More Ways to Mark/Sign Your Wood Carvings

 Beginner Wood Carving Information, Wood Carving Tips  No Responses »
Oct 302011
 

When completing wood carving projects, it is important to mark the carvings appropriately so that you have some type of reference about the piece.  Over time, you will forget when the carving was done, what type of wood was used, and sometimes, who completed the carving if it is given away or purchased by someone else.  I have to admit that I haven’t always adhered to these marking suggestions, but I wish I had started using them before now.

6 interesting ways to mark your wood carving projects are:

1                     Burn your initials and year into the project

2                     List the number of carving that it is for the year

3                     Stamp your brand

4                     Mark the name of the wood that was used

5                     Embed a carving symbol that is unique to you

6                     Name of the project

7 ways to accomplish this are:

1                     Gouges and V-tools

2                     Ink

3                     Pencil

4                     Paint

5                     Woodburning

6                     Knife

7                     Engraved Plate

Send Ozark Walking Sticks Your Wood Carving Pictures

 Wood Carvers  No Responses »
Oct 292011
 

We have been adding information and tips about beginner wood carving to this Blog to help others get started off right.  While we have been formulating ideas for these posts, we had an idea.  We would like to see your wood carvings and walking sticks. We would also love to hear about those wood carvers, that created these pieces.

If you have a wood carving piece or walking stick that you are especially proud of, share it with us here at Ozark Walking Sticks.  If you want to add some information about the piece and/or about yourself, feel free to do so.  These pictures can be anything from just a picture of the carving to a picture of you with the carving project, such as a using a walking stick that you have made.

Seeing other people’s wood carvings can provide some great inspiration for others.  As we receive pictures and biographical information, we will begin adding them to the Wood Carvers section of this website.  Send your responses to: ten99j4@ozarkwalkingsticks.com

 

Highlight on Wood Carvers – Gene Messer

 Wood Carvers  2 Responses »
Oct 262011
 

I have been bitten by the wood carving bug and want to help others to learn the joys of wood carving.  Even though I am still learning every day through study and practice.  Here is a highlight of one of my favorite carvers – Gene Messer.

Gene has been carving for 20 years and is self taught.  He began becoming interested in carving, at the age of 39, during his first wifes battle with cancer.  It gave him something to pass the time while taking care of her.  She lost her battle with cancer, but Gene continues to carve.

His favorite style of carving is Flat-Plane carving which uses a knife almost exclusively.  Based on that preference, it shows where his early inspiration came from.  Gene was inspired by Andy Anderson and the Trygg family who also carved in the Flat-Plane style. Continue reading »

Santa Study Stick – Tutorial

 Beginner Wood Carving Information, Wood Carving Studies/Tutorials  No Responses »
Oct 262011
 

Santa Study Stick – Beginner Wood Carving Tutorial

This beginner wood carving tutorial has been edited for clarity with permission of Tom H.  It is a cooperation between Tom H. and Thomp both Wood Carving Illustrated members.  It is with great sadness, to report that since this tutorial was originally created, Thomp has passed away.

Purpose of this document: It is in hopes, that those with basic to intermediate carving skills can accomplish the task of making the Santa study stick, or practice stick for themselves, then have one to copy from in their hand and continue carving others as practice. All wood carvers needs to learn carving safety, how to sharpen, hone and maintain cutting edges, in addition to general carving experience in the basic skills.  The tutorial teaches the use of a study stick.  Each step is in progression and starts where you left off on the prior step and builds a more completed step in the overall carving of a character, leaving the previous step as a record of how the carving was accomplished

SKILLS NEEDED: Skilled BEGINNERS to INTERMEDIATE

  • The carver is required to obtain:
  1. Carving safety equipment: Good lighting, (visor, or reading glasses if needed) Kevlar carving glove and finger guards.
  2. Tools: a serviceable Sharp Carving Knife, and a Sharp small 2mm Gouge if possible (see scary sharp method for help on this) LINK TO WCI
  3. Materials: Box of band aids, 1×1″ basswood, White pine, cypress, or other suitable softwood practice stick 12: long. One source is heineckewood

Proceed: Starting with a blank stick 1″x1″x12″ , Divide the stick into 5 equal parts, 2-1/4″ or so and mark with pencil. Now you should have 5 bands of pencil marks all the way around the stick giving you 5 segments. You will be using the corners of the block to carve the nose.

 

Step# 1 – In this Step what is going on is cutting a small notch for the eyebrow at the bridge of the nose and another lower notch a slight bit larger, below the nose. Keep them small, you can always make them deeper, but you can’t add it back.  The top notch will be at approximately 7/8″ from the top of the segment and the lower notch at approximately 1 3/8″ from the top or 1/2″ below the top notch. Continue reading »

Advantages of Whittling/Wood Carving Small Projects

 Beginner Wood Carving Information  1 Response »
Oct 232011
 

When wood carving and whittling, it is sometimes very beneficial to carve small pieces.  Some of the advantages are:

1. A single wood carving knife and possibly a v-tool is all that is needed to complete the project

2. There is not much cost involved, because there is a limited amount of wood being used

3. Very little clean-up is needed as compared to larger carving projects

4. Only requires a small area for the carving process

5. Can be completed just about anywhere you are allowed to have a wood carving knife and a small piece of wood

6. They can be completed rather quickly and many times in one short sitting

7. Become attention getters and conversation starters

8. Are very fun to complete and give away after carving

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