Whittle Doodles are doodling with a knife while shaping a block of wood with a variety of carving designs. The Mini Whittle Doodle is carved into an inch square by three quarters of inch block of basswood using a small bladed knife to carve four faces and embellish with freehand chip carved designs. The knife was made by the carver using the same blade material Bud Murray uses to make his knives (planer blade steel). (click on each photo to enlarge) Read the rest of this entry »
Rich Smithson of HELVIE KNIVES pulled a fast one on two of his Signature Knife friends by asking each one to carve a block of basswood into a knife blade holder for the other friend without telling us that we were each doing it for one another. Read the rest of this entry »
The Rest of the Story can now be told about the Block Heads that were posted on February 17, 2013 in that the Bock Heads were a companion to a special knife made by Rich Smithson for the twenty fifth anniversary of the Eastern Woodland Carving Club (Converse, IN). The photos are provided by Rich and Holli Smithson along with their daughter Skylar. (Click on each photo to enlarge then use back arrow to returns to posting) Read the rest of this entry »
Block Heads are heads carved into a square block of wood that is used as a block to house the blade of a carving knife for a commemorative knife presentation. The block began as a three inch square block of basswood. The top of the block or the end grain portion of the block is the location for the insertion of the knife blade. This part of the block was decorated with free hand chip carving design. The one knife used for carving the four faces and the chip carving is a knife made from a commercial band saw blade. The blade with its scimitar blade shape has a slight flex that aids in some of the deep relief slicing cuts. Read the rest of this entry »
The EXTREME WHITTLE DOODLE is carved especially for the Artistry in Wood Show, Dayton, Ohio on November 14 and 15, 2009 as a contribution to the Silent Auction at the Show. It is carved in a three inch square by eight inches tall block of basswood and finished with boiled linseed oil and raw sienna artist oil paint followed by brushed on coat of Deft. Whittle Doodle is a way of showcasing what can be carved using only a knife by pushing whittling to the extreme.
Two more Whittle Doodles have been added to the Whittle Doodle page under “Main Menu” which can be accessed by clicking on “Whittle Doodle IV and VII and More” Whittle Doodles are free hand carvings done only with a knife to show all the fun and imaginative things that can be carved in a block of wood. Doodling with a knife in a block of wood is at the heart of what it means to Whittle-Carve.
Photographs of WHITTLE DOODLE VII taken by Jack Williams may be viewed under the Main Menu page at the left entitled “Whittle Doodle IV and VII” which shows all sides of doodling with a knife on a block of wood.