Michael Keller of White Eagle Studios is a very good carving friend who publishes a web log. Michael is an advocate for making clean slicing cuts. The slicing cut is the most efficient way to use a cutting tool as it allows the cutting teeth of the cutting edge to seperate the wood fibers while the side of the cutting tool burnishes the wood as it rubs the surface. Read the rest of this entry »
Archive for November, 2009
29
Nov
ACCIDENTAL LEARNING
The three knives pictured to the left have an upsweep or scimitar blade shape that were made by Ralph E. Long. They are pictured here to represent the blade shape that I have come to utilize in ninety nine percent of my carving with a knife. That was not always the case as my journey of knife carving has taken several revolutions in the evolution of discovering what blade shape works best for me.
As a boy growing up on a farm three miles south of Poneto, Indiana in the early 1950’s, a pocket knife was a constant companion for whittling and making many of my toys. When the “carving bug” bit me in the early 1970’s in a serious way, the pocket knife was my first choice and repeated choice while learning to carve.
The photograph above contains four representatives of more than can be counted pocket knives rescued at flea markets, junk stores and garage sales over the years. The top knife in the photo is one that combined the blades from one knife transplanted into the body of another with tiger maple wood strips inserted into the handle. The third from the top is a “favorite” knife from 1966 that started me on the road of wood carving before I knew what I was doing. The blades were sharpened by trial and error the best way I could at the time while still not knowing what I was doing. These experiences were the beginning of the journey of “Accidental Learning,” which continues today and will continue in the days ahead because so much of learning is accidental.
Accidental Learning begins with the first photo of two old pocket knives that have survived repeated sharpening by previous owners. The large blade in each is a “spear point” and the smaller blade in each is a “pen blade” which was a miniature of the spear point shape. Over the years of repeated sharpening on a whet stone the cutting edge became straight almost to the shape of a “wharncliffe blade” shape. It is the “wharncliffe” or “straight cutting edge” blade that is most commonly called the “carving knife blade” or “bench knife.” The most popular and commonly used carving knives all have a straight cutting edge. Read the rest of this entry »
21
Nov
SPIT-N-WHITTLE
Woodcarving Illustrated hosted a Spit-N-Whittle booth at the Artistry in Wood Show, Dayton, Ohio November 14 and 15. Individual carvers were scheduled to demonstrate carving a project for an hour as a way to interact with show patrons and offer encouragement for wood carving. What follows are photographs of some of those carvers during their demonstration hour and visitors listening and watching. Read the rest of this entry »
Welcome to the WAG School Woodcarving: http://wagcarvingschool.com/default.aspx
The WAG School of Woodcarving holds 3 day carving events that join student with some of the finest carving instructors in the Southeast. Included in the cost of tuition is full room and board. There is no need to try and find a hotel or good place to eat. We take care of all that for you. All you have to worry about is becoming the best carver you can be. Read the rest of this entry »
Ken Kohl of Alden, New York received a CCA Merit Award at the Artistry in Wood Show, Dayton, Ohio on November 14, 2009. The Award is presented to carvers who promote caricature carving as an art through there own carving creativity. CCA Members presenting the Award to Ken are Joe Schmacher, Bruce Henn, Floyd Rhadigan, Don Mertz, Dave Stetson and Harley Schmitgen. Read the rest of this entry »
Jim Willis of Kansas City, Missouri received a CCA Merit Award at the Artistry in Wood Show on November 14, 2009. Presenting the award are CCA Members Joe Schumacher, Bruce Henn, Harley Schmitgen, Don Mertz, Floyd Rhadigan and Dave Stetson. The Merit Award is presented to a carver who exemplifies the art of caricature carving and is given not only for recognition but also as encouragement in caricature carving.
Jim Willis is standing beside his carving display of caricature bottle stoppers. He exemplifies the art of caricature carving with his unique style.
CONGRATULATIONS, Jim.
The EXTREME WHITTLE DOODLE is carved especially for the Artistry in Wood Show, Dayton, Ohio on November 14 and 15, 2009 as a contribution to the Silent Auction at the Show. It is carved in a three inch square by eight inches tall block of basswood and finished with boiled linseed oil and raw sienna artist oil paint followed by brushed on coat of Deft. Whittle Doodle is a way of showcasing what can be carved using only a knife by pushing whittling to the extreme.