather be making wood chips.

Bob

[Inadv]

Thanks to everyone who has responded thus far. I am currently using a Proxxon rotary tool and wood rasps on the stone carving, particularly the harder ones (catlinite and steatite). Both materials by the way are being made into Native American styled pipes. The soapstone I am currently sculpting and is much softer than the others, but takes detail fairly nicely, and hence my desire to use a knife in some places where burs don't quite fit in. Looks like some needle rasps are in my near future, so guess I'd better stock up on the elbow grease too.

Thanks for the tips so far on the green wood too. I see a lot of folks on the forums using found wood, but it appears most have dried it to some extent. I am going to cut and work a some of the green stuff this later in the spring, and later in the summer when I visit home folks down in SE Georgia. I know there is some beautiful red-hearted maple, cypress knees, and red cedar in my old stomping grounds down there. But I don't know much about the stuff here in Western North Carolina. There's a good bit of poplar white pine, sassafras, hemlock, buckeye, and oak around where I live, and I have a feeling there are some other really good species that would be particularly good for carving.

Thanks again to everyone!

[Riverman]

Hi Inadv, welcome to the group!
Bob

[Mark Dellinger]

Welcome and good to have you with us.

Safe Craving and God Bless,

Mark

[Inadv]

Hello people,

Just thought I'd give a quick update the green wood questions. The weather got kind of nice today and I was finally able to drive out of our nearly vertical 200yd long driveway. We live on the north base of Cold Mountain (yes, the same one featured in a recent movie of some proclaim), and the 18" of swnow we got a few days before Christmas is, at long last, nearly gone now. Good riddance!

A seemingly brilliant idea (aren't they all brilliant in the beginning?) of cutting a few saplings for walking sticks while the sap was down in the dead of winter might be an advantage. Quess what? The sap doesn't go down on white pine around here. I brought a small piece from re-sizing one of the staves inside, and the sap is nearly dripping out of it. Maybe I picked a bad moon-time, but more likely as cold as it seems there is insufficient chill to bring the sap down on this tree in this place. I went ahead and shaved off a spot to get it down to wood, and will let this dry until it is carveable without gumming up the works. My plan is to carve it while soft and then encapsulate it with a sealer when finished.

So then my question for today is... Can someone recommend the best product, or if there even is one that will stop the drying process completely?

Thanks again for your help. I hate trial and error when or if it can be avoided, and you folks have the accumulated talent and experience. The beautiful part of it all is your willingness to share it within this community. I am grateful.