[CK Ole Tyme Wood Carver]

Hello, Fellow Carvers My name is Christopher Mize. Most people just call me Chris (and maybe some other things ,but we want go there!) just kidding I hope. Any way let me take a this chance to introduce my self. I'm 45 I have three wonderful daughters and I am a single parent although my girls are now grown. I live here on the beautiful cost of North Carolina and am retired.I started carving about 8 yr's ago and I do mostly wood spirits in Pine Knots,Cypress Knees,Basswood and Butternut. I also carve some bust and am working on a bust of Christ that I was ask to carve by the paster for the santuary of this brand new church. I do have a couple of questions for anyone out there who might know. I really like the look of Redwood and would like to do a Craving in it. But I don.t know anything about how it carves and I also have the same question about Bodark or (Osage Orange) I have done some carvings in red and yellow cedar as well as mahogany and walnut so maybe that will give something to compare it to. So I wanted to say hello so HELLO everybody and I look forward to getting your ideas about the woods above. It's nice talking to you and I look forward to the replies! Chris

[wood-whittler]

chris,


hello and welcome to the board, post some pics of your work when you get a chance,


bart

[carvnman40]

Welcome aboard Chris. Would love to see some of your work, especially what you're doing on the bust of Christ.
It's my belief that about any kind of wood can be carved, however,some is better suited for carving than others. Redwood is hard to carve because of the variable hardness between spring and summer growth rings. All I know about osage orange is that NA Indians made their arrows out of it.

Your neighbor to the south, Mike.

[Hi_Ho_Sliver]

Actually, indians made their bows out of it, and is extremely hard I hear. Redwood, I have carved and actually doesn't carve bad, but chips out pretty bad when you get to fine detail.

[sharon cottrell]

hey chris, welcome! I don't have a lot experience carving, but the few things I have carved are mainly out of redwood.I live in redwood country. I have found out to make small cuts in it. It's real easy to take off a nose ( not my own) or whatever with to big of cuts.If you slice with the grain, big chunks will flake off. I try to cut kind of at an angle across the grain to get a smooth finish. Probably like that with all woods though, like I said I don't have much experience.If you can get true old growth redwood, the grain is really fine and nice to carve. Look forward to seeing your work.

[Irishman]

Hello Chris,

Look forward to chatting with you. I also carve woodspirits.

Patrick

[Peter Lux]

Welcome...I too would like to see all your work....Got a webpage up and running or perhaps work posted on photobucket.com...See your work soon me hopes....

Again..welcome......

[CK Ole Tyme Wood Carver]

Hello, To All! I just wanted to let every one know how much all the hellos mean. It's always nice to find a place where people with common interests can get together and exchange ideas and good conversation. I have to apologize for taking so long to reply. I have M.S. and Chronic Lyme's Disease and between the two they take some of my day's with things I choose not to dwell on,on better days like today. I am planning to put some of my work on the web as soon as I get a camera. I know that probably sounds kinda strange here it is 2007 and this guy don't have a digital camera. Well Ah! Um! Ah! I'm alittle anti. high Tek. actually anti. Tek.. But any way I'll have to see about giving in and getting a camera to use for things like this.It will take me a while to lean to use it though. If you like this reply you should have seen the one I wrote first and then lost somewhere between spell check and post preview.Anyway? But I really appreciate your info. on the redwood and osage orange wich I found out is called Bodark in Texas. Well Thanks again! Chris Now I'm going to change alittle wood!

[Mark N. Akers]

Chris:
Welcome to the site,I am here in Lexington,SC hope you enjoy it here.

[torpidhummer]

Welcome to board Chris:
I know something about Osage Orange, I also make wooden long bows that I used for hunting. It is excellant,strong and extremelly bendable as far as bows are conserned with long strong grain,I also carved figure heads on the handles and found it carvable but hard.
Torpidhummer