[aggies]

Hello everyone!! I have been trying to carve for several years now. I have some tools and some basswood. The problem is that I just can't make that first cut! Is this common? Should I just dig in or what? I am most interested in carving wood spirits in cottonwood bark and to eventually learn to carve realistic bust style carvings of mountain men, indians and such. Do you know a carver in Utah that would be a willing mentor?

[Bartster]

aggies,

welcome to the board, the best advice is to get a book or video and go for just dig in and go for it and learn from your mistakes,you wont learn unless you try.

also see if you can find a club close to you and go and get involved with them.

hope this helps.

bart

[Hi_Ho_Sliver]

If you have a glove and a good knife, just start whittling, something will come to you . If you don't have a glove or a good knife, get those first and then learn how to sharpen before you do anything! You also need a good strop! Look up "5 minute owl" on the net,, good practice, you can learn a few cuts and get a little confidence from it.

[aggies]

I sure appreciate the advice. Keep it comeing. I have lots of books and magazines. All of Jeff Phares books and many more. I just need to start make'n chips.

[squbrigg]

Beginning can be intimitating! But relax....it's just wood and there is lots more where that came from. Try something simple to get started, just use a small piece of wood, any wood, not just Basswood, and practice. Get a stick and carve an egg from it. Get use to your tools and learn how they cut.

The secret is practice, practice, practice! Make sure your tools are sharp, that's the first skill a new wood carver must learn, and keep them sharp.

Then carve everything and anything. You will learn about grain, cuts, what works and what doesn't. Try a fish, a bird, a snake, a cat sitting a dog, a person, .... anything. Just carve, and have fun learning.

Bob

[AlArchie]

Several of the contributors, here, on the board have free pattern/tutorials on-line.

Here's two..there may be more.
http://www.carvingpatterns.com/

www.littleshaver.com

check their sites for some great info and a lot of help for beginners.

Al

[Mottles]

Welcome, I'll begin by saying we've all been there 'beginner's that is' lol come to think of it I'm still there!
As a fellow beginner you did the first step correct 'you found us.' Now as others have said get a couple good instruction books/CD's on the wood carving subject that interests you. Before you go further with those sharp tools (Ala HI_HO) get a carving glove and thumb guard. Regarding the thumb guard I've been introduced to tape for wrapping my thumb and fingers--the type used on horses legs--you can purchase at the pet and tack stores (petsmart). Just cut to fit and wrap your thumb it's removable and stays in the shape of your thumb for reuse. I mostly work in relief carving and I tape my fingers on my left hand because I tend to srape my finger joints along the wood--this protects my fingers nicely.
I work with cottonwood limbs and basswood and like them both very much. Well, I've rambled enough--folks on this web site are really great and always welling to help.
Kathy

[jillsy]

As a relatively new carver, I remember exactly how you feel. It can be totaly intimidating! But, what are you waiting for? There's nothing to lose (but a finger if you dont wear a glove!)

I remember trying to carve a snowman at my woodcarvers club. I was so afraid of making a mistake, all my chips were thin and small. I didn't realize that one of the old timers was watching me. He came over, took the snowman out of my hand and said, "Jill, what are you doing?" He then took his knife and made major huge cuts into the side of my snowman. He then handed it back to me, the one side practically completed in a matter of minutes and said, "You're wasting time!" From then on, anytime I find myself being too scared to take enough wood off, I hear this sweet voice in my ear and start hacking away!

Listen to the advice of the carvers on this board; they know their stuff. Glove, sharp knife, wood strop and compound are all you really need to get started.

*Make sure your knife is sharp! You can buy them presharpened, which I highly recommend for a new carver.*

[wade clark]

Welcome!
Someone once told me, to get good at carving a bear (or anything for that matter) get 10 blocks of wood. give yourself a set time to carve on the first one (He was refering to chainsaw carving and 90 minutes was the amount). Carve for the set time, take a look and see what you'd do different. Then start #2, set time, study it, start #3, etc through #10. Now, keep the ones you like and throw the rest in a fire and roast marshmallows over them! Remember it's only wood and this is a learning process! You've gotten lots of experience and lots better by the time you're done with #10. Don't be attached to perfection along the way, just enjoy yourself! You can make the carvings out of 1" twigs if you want, it really doesn't matter. It's the process of getting your hands to respond to your eyes or your mind, whichever...eyes if you have a model or pattern, mind if it's all in your head...maybe we all use both...but mostly have fun!
Wade

[fishcarver2004]

aggies, what part of utah are you from?
i'm from utah and now alot of them that could help you
Stacey