A fun carving project is to carve a basswood handle of a knife that is the brainchild of Helvie Knives who makes a knife with a blank basswood handle.  The question for the carver becomes “what to carve in the handle?” One consideration is to carve a handle that would be comfortable to hold in the carving hand while using the knife for carving as well as the subject matter to choose.  Like most carving projects it is best not to rush before having a clear idea as to what to carve.  This is to trust the creative process to make the suggestion into the carver’s imagination.  During the mental incubation process an idea began to take shape to carve a “Back to Back” interpretation of Santa in two forms.  The red suited Santa often called the Coca Cola Santa would be carved on one side and an Old-World Santa on the other side as “Back to Back Santa.” The design would need to be simple so that no appendages would protrude.

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