First time carving a ball and cage! Pic heavy

[lotoblades]

Well the mood to carve hit me, and I decided to try the ball and cage, so I ripped and old 2x4 pine block in half, grabbed a couple pocket knives and went to work After a quick measurement or two, I put my Case medium stockman to work, I wanted to see how the true sharp would hold up for this project.

First off was cutting out the spaces below and above the ball, this took some time!

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Then I realized that I left way to much material for the ball but no biggie

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Last shot, showing the two tools used, a Case med yellow stockman in true sharp, and my edc, Vic pioneer harvester. I used the vic for the bigger cuts, and the case for everything else, I decided I like the true sharp ok, only needed a few passes on the loaded strop to keep it sharp, no problems at all!

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A fun project, took me about 4 hours total, not bad in my opinion, for my first try, I still need to clean it up a bit and put a finish on it. But for anyone who hasn't tried one of these, if you have a sharp knife and some patience, you should give it a try!

 

[duckman1]

Great job on the ball and chain. I've never done one but after this post I might give it a try.

 

[Blues]

Nice. I'm pretty sure my first one took over four hours as I followed the instructions from E.J. Tangerman's classic Whittlling And Woodcarving

 

[SHEBOP]

Looks like a great way to enjoy your knife!
Thanks for posting your FUN!
Great Job!!

 

[lotoblades]

Thanks for the compliments guys! I actually forgot to get the final pic, I smoothed the rails up some and rounded the ball a little better. Next I would like to try a chain, well see how that goes! Blues, or anyone else I'd love to see some of your work if you care to post it !

 

[Blues]

I've done chains as well (also from the Tangerman book).

I think I still have some in boxes in the garage somewhere but I'll be danged if I can figure out which. (Plus mine are nothing to brag on. Fast Eddie has done some pretty ones.)

 

[bdws1975]

I remember my first ball in a cage. I still find it's my favorite one to do.

Nice job. Now get some sandpaper and make it all purty!

Brett

 

[Ed T]

That is great!
Looks like it was fun.


Ed

 

[Blues]

Found a couple of images from several years ago while I was working on my first chain and first ball in a cage.

Not much to look at since it was early on, but you get the basic idea.

 

[T. Erdelyi]

Here was my first attempt, I want to do a chained caged ball next, mine took me over 20 hrs of 1/2 hour lunches at work.

My only recommedation, use basswood, it carves like butter.:thumbup:

As you can tell as soon as I decided I could do it I stopped, all I did was cut away everything that looked like it didn't belong, that's how I wound up with 3 ball instead of one, I'll see if I can dig up some other pics.

I used some interesting knives, again I'll have to post more later.

 

[lotoblades]

Thanks again guys, and thanks for the pics! I think I'll start another soon, or maybe try my hand at a chain. It's slow work, but it was relaxing to me!

 

[stockman242]

Well done everybody, Ive jet to try one.

 

[Blues]

My only recommedation, use basswood, it carves like butter.:thumbup:

Yep, gotta agree. I purchased some basswood after whittling the links and ball in cage (above) which were made with some mystery wood purchased at a local Lowe's some years back. That stuff was way less than ideal but it was what I had readily available at the time and they were willing to cut the wood to length for a small additional charge.


By the way, a couple of other excellent books for ideas on whittling are Chris Lubkemann's: Whittling Twigs and Branches and The Little Book Of Whittling

 

[pappy1959]

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[Blues]

Pappy, that is some dang impressive work! (You big show-off! )

Of course you realize that now I'll never pick up my ol' yellow congress for whittling again. (Let alone ever attempting chip carving. )

Seriously, though, outstanding! :thumbup:

 

[duckman1]

Pappy thats some nice carving. I'll bet that isn't your first plate.

 

[pappy1959]

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[duckman1]

Here's a pair I carved this year. Maine white cedar and oil paints.

 

[pappy1959]

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[lotoblades]

As someone who has some 25 years under my belt carving wood professionally, I would like to say that your ball-in-a-cage is an EXCELLENT first time!! To be honest, I would not even attempt it in pine. Basswood and butternut for me most of the time.

Great job. My first carving was an apple. It looked like a pear.

Hope you don't mind me showing you a couple of my carvings here.

Thanks for sharing!!

Keep Care,

Pappy

Thank you sir! your work is outstanding!

I've whittled alot, and carved various objects just playing around, but this is the first thing I actually drew out, the rest weren't serious just turned out how they wanted lol Soon as I can get some decent wood, I start another project!