The HELVIE Whittle Doodle was carved to be part of the Helvie Fund Raising for Childhood Diabetes Research as described in the previous posting on March 16.  The first series of photographs are a panoramic view of the entire carving with its finished stain of artist oil paint Raw Sienna thinned with boiled linseed oil followed with a brushed on application of Deft, a brushing lacquer.

The next series of photographs depict the various sections of the Whittle Doodle along with the WOOD BEE CARVER Signature Knives used to carve each segment.

The basswood block is two inches square by eight inches tall. The top of the block was carved first into a head of Santa. The initial shaping of the basic form of Santa was carved using the first Proto Type Knife and the number 1 Universal Knife and number 2 Scimitar Knife. The completed Santa head was carved in detail using the number 4 Scimitar and number 8 Queen BEE Signature Knives.

The two hands holding onto the bars of jail were carved using the number 15 Chip Bee Knife to make precise stop cuts. Number 17 Side Winder II was used to carve between the bars and number 8 Queen BEE Knife was used for detailing the hands around the bars.

The relief of the shaggy hair and bearded man was carved with a number 8 Queen BEE Knife and the Alfred E. Newman was carved with number 3 and number 3-1 Sweet BEE knives.

The Indian Head was carved using number 10 Hornet BEE, number 13 Wasp BEE, number 6-2 BH and number 6 Mini Mertz Detail Knives.  Kilroy was carved using number 6-2 BH Mini Mertz, number 13 Wasp BEE and number 10 Hornet BEE knives.

Lincoln was carved using number 13 Cuckoo BEE, number 6-2 BH Mini Mertz and number 12 Drone BEE knives. Man with toothy grin was carved with number 10 Hornet BEE knife.

. Pirate and Pirate Skull were carved using two number 7 Honey BEE knives with different size blades.

Holly underneath the Santa beard was carved with the number 17 Side Winder II knife. The chip carved Snow Flake and the chip carving borders down the four corners were carved with the number 15 Chip BEE knife.

The carved Whittle Doodle will be included with twenty one of the WOOD BEE CARVER Signature Series knives presented in a cherry wood chest with wood burned art by Rich Smithson of the art work of Don Stephenson decorating the cherry box. All will be the prize of the raffle fundraiser to be awarded at the Eastern Woodland Carving Show in Converse, Indiana July 18 and 19. More information can be read in the previous posting entitled “HELVIE Fund Raiser” in the March 16 posting.

Thanks to Holli, Rich and Skylar Smithson/HELVIE KNIVES for their generosity in sponsoring this fund raiser raffle for Childhood Diabetes Research.