The VIPER III is the third and smallest version of the VIPER series of the Wood Bee Carver Signature Series. The design of the curved cutting edge and the downward angle of the snaking shape of the blade allows it to snake its slicing action into areas difficult to reach. Even though the one inch small blade has all the appearance of a “detail knife” yet it is an “all purpose” carving knife. The small radius of the curved cutting edge slices smaller chip removal than a larger radius blade while still being capable to removing a lot of wood in the shaping process in a small package. It is very versatile when carving small carving projects as well as being functional for taking small cuts in the shaping of a larger carving project. Once the carving project is carved to its basic form, the VIPER III continues to carve in the details with precise slicing cuts. The accompanying photos are examples of VIPER III used to carve each completely using only this one knife. Read the rest of this entry »
The knives pictured above are left to right: VIPER II, VIPER, DRAGON, SIDE WINDER and SIDE KICK.
The WOOD BEE CARVER has been primarily a knife carver for over forty years and during this journey knife blades and handles have been developed through experimentation of trial and error discoveries of what carved the best. A curved cutting edge produces a slicing cut and is the most efficient in reaching into areas that a straight cutting edge cannot reach. Read the rest of this entry »
HELVIE KNIVES introduces the latest addition to the WOOD BEE CARVER Signature Series of knives. VIPER (#22) , VIPER II (#23) and VIPER III (#24)are the latest innovation in the basic design concept of the WOOD BEE CARVERS Signature Series of knives. VIPER blade is two and half inches long , VIPER II blade is one and five eighths inches long and VIPER III is an inch long. HELVIE KNIVES has added a detail knife to the VIPER Series of the WOOD BEE CARVER Signature Series of knives and can be ordered by calling 765-675-8811 (soon to be added to their web site) Rich Smithson is a very accomplished knife maker and all his knives are good choices for carving knives.
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The Bear Creek Hobo in the photograph above was carved using a Scimitar knife made by Mickey Gaines of the Bear Creek Blades. The knife was made in the continuation of the tradition of knives made by the late Ralph E. Long. Read the rest of this entry »
The WOOD BEE CARVER is primarily a knife carver and ever since boy hood days of whittling with an old pocket knife, the knife, any knife, remains a favorite. Even though the WOOD BEE CARVER uses and highly recommends knives made by Helvie Knives, Bud Murray Knives, Dave Lyons Knives, and Dunkle Knives all who make knives designed by the WOOD BEE CARVER, yet from time to time OTHER KNIVES are also used.
OTHER KNIVES are knives the WOOD BEE CARVER has made for his own personal use by using old pocket knife blades to reshape and re-handle into a carving knife. OTHER KNIVES come from the mind of the “Tinker Thinker” whose mind explores the day dream adventures of tinkering with knife blade shapes for making experimental carving knives. Read the rest of this entry »
A commission to carve two Mountain Men just alike using a photograph of a clay sculpture of a mountain man became a welcome challenge. Every carving project is a learning piece with its own built in challenges. One challenge during the planning and imagining stage is to make the transition of carving a three dimensional figure based upon a two dimensional image with only one view. Three dimensional is to see the project with an “in the round perspective” while a two dimensional image is a “flat perspective.” Another challenge is to try to keep the carving as close to the original image that was a clay sculpture which means two mediums “clay” and “wood” create different surface textures and color renditions. Read the rest of this entry »
One of the Artistry in Wood banquet raffle prizes is a commemorative Helvie Knife and knife holder using the theme of Uncle Sam. This project was a collaborative effort between Don Stephenson, artist, Rich Smithson, Helvie Knife Maker and Don Mertz, carver of knife holder. Read the rest of this entry »
Artistry in Wood Show, Dayton, OH, November 14 and 15 will host a banquet on Saturday night which will include Raffle Prizes. One of those prizes is a Helvie Knife made by Rich Smithson who also wood burned the art design on the cherry handle. He utilized the art drawing ideas of Uncle Sam drawn by Don Stephenson of the Dayton Carving Club. The Uncle Sam knife holder was carved by the Wood Bee Carver, Don Mertz. Read the rest of this entry »
