[windsong]

Hi Everybody
This is two more sticks I carved them out of popular is this a good wood for walking stick. its hard to find a good stick.I found two birch sticks today.I hope you all enjoy them.
Vic.

[Lightningbolt]

Nice spirit stick! I agree that it's very hard to find a suitable poplar stick for carving. Darn stuff around here is so dang prone to cracking when drying. Yes, I do occasionally find a few good ones but I don't try looking for them too hard.

On the other hand I love carving birch walking sticks. Around here there's plenty of what I call mountain birch. Some refer to it as black or cherry birch... nice with or without the bark.

[Eddy Smiles]

Nice detail. I keep trying but when it gets to the eyes I have trouble getting that much detail on a stick sized piece of wood. I like the way you placed the eyes. What did you use to make the pin hole so round?

[windsong]

Thanks Lightningbolt for the info. on the birch wood.I like birch better if i can just find a good one!!!Eddy i broke down and bought a 1/8" u and 1/8" v gouge to work on the little guys with thay are also good for the sticks because your working in a small space.
Vic.

[gene messer]

Vic .. Those are wonderful .. your facial detail is very impressive ...

You do a great job on those walking sticks ..

I havent seen too many of yours before .. but these are really nice ..

Excellent job ..

Gene

[Eddy Smiles]

Windsong... Thanks for the tip... I don't have 1/8" sizes as such but I do have a 1-mm V and a #9 1.5-mm U interechangeable Flexcut blades which I guess are pretty much the same. But I'm still amazed that you can attain that much detail in poplar. The yellow poplar that I'm familiar with has a tendecy to chip when you get that finite with it. That's another reason that I'm going to try and find some Birch as Dave suggested. Supposedly it's on my side of the moutain too but I've yet to run across any.

[windsong]

Eddy
The key to keeping the poplar from chipping out or tearing is to strop you knife or gouge very regular thay need to be as sharp as you can keep them. I when over to Lowes and got a cloth buffing wheel and some buffing compound with the green lid the wheel was stiched together so i cut the thread on the wheel so it would not make so much heat on my tool. Then just but it in the hand drill.This is by far the best way to keep your tool sharp and its doesn't take but a second to polish them.And as far as the sizes of your u and v gouges thay will work fine the smaller the tool is the less chance of making a miss take that you can't fix. Just take your time and take small cut with the tool then look at it for a while then take another few cuts then look again that way if something is getting out of whack you can fix it before you get to far with it.Eddy that only my thought and i could be wrong on the hole deal!!!Don't trust a newbe!!!.Yes Gene i've only did 4 so far i think i will carve a little guy on top of the next one.

[Banjo]

Vic, great job on the walking sticks! I love (or should I say, envy) the big nose you were able to achieve. I just finished my first walking stick and I feel like his face is so flat! Yours is great! ~ Joy

[Joy]

Nice detail! Your sticks look very good. Congrats on a job well done.

[Eddy Smiles]

Windsong... Your suggestion is apppreciated but for the most part I'm already in compliance. I don't have a bench grinder or drill sized buffing rig but in addition to my hand stropping I use Mr. Dremel with a buffing disk and Flexcut Gold on it. It's not for the feint of heart and you do have to use care that you use it in the correct direction but when the job is done the blade "shines like a diamond in a goat's butt!"