eNews: Strop Talk

Strop Talk

Strop Talk

Welcome to Strop Talk! As you know, stropping keeps your knife sharp between cuts. This quarterly e-newsletter is our way of staying in touch with you between issues of Woodcarving Illustrated. Here we share projects, features, tips, insider scoop on books and authors, club news, and more. We hope you enjoy reading […]

by October 18, 2016 eNews: Strop Talk
Heart-Shaped Bottle Stopper

Heart-Shaped Bottle Stopper

Simple stopper makes a great gift By Greg Young This simple design is quick and easy to carve from a small piece of basswood. Expand the idea to make themed bottle stoppers for all occasions—an Easter egg, pumpkin, clover, football, snowman, and birthday or wedding cake are just a few […]

by January 30, 2024 eNews: Strop Talk, Whittling
Selecting a Carving Knife

Selecting a Carving Knife

It all comes down to fit and steel quality By Lora S. Irish You will notice, as you search for a new carving knife, that there are enough choices on the market to make your head spin. So how do you sort through them all to find the tool that’s […]

by January 30, 2024 eNews: Strop Talk, Tools for Beginners
Happy Santa

Happy Santa

The compact styling of this smiling fellow makes him an ideal project for beginners By Tina Toney This Happy Santa captures the essence of Jolly Old St. Nicholas. He has a straight-forward gaze, symmetrical pose, and his hands are tucked warmly into mittens, which makes this a great project for beginners. I’ve […]

by December 13, 2023 eNews: Strop Talk, Holiday Carving
Using a Carver’s Arm

Using a Carver’s Arm

How—and why—to attach a project to a carving arm By Laverne “Sid” Sidler Using a carving arm has real advantages. You will reduce the risk of cutting yourself; have both hands free to control the tool, resulting in higher-quality results; be able to position the work to make difficult areas […]

by December 13, 2023 eNews: Strop Talk, Shop Tips
Miniature Scarecrow Ornament

Miniature Scarecrow Ornament

Quick and easy carving  adds a whimsical touch to fall décor By Gerald Smith I carve a lot of Christmas ornaments to sell at craft fairs. Recently, a customer requested fall ornaments so she could decorate her feather tree to celebrate autumn. I created a few pumpkins and some leaves in […]

by September 26, 2023 eNews: Strop Talk, Fall Carving
Painting Supplies

Painting Supplies

Accessories to help you paint successfully by Vicki Rhodes Everyone knows that you need paint and paintbrushes to paint. However, there are a variety of other useful items to make the experience more efficient and enjoyable. The following items are the ones I find most beneficial. Once you have have […]

by September 26, 2023 eNews: Strop Talk, Tools for Beginners
Hand-Hewn Wooden Cup

Hand-Hewn Wooden Cup

Rustic cup is traditional, functional, and sensible By Rick Wiebe I carved my first wooden cup (called a kuksa in Finland and a kasa in Sweden) 30 years ago on a backpacking trip in the northern Canadian Rockies. The cup, which I made for a friend who had lost a […]

by June 15, 2023 eNews: Strop Talk, Patterns & Projects
Building a Carver’s Frame

Building a Carver’s Frame

Shop-made holding fixture allows you to carve anything outdoors By Ralph Beam Illustrations by Paul Modlin  I wanted to carve outside in nice weather but needed a way to secure the blanks in a unit light enough to move from the yard to the garage. I read an article about […]

Carving a Realistic Rabbit

Carving a Realistic Rabbit

Turn this woodland favorite into an adorable spring decoration By Desiree Hajny Thanks to popular media, we can’t help associating our long-eared friends with spring. I’ve had several batches of young bunnies in my backyard and always enjoy watching each one’s development from wide-eyed little creature to majestic adult. For […]

by March 2, 2023 eNews: Strop Talk, Spring Carving
Custom Paint Rack

Custom Paint Rack

Size this basic design to fit your workspace By Steve Russell Organize your paint collection with a rack made to suit your needs. This multilayered design with a clear front gets paint bottles up off the bench, moves them closer to eye level, and doesn’t take up much space. You […]

by March 2, 2023 eNews: Strop Talk, Shop Tips