Lunchtime Whittling Project

Smaug

Smaug

Joined
Jun 30, 2003
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I noticed that I'm now of the age and fitness level where I can't scratch an itch in the middle of my back without hurting my shoulder.

While I was out for my lunchtime walk, I decided I would look for some deadfall that would make good stock for a back-scratcher. I found one with a nice curve and a little stub of a branch protruding; perfect!

I shaved off the bark, then started a deep notch to part off the bit that I didn't need on the scratcher end:
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Then cut off the little stub branches. Finally, I rounded off the splintered handle end and sharpened the scratcher stub just a bit:
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View attachment 1465331

I'll probably clean it up just a bit more, and cut some more gripping grooves onto the handle end.

I think I'm going to make one more of these for the office, (for when I finally go back) and maybe a couple for Christmas presents.

I thought I'd share, because this is a quick and easy project that lets us use our short-bladed knives.
 
Scratchers are essential, here's a favorite.
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For lunch, I whittle native pecans.
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One of my favorite things to make when I was a kid. I gave them all away and people made a big deal about them. They were so easy to make. I remember I had a Den mother in cub scouts I gave 1 to. (That means I was 9 years old.) She thought it was the best thing ever and she had been a den mother something like 40 years.

A trick to making a spiral handle is to wrap it with electrical tape then follow the lines.

Thanks for bringing back the memories.

Another fun project with a stick is to make a mini totem pole.

That den mother was a hoot. She could play the harmonica, one of the big ones with the slide. She’d play polkas and dance a jig.

Her husband had Purple Heart from WW2. I asked her how he got it. This prim and proper Den mother says. “He fell on his ass!”

Turns out he was in a mule train in the mountains and the trail gave way the pack mule fell over the side and dragged him with it. He landed on the animal. Lol.
 
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Smaug said:
Seems like it'd be easy to whittle one's finger, with the pecan-whittling!
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Extremely easy, lots of practice and technique helps, but it's the only way I know to consistently get perfect native halves.
The women in the family won't use anything other than natives in their pies (best flavor), and they don't want pieces.
 
Wow! I hope they appreciate your hard work. How many pecans go into a pie?
 
eveled said:
Wow! I hope they appreciate your hard work. How many pecans go into a pie?
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Not really sure, I just turn'm in and eat pie later.

Edit: My wife says 2 cups of hulled pecans for a 9 inch pie.
Takes a few hours to fill a gallon bag.
My Dad could hull natives with his knife faster than I could eat them. I'm not quite that fast.
I think I'm the last generation in this area that hulls pecans with a knife.
 
ErQDkMI.jpg

I did this a while back with the small blade of a SAK when I start to learn whittling(still suck at it, but gonna start somewhere), and having a pair of cut resistant gloves is a good for beginner like me.
 
jpm2 said:
For lunch, I whittle native pecans.
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We have a ton of native pecan trees where I live. They're hard as hell to crack and not break the meat up. I first tried using one of those pecan crackers with the rubber band, and that lasted all of five minutes. I've since gone to using an antique pecan cracker where I can easily apply as much pressure as I want. Once it's cracked a little, I finish up with my pocket knife.
 
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