Helvie Knives has added a new knife to the WOOD BEE CARVER’s Signature Knife Series with a smaller version of the Scimitar Blade shape of the # 2. Even though it is much smaller yet it is more than a “detail” knife in that it can carve quite adequately a six inch figure as well as miniatures as evidenced by the photographs below. (click on photos to enlarge) Read the rest of this entry »
John Dunkle of Archbold, Ohio has been making a name for himself through the reputation of the carving knives and carving tools that he makes and sells. Following in his father, Herb Dunkle’s footsteps, John has carved his own niche through the quality and beauty of his woodcarving tools. He is very knowledgeable about what he knows best be it knife making, knife care and sharpening or his helpfulness to wood carvers. Read the rest of this entry »
The photograph shows a Clown writing pen and a Hobbit carved recently for Helvie Knives for their private collection. The writing pen began as a ball point pen cartridge inserted into a short and a longer block of basswood to see an example of what could be carved as a carved writing pen. The Hobbit was carved out of a five inch tall by two and three quarters inch square block.
A picture is worth a thousand words suggests what can be learned from studying pictures in this photographic journey.
The first photographic journey is of the Clown writing pen showing the front and back view followed by a picture of the Helvie Signature Series # 3 knife used to carve the Clown.
The Hobbit was carved to form using a Helvie Limited Special Edition larger two and a half inch scimitar blade in a Pakkawood handle. A smaller two inch scimitar bladed knife, the Signature Series # 2 and a Collector’s Series knife were used for refining the form into detail carving of the overall figure Read the rest of this entry »
Helvie Knives offers for sale a basswood blank handled knife that can be carved into whatever design the carver chooses. Below are photographs of examples of knife handles that have been carved. Creative imagination results in very unique, one of a kind carved knife handle. For more information go to “Cool Links” and click on “Helvie Knives.” Additional examples of carved knife handles may be viewed by clicking on this hot link: ” Helvie Knives Collection” and this hot link for Caricature Carvers of America or CCA’s “Helvie Knife Handle Project”
As can be seen each carved handle is unique and one of a kind heirloom creation. Read the rest of this entry »
Helvie Knives is introducing Series # 3 Signature knife of the WOOD BEE CARVER series that can be considered a “detail carving knife.” The knife is pictured in front of two characters called “Traveler” which were carved using the knife in the picture. Each “Traveler” is carved out of a one inch square by three inch tall block of basswood. The Series # 3 Signature knife blade is an inch and a quarter long with a curving up cutting edge to meet the twelve degree slope of the back edge. This design of the blade allows for a slicing cut almost any way it is used in a push or pull slice as well as sideway, upside down and right side up direction of the slicing cut. Go to “Cool Links” and click on “Helvie Knives” to find ordering information.
Bud Murray makes two knives for me according to a design that was developed through trial and error of a blade shape that works best for the style of Whittle-Carving done by the WOOD BEE CARVER. He makes two sizes with the Murray 529 being two inches long and the Murray 539 being an inch and half long. Both have the same blade design of a scimitar blade shape with a notch in the extended tang. The handle is four inches long with a pistol grip at one end and a side finger grove on the side near the blade.
The Murray knives are one of the three knife makers that are recommended by the WOOD BEE CARVER as stated in an earlier post entitled “Three Knives Recommended.” Information for ordering either Murray 529 or Murray 539 can be found under Cool Links by clicking on “Bud Murray Knives.”
Rich Smithson of Helvie Knives decorated a knife handle with his art work for the Eastern Woodland Carving Club to auction off at their recent Christmas Dinner/Party. The blade cover was carved by the WOOD BEE CARVER. Together the knife and blade cover garnered $160 for the Club’s expenses. The four photographs below shows off the beautiful wood burning and painting art work of Rich who also makes a well-respected carving knife in the Helvie brand.
The WOOD BEE CARVER is primarily a knife carver who began as a youth using a pocket knife to whittle toys and other play things. When carving grew into a serious activity it was still the pocket knife that remained the primary carving tool. Old pocket knives rescued from flea markets were reshaped and sharpened into carving knives.
Following years of trial and error experimenting with various blade shapes one basic shape became the most versatile for practicing the slicing cut. Thus was born the “Universal Whittle-Carving Knife,” whose basic design has the back edge of the blade sloping down with a twelve degree angle to meet the cutting edge that gently curves up to meet the back edge at its tip. Read the rest of this entry »
