Egg Noggins  are carved out of a basswood hen egg into either a single head or an elongated bust.  Pictured here is a clown head, a couple of Clown busts, two Pirate busts and a candle carrying old geezer in his night shirt and cap.  These are a continuation of the ongoing development of Egg Noggins  depicted in earlier postings. (click on photo to enlarge) Read the rest of this entry »

A Fifty Wedding Anniversary  gift was carved out of a butternut wood strip measuring six inches long, two and a half  inches tall and a half inch thick.  The letters ”L – O – V –E”  were drawn on the wood freehand with each letter slightly behind the preceding letter in a stair step fashion. Knife cuts were used to shape the letters with the help of a gouge.   A shallow gouge was used to texture the front of the letters while the number five was recessed in the back to join with the opening of the letter “O”  to form the number “50”. A Danish Oil finish was applied followed with a soft paste wax that was buffed to a rich sheen.  The Love plaque is intended to stand on its own as a table top decoration with the beauty of love backed up with fifty years of marriage.  All of which is a metaphor for a love that lasts.

The pumpkin egg noggin carved out of a basswood hen egg was being used as a “go by” in a class taught at the recent Caricature Carvers of America Seminar in Converse, Indiana.  Dale Kirkpatrick, aka Carver Dale was using it as a study guide while carving an egg noggin for himself.  A fly landed on the pumpkin’s  head and being the ever alert observer that he is, Dale took a picture at just the right time to capture an amusing scene.  It appears that the eyes of the pumpkin are looking directly at the uninvited fly. Now that is what is called “serendipity.” Read the rest of this entry »

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 »

Rain Drop Shively is a miniature carving of a fellow smoking a pipe and leaning of his umbrella.  Miniatures are always a challenge of finesse cuts that are precise in making each cut count.   Miniatures are carved with gentle slicing cuts using primarily the tip end of a small blade in which each cut is intentional. 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 »

Basswood hen eggs provide a challenging medium for carving imaginative projects.  The challenge is to carve a variety of subjects out of the unique shape of a hen egg.  The egg shape lends itself to carving faces since the human face fits well within the oval egg shape.  The shape also allows for the carving of the upper torso and head of a figure without legs as an elongated bust. Read the rest of this entry »