What knife should I buy for whittling?

Neko2

Neko2

Joined
Jul 18, 2003
Messages
1,889
Hello all,

Ive got my eye on a Case Seahorse which I want for looks as much as I want it for smallerizing some wood and I'm wondering if for the money it's a good deal.
I'm also looking at Helvie knives (and boy do they have alot) and wondering if I'll get more utility out of a small dedicated detail knife. The secondaries on the Case seemed similar in use albeit not in construction.

I currently have a Mora 120, a couple modified Colts and some gouges and am debating what I would want next. I guess I'm looking for advice on what you like, how you feel about the Seahorse and Helvie and if you can help me justify what I'm about to buy to my wife ;)

I've got $50 max (work gave me a gift card) so I can't go nuts. Whaty'all think?
 
I'm no expert, but I do some whittling here and there, and I do enjoy my Case Seahorse. At first, I thought it was a bit weird, what with the main blade being thicker than I'd expect, and the secondary blades way thinner, but after sharpening it up and actually spending some time using it, it's definitely grown on me. I very much like the wharncliffe and coping blades on it. I don't use the pen much, but can see that it could be useful at times. I have a couple Moras, and a Flexcut, but I prefer using folders, probably for more of an aesthetic thing than anything. I imagine the fixed blades are better for longer time periods and things, so perhaps a Helvie (although I'm not familiar with that brand, I did a very quick google search) might be in order. I think it all comes down to preference, really. Function... Well, that's another story. ;)
 
Butz make some good fixed blade wooden handle and short blade. If your looking for a folder, there not as good for dedicated whittling but more convenient. Seahorse os good, really any larger hand filling knife with short blades is good. Whittlers, Congress, stockman. Jack

Sent from my XT1585 using Tapatalk
 
I like several patterns for whittling. Med, leg stockman, split back whittlers, and four blade Congress. The seahorse was not my favorite. I found the main blade too thick and the secondarys too thin. The handle shape is nice though. For the money, a good case med stockman with reprofiled edges is hard to beat.
 
Perhaps the most important piece of advice I can give is to not fret about finding the best choice. You'll get a lot of good—and probably conflicting—recommendations here and they'll likely all be good ones. It ultimately comes down to personal preference and what catches your eye. A lot of folders are, or can become, good whittlers.

My first whittling knife was a Case Seahorse with as-ground Tru-Sharp blades. IIRC, the purchase price was right around your price range. I really like the secondaries on that knife. Once I got them properly sharpened at a nice low angle they performed very well. Both the pen and coping blades on mine have seen a lot of use. I haven't found the main blade to be useful for my whittling. It's too thick for my taste. See, I told you you'd get conflicting opinions. :)

I yet haven't tried one, but I'd also look at the Case Medium Stockman in CV with a pen blade instead of spey. They are in your price range and the blade shapes of the secondaries look pretty good to me.

If you are willing to hunt and perhaps do a bit of modification, I'm very fond of the USA-made Schrade 34OTs. They've got great steel, are easy to modify the spey into a pen blade, and are fairly readily available on the big auction site. Although, I've seen them listed from time to time in the exchange here, so you might have good luck posting in the WTB thread.

You could also consider getting a Victorinox Tinker or Recruit and modifying the small pen blade to be narrower and pointier. For your budget you could get both the knife and a file. :)

As for the Helvies, I don't have any fixed-blade carving knives, but I have had my eye on a couple of the Don Mertz signature series ones. The Series 2 Universal Scimitar Wood Bee Knife seems to be the quintessential Mertz scimitar knife. In a fairly recent blog post, the Series 24 Viper Bee III was recommended by Mr. Mertz by as "an excellent choice for the first purchase" of his signature knife series.

If you visit the Wood Bee Carver website and click on the "Helvie Knife Guide", you'll find a PDF showing a lot of recommended combinations that make up two- and three-knife sets. Perhaps you can find some ideas there for a knife that would complement the Mora that you already have.

Good luck with your decision and have fun with it. Please let us know what you decide.
 
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StoneBeard said:
Hi Neko2,

There is some great info that really helped me when I was getting started in these three links. Hope you also find them helpful. There's some great posts on modifying reasonably priced knives making them outstanding whittling companions.

http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php/1398804-Cavalcade-of-Carvers-(preferably-folders)


http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php/1405809-whittlin-with-your-edc

http://woodbeecarver.com/carving-on-the-edge/carving-on-the-edge
Click to expand...

Believe it or not, I've read those all and it usually just goes to confuse me even more:D
There's a lot of opinion wrapped in preverence and coated with a bit of experience involved and it's hard sometimes for me to get a conclusion from that. I figured I'd ask a more pointed question and see if I'd get more of the meat I was after.

I don't really have a knife budget so purchases like these are kind of rare or I'd just pick both up and run with it.

I really appreciate the links though and remembered a few things I has forgotton. Heck Woodbee is who started me on my Helvie hunt in the first place...

::Edit::

While I was writing this a few more replies came through and were very helpfull so Ididn't want it to look as if I ignored them.

I have a few of the knives mentioned and was trying to get away from the need of modification prior to use. I know some of it is inevitable but I seem to spend more time prepping my knives than using them now a days. That being said I do have a tinker that was purchased with the express plan of making a whittling knife. I've also been looking at the Huntsman or Hiker... whatever the Tinker with a saw instead of the scissors.

Keep it up though, I'm really enjoying and learning from all the opinions on these knives.
 
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If you're looking for a small dedicated detail knife (fixed blade) I'd suggest looking into Lee Ferguson's knives. Very nice knives, well within your budget.
 
Neko2 said:
The Helvie knives are in that category and partially why I'm looking at them.
Plus all the carvers that swear by them.
Click to expand...

Ben Orford in the UK makes some nice ones. Svante Djärve makes some of the finest I've ever handled. His work is a little difficult to find in the US, but some googling will locate them. His carving axes are as good as it gets as well.
 
If you want a regular slipjoint for whittling, I recommend a Congress or Half Congress.
 
Pfeil makes a wide variety of chisels,gouges and knives at varying price levels in a pretty well regarded steel. Dedicated knives are great, but I feel like I'm really whittlin' when I use my pocket knife. Otherwise it's carving, which is fine too, just depends on what you like.
Neal
 
I have a few congress knives so maybe I can get one worked up and ready for carving.

Looks like the concensus is not and it's somewhat split between a pocket knife and a dedicated knife of your preference.
So I'm pretty much still undecided. Still considering a CASE seahorse whittler or a Helvie Viper III mistly.
I wish I could just buy both and call it a day but that's just not how it is.

Keep the stories coming because I keep getting swayed one way or another and maybe eventually I'll land somewhere.



Thanks again.
 
I love to whittle and the Mora 120 was my favourite for a long time. I liked the size and it was easy for me to keep sharp.

Then I had a custom maker make me an ultimate whittling knife based on the Mora 120 blade size.

It was much more than $50 though. :)

The Sanremu are nice folders that whittle well when you find the right size. Great prices.
 
I may have an answer to my question in a few days. I'll keep everyone updated if it all pans out.

I'm also thinking of making a couple fill in blafrs with inspiration from Woodbee after I have a more rounded stable.
I'll probably muck those up anyway so them I can falk back on the gods ones.
 
The problem with this subject is that it comes down to personal preference, that's why there are so many opinions and advice. Another big factor is what are you whittling because the optimum blade shape for spoon carving fulfills different needs than a detail blade for caricatures. With experience and technique you'll become more proficient with any blade.
My favourites:
- spoon carving and general "bushcraft" style, Mora 106, is a little larger than the 120 and better for tight curved cuts
- caricatures and small items like chains or ball in a cage, 1-1 1/2" narrow clip point or slightly trailing point with needle thin point. A whittler or stockman patterns are good with a little modification. If you want one of the Helvie knives I would recommend woodbeecarver series #4 because is a little smaller than the #2.
A lot of people prefer straight edges, but I found out that the cleanlines of the cut is better with a curved edge although is a little more difficult to use. Also the straight edge is less forgiven for sharpness because most of the cuts are push cuts so you have to maintain extreme sharpness.
As always YMMV
 
Yeah, I'm learning that I just jumped into another hobby that takes buying lots of supplies to figure out what I like.
Here's hoping I find my favorites early.
 
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