Helvie Knives  makes four knives according to the WOOD BEE CARVER’s design to the Signature Series of specialty knives.  Rich Smithson and his wife Holli and daughter Skylar are the owners and manufacturers of the Helvie Knives line of carving knives.  The Signature Series  are handled with cherry wood receiving the art work of Rich who wood burns and paints the signature and logo on each knife.

The blade design of each of the four WOOD BEE CARVER knives are used by the Wood Bee Carver in the Whittle-Carving style of carving.  Each blade has a cutting edge that curves up towards the tip as well as curving into the tang portion of the blade. A curved cutting edge is most efficient in a slicing action. The Series numbered 1, 2 and 4 have an extended tang allowing for more maneuverability in the reach and function of the blade as well as allowing for choking up on the blade for detail carving.  Series number 3 is a detail bladed knife an inch and a quarter in length that can also be used for carving small figures.  Each knife boasts a fat cigar shaped handle that allows for the knife to be rotated in the carving hand comfortably when cutting right side up, upside down or sideways in any direction.

Series # 1  knife is a Universal Whittle-Carving blade whose back edge slopes down at a 12 degree angle to meet the cutting edge as it curves up to meet the back edge.  The cutting edge also curved into a notch of the tang to allow for a slicing cut in both the pull and push stroke.  The extended tang allows the cutting edge a longer reach without being hindered by the end of the handle. The overall length of the blade is two and a quarter inches long with an inch and half length of the cutting edge. Series # 1 would be a good first choice to be introduced to carving with a curved cutting edge while making the transition from carving with a straight cutting edge of the traditional bench or carving knife with a wharncliffe blade shape.

Series # 2  is similar to the # 1 as far as the convex cutting edge is concerned.  The uniqueness is the concave shape of the back edge to create a scimitar blade shape.  Such a shape allows for reaching into tight areas as well as the slicing action of the cutting edge.  Series # 2 blade is two and a quarter inches overall length with cutting blade an inch and half in length.

Series # 3  is considered a detail carving blade although it can be used for carving small figures and small objects with its inch and quarter long blade.

Series # 4  is a smaller version of # 2 being an inch and half overall length with cutting edge being an inch long with a narrow blade.  The narrowness of the blade maneuvers quickly in both tight areas as well as larger areas while using a slicing action. In some ways the # 4 may be the most versatile for overall carving and yet each knife has its own characteristics.

The WOOD BEE CARVER is primarily a knife carver who uses knives for a complete carving.  Thus the designs of these knives allow for making cuts to replace cuts made by gouges, skews and V tools.  It may take a while of carving only with a knife to get accustomed to all that a knife can do so, like all aspects of carving, “the more you carve the better you carve.”  For those carvers who use a knife to supplement other carving tools in the carving process it may take a while to get used to carving with a curved up cutting edge but keep trying to be surprised with all that can be done with just a knife in carving.  These blade designs were developed over years of trial and error of finding a blade shape that fit the Whittle-Carving Style of the WOOD BEE CARVER.