The WOOD BEE CARVER approaches each carving project as a learning experience with continuing discoveries in the carving process. Long he has encouraged carvers to do a twenty minute a day exercise of experimenting with a carving tool and a piece of wood to discover a variety of cuts and maneuvers in shaping a piece of wood as the cutting tool slices through the wood. Coupled with that idea is the experience that the more one carves the better one carves because of the ongoing learning process. Carving with greater frequency allows for the carver’s imagination to grow with creativity which contributes to a sharpening of carving skill and creative design. All of which are inherent in the motto: “Would be carvers would be carvers if they would carve wood.” Read the rest of this entry »
Rich Smithson of HELVIE KNIVES has invited the Signature Series Knife carvers to carve a caricature carving holding a Signature Series knife. This is the WOOD BEE CARVER’s carving that is a “selfie” using the DRAGON II Signature Series Knife as a cane. Read the rest of this entry »
The SIDE KICK Signature Series Knives were designed to be a combination slicing knife in three sizes for roughing out the basic form of a carving subject. Since the WOOD BEE CARVER carves using a block of wood rather than a sawed out blank or machined rough out, a multiple purpose carving knife is very versatile in shaping the basic form. The subject used in this illustration is of Joseph, the carpenter carved in a block of basswood nine inches tall, three inches wide and two inches thick. The photo on the top right shows the completed carving beside the basswood block to be carved in the roughing out stage using the larger SIDE KICK. Read the rest of this entry »
Pumpkin Faces carved in basswood block measuring 1 and 3/4 inch by 1 and 1/2 inch by 1/2-inch-thick using the new SUPER BEE #28 WOOD BEE CARVER ~ Signature Series Knife made by HELVIE KNIVES. The progressive steps show the various stages in developing the major landmarks of opening up the face to receive the detail carving. The curved cutting edge of the SUPER BEE knife allows for slicing cuts to make distinctive and deep details with a slice and roll action. Artist oil paint thinned with boiled linseed oil was used to color each pumpkin jewelry pin. Read the rest of this entry »
HELVIE KNIVES introduces the SUPER BEE Signature Series Knife, the latest Wood Bee Carver Signature Knife (photo on left above). The SUPER BEE (#28) (middle of photo above on Right) is the medium blade size version of the basic scimitar blade design by the Wood Bee Carver as in the earlier TWO BEE (# 2) (bottom of photo) and the BEE FOUR (# 4) (top of photo.) The SUPER BEE comes in a pistol shaped handle of walnut wood with logo and names wood burned by Rich Smithson, owner and operator of HELVIE KNIVES. Read the rest of this entry »
The WOOD BEE CARVER highly recommends the newly introduced HELVIE Signature Series Knife made by knife maker Rich Smithson. Rich has made thousands of Helvie knives since he and his wife Holli became owners of HELVIE KNIVES many years ago. After all these years and all the knives made for other people in the Signature Series of the Helvie line, Rich has come out with a knife of his own design. This unique design has the straight cutting edge of a wharncliffe blade shape forming a reverse skew angle that enhances the slicing properties of the knife and the handle is aesthetically pleasing as well as being comfortable to hold for long periods of carving. The blade design positions the cutting edge into a slicing mode as it approaches the wood as well as making very precise stop cuts. While being primarily as general purpose carving knife it can also serve as a chip carving knife and is ideal for making precise detail cuts as the need arises. Read the rest of this entry »
The three SIDE KICK knives were put to the test in carving the basic form of a woman sitting in chair knitting. Each knife used a variety of slicing cuts to shape a six inch by three inch square basswood block. The result is a large basic form or rough shape of the knitting lady ready to be refined with detail carving. Read the rest of this entry »
The term “Side Kick” normally refers to a unique relationship between two people and means such things as a confident, a partner, a companion, one who helps, an assistant, a wing man, a go to guy, best friend, straight man in a comedy due, one who compliments the other by doing what the other cannot do, one who in content to give the other the limelight and a duo team. Famous Side Kicks were Tonto as Side Kick to Lone Ranger, Gabby Hayes as Side Kick to Roy Rogers, Ed McMann as Side Kick to Johnny Carson and Robin as Side Kick to Batman. Read the rest of this entry »
