What is a good knife to whittle with?

[popedandy]

A thread on whittling needs a couple more pictures. I'm pretty happy with how this one turned out. It's a present for my little sister.

 

[Big Barn]

If you are looking for a 'pocket knife' for whittling, I always say find one that fits good in the hand. A knife that is thin in width will quickly become uncomfortable. For 'pocket knives' I like the Case humpback whittler pattern or the Canal Street Cannitler best. Also, don't count out Rough Riders - yes they are Chinese but decent quality & very inexpensive. I'd also recommend something that has sunken joints, also to make it comfortable in the hand. You'll find a flat grind edge the best over-all for general cutting. ALWAYS keep it sharp, so hone/strop often.

 

[OzarkCreekWalker]

I'm gonna go out on a limb here...

Even though its not romantic, I do recommend a small little fixed blade, like a mora or flexcut, with a nice, comfortable handle.
I've whittled plenty with my pocket knives and while it does work fine, it can start to tear up your hands. Use whatever you are most comfortable with. Typically

 

[yablanowitz]

Anything sharp enough will work. I find that a mix of straight edge blades and something with a little bit of belly works best for me.

 

[neeman]

i started whittling with different SAK-s ,but when i got GEC Jack with wharncliffe blade,it fast become only folder i use for that,(and fixed scandi knives )

like Mora sloyd
#120

I really like slippies for whittling
But............
These Moras for about $15 outclass the slippies
They are so comfortable to use
The handle fills your hand
Easy to sharpen to razor sharp
And fixed blades

The core of the blade is hardened to 61 - 62 on the Rockwell C scale for the finest of edges.
The 4 1/4" handle is generously sized for a solid grip

#120. A traditional Scandinavian carving knife from Frosts.
This is a detail knife with a blade of laminated carbon steel about 2 1/4" (58 mm) long and .107" thick.

#122. Another traditional carving knife, this time with a straight edge, and a very sharp point for cutting fine detail.
The laminated carbon steel about 2 3/8" (60 mm) long and .112" thick.

 

[CUTS LIKE A KRIS]

My wife learned carving on Stone with files and sandpaper, and had never carved wood until leaving the arctic. For her uses she found that a Spyderco Meerkat combined with a small opinel works well.

This was carved with just the opinel (and sandpaper), and was her first completed wood carving, done in a weekend:

 

[popedandy]

Cuts Like a Kris, your wife does nice work.

 

[goodeyesniper]

A thread on whittling needs a couple more pictures. I'm pretty happy with how this one turned out. It's a present for my little sister.

is the stain/oil you used foodsafe? What do you use?

 

[CUTS LIKE A KRIS]

Cuts Like a Kris, your wife does nice work.

Thank you for the compliment. I will tell her you said so, means a lot to her coming from somebody that can't be put in the doghouse!!

 

[popedandy]

is the stain/oil you used foodsafe? What do you use?

I normally use Watco Teak Oil to seal the wood on the bowls, mostly because I always have some around and I've used it enough that I know what kind of results I'm going to get. Once that has cured I do a few coats of a furniture polish that contains beeswax and some other stuff. The furniture polish is probably foodsafe, but the Watco isn't. I'm not too concerned about it because although the bowls could be used, they are really just for sitting around looking pretty. For the stuff I carve that could come in contact with food - knives, forks, spoons, and stirrers - I use a cooking oil, usually olive oil because that is what we have around. The utensils get re-oiled whenever they start to look a little dry.

 

[neeman]

My wife learned carving on Stone with files and sandpaper, and had never carved wood until leaving the arctic. For her uses she found that a Spyderco Meerkat combined with a small opinel works well.

This was carved with just the opinel (and sandpaper), and was her first completed wood carving, done in a weekend:

This is a very lovely piece
The flow and lines of the work
Quite delightful

Please give my congrats to your wife

Also
Look at Rifflers, which are double-ended curved fine-toothed rasps specifically for shaping in carving in wood
They cut much faster than sandpaper

 

[Alberta Ed]

Shrade Oldtimer stockman works great.

 

[CUTS LIKE A KRIS]

This is a very lovely piece
The flow and lines of the work
Quite delightful

Please give my congrats to your wife


Also
Look at Rifflers, which are double-ended curved fine-toothed rasps specifically for shaping in carving in wood
They cut much faster than sandpaper

Thank you again! We have a couple of sets of rifflers already, but she only used sandpaper for finishing touches- everything else was opinel! Once she gets an idea in her head.....

And congrats to me- I'm the one that convinced her to stick around a troglodyte like me somehow!!