Gnome Wizard was carved out of an inch and half square by three inch tall block of basswood.  The Gnome Wizard is carved with a twist of the body, with head tilted up and a flowing beard and mustache.  Such a pose presents an interesting sense of motion while the viewer’s eyes travel the twists and turns of the flowing lines.  Such a piece presents a challenge of skill by figuring out what wood needs to be removed to create such a sense of movement.  This project also teaches the necessary benefit of carving to basic form before ever attempting to carve any details.  Such a process allows creative imagination to help form the design during the carving process that gives a special kind of freedom of creativity. Read the rest of this entry »

Hobbit Blade Cover was carved for a charity fund raising project that Rich, Holli and Skylar Smithson (HELVIE KNIVES) are working on for next year.  Read the rest of this entry »

HELVIE KNIVES announces the addition of a handle choice in the WOOD BEE CARVER  Signature Series for the Detail Bladed Knife # 3, # 3-1 and # 3-2.  One choice is the Original Handle and the second choice is the SWEET BEE Handle of the Second Generation knife series.  The photographs indicate the two handle designs along with a telephone number to Helvie Knives for ordering purposes. Read the rest of this entry »

HELVIE KNIVES was commissioned to make a Commemorative Knife for the Artistry in Wood raffle prize at the Saturday Night Banquet while Don Mertz carved the blade cover.  Artistry in Wood Show is November 9 and 10 at the Dayton Airport Exposition Center.  The photographs show the beautiful art work of Rich Smithson (HELVIE KNIVES) on the knife handle and the carving details of the Wood Bee Carver on the blade cover. Read the rest of this entry »

The HORNET BEE is the latest addition to The WOOD BEE CARVER Signature Series knives by Helvie Knives.  Maintaining the basic concept of a slicing blade with a curved cutting edge from the tip to the notch of the extended tang of the blade, the Hornet Bee is a smaller version of the Wood Bee Carver blade shape with a very long extended tang. Read the rest of this entry »

The WOOD BEE CARVER Signature Series  knives by Helvie Knives has grown into a “second generation” of knives with a new handle shape, art work designs and new blades sizes and shape.  While maintaining the basic concept of the original blade design, yet with slight variations in size and shape, each knife maintains the high quality associated with Helvie Knives.   The basic concept of the design of the Whittle-Carving Universal Blade is a slicing blade with a curved cutting edge from the tip of blade to notch in the heel of the extended tang of the blade. The blade fits into the shape of a twelve degree slope of the back edge.  The twelve degree slope creates a versatile angle of approach of the blade to begin the slicing action.  The extended tang allows for longer reach as well as a comfortable resting place for the index finger when choking up on the blade for detail carving. The blades with the concaved back edge similar to a scimitar blade shape allows for reaching into tight areas that another blade shape would not fit. All blades lend themselves to a quick roll out of the slicing stroke and are most efficient when using a “slice and roll” action in either the push or pull stroke. Read the rest of this entry »

HELVIE KNIVES  announces the introduction of the latest edition of the WOOD BEE CARVER Signature Series Knives.  Signature Series # 6 ~ the MINI MERTZ is a true detail knife with a thin handle. The cherry wood handle is wood burned with the art work of Rich Smithson who makes the Helvie Knives along with his wife Holli and daughter Skylar. Read the rest of this entry »