Articles by: Mindy Kinsey
Whittle your first project! Versatile letter opener can also be a fork, jam spreader, or pickle poker You’ve found some branches, chosen a knife, and shaped and sharpened the blade. It’s time to carve! Chris Lubkemann’s favorite first project is a versatile letter opener. You’ll learn how to shape […]
Learn how to sharpen a knife for safe, easy whittling A sharp knife is a safe knife. That might not seem logical, but it’s true. You will have much greater control over a sharp knife, and be able to push it much more gently through the wood, than you […]
Learn how to shape your knife’s blade for whittling To carve small twigs and tight spaces, Chris Lubkemann recommends reshaping the blade of your knife to give it more of a point. In order to make the curls that decorate Chris’s roosters, flowers, trees, and other designs, you’ll also […]
Learn what makes the perfect pocketknife You can whittle with almost any knife, but some will make it more fun and comfortable than others. Get advice on picking the perfect pocketknife from the expert whittler Chris Lubkemann. He’ll tell you which blades you need (and which ones you don’t) […]
So we’ve been wondering… How do you like your carving patterns? Do you like a bare-bones pattern, or do you want every detail captured? Do you need or want a bandsaw outline, or do you ignore those? Please take our survey to tell us about your preferences for patterns! […]
Simple relief seashell is a perfect project for summer By Cindy Joslyn This simple shell is a great way to commemorate a beach vacation. I use mine as a paperweight, and I include instructions for weighting it, but you could also carve the shell into a box top or even a mantle. […]
Patterns for 46 Projects to Carve in One Day By Lori Dickie Even complete beginners can carve delightful wooden characters with this book. Caricature carver Lori Dickie shows you how to get great results fast with just a blank basswood egg and her friendly step-by-step instructions. The premade blanks allow […]
Q: I saw these new sharpening appliances on a website. Do I need something like this to sharpen my carving tools? A: No. Sharpening appliances like this are designed for single-edge chisels and plane irons. You could sharpen knives and gouges on it, but they don’t require the absolute flatness the aluminum […]
Build a simple but sturdy organizer for your paint collection By Dick Truesdell Like many woodcarvers, I have accumulated a sizeable collection of paint bottles. Storing, organizing, and transporting all of them to classes was difficult, so I decided to build this handy case. Done as a weekend project, I […]
Use this easy relief carving as a pin, pendant, or magnet By Larry Spinak Need an Easter accessory or last minute gift? This bunny can be carved quickly and used as a pin, pendant, or magnet. Change the angles of the eyelid lines and the positions of the painted eyes […]
