whittlin' with your edc

[A.L.]

Whittled willow whistle this weekend. It's fun, but had to try few times because I had forgotten how it is done!

 

[SadSappySucker]

Nice work, everybody!

Got to the store yesterday and bought a block of basswood, then put on some tunes and embarked on my first chain link:

Nice cd!:thumbup:

 

[WhittlinAway]

Good evening folks. I'm finally getting a chance to catch up on this thread. Great stuff!

Last one changing style a little bit, A shelf sitter wizard inspired in Allen goodman shelf elf. I really recommend you to see Allen videos, he is a master of bringing shadow and depth to the carving with very few cuts

Very cool little wizard, Mateo! :thumbup:

I wasn't familiar with Allen Goodman's work or videos. Definitely going to check them out now!

I don't whittle much, but I almost always have a half started project lying around that I'll just chip away at here and there. Lately it's been the chain links.

I did the majority of the whittling with the 15 forum knife which absolutely excelled with, in my opinion, just about the perfect blade set up. I have been day dreaming about building a custom whittling/ everyday pocket knife. It would be a split spring serpentine with a main clip, a sheepsfoot, and an ultra thin wharncliffe(like on the presidential).

Great looking chain, Erik. It sure is rewarding when those links go free, isn't it?

And, that's a nice looking knife. That blade just screams "whittle with me!"

Interesting that your day dream knife has straight edges for both of the secondaries. Do you not tend to use curved edges when you whittle, or do you intend to use the clip main for that?

GT, I can't believe that when I saw this photo earlier I was so focused on the totem pole that I didn't even notice the screwdriver. So cool!

Nothing special, but I whittled a BBQ fork when I forgot mine at a cookout.
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Worked just fine to poke n' flip a few hot dogs and sausages. :thumbup:

Fabulous! There's something to be said for that whole "necessity is the mother of invention" thing.

Got inspired by this thread and asked my daughter what she wanted... Should have known it would either be a unicorn or a dolphin... I'm sure the unicorn is next!

Nice job! I bet she was pleased!

Which stockman is that, by the way?

Got to the store yesterday and bought a block of basswood, then put on some tunes and embarked on my first chain link:

Chains are a great exercise in patience and practice, in my opinion. Each link gets a little easier and better as you get the hang of it. Looks like you're off to a good start. Have fun with it!

Whittled willow whistle this weekend. It's fun, but had to try few times because I had forgotten how it is done!

Super cool! I'd love to try that some day.

Are they pretty forgiving, or do you have to get it just right in order to get a sound?

 

[A.L.]

Super cool! I'd love to try that some day.

Are they pretty forgiving, or do you have to get it just right in order to get a sound?

Thanks! No big effort, just go to some random bush and try.

They are pretty forgiving if you know what to do I guess. I think the most critical part is the nose (I think it's called) where the air flow in from your mouth. Leave that as thin as you can. As you can imagine, if you leave the hole too large there won't be resonance to cause the whistle.

 

[StoneBeard]

Failed to ask this although I meant to the other day. For those of you with whittling experience have any of you used the new #98 ( I see one pic :thumbup just curious what you thought based off other knives you fancy for the craft.

 

[Jfowl31]

I had plans of using the sheepsfoot on my 98, but the bale was getting in the way and the clip was making things uncomfortable so I switched back to the tried and true stockman.

I forgot to answer the question above but the knife is a GEC 81 in Red River acrylic from 2013.

 

[spycycle]

I'm a total rookie when it comes to this type of whittling, but so far I'm really happy with my 98 whittler. The big handle is nice to keep a firm grip, and that killer clip point just axes material away. I've mostly used the coping blade to notch out the negative space (pictured), and the pen seems to be great for finer shavings. Again, take this review with a grain or two of salt, but I'd say the 98 is a real solid pattern for carving.

 

[Jfowl31]

I should mention I have the camp knife and not the whittler. Hence the bale getting in the way. I did like the heft and size of the handle, but for any length of time, the clip digging into my fingers would be a deal breaker for me.

 

[spycycle]

The tip of the clip blade sits nicely under my middle finger knuckle, actually adds a little ergonomics to the handle for me! Is the clip a bit more exposed when shut on the camp knife?

 

[StoneBeard]

Thanks guys. All the whittling got me curious about those #98 whittlers. I have zero whittling experience but figured there had to be something to them seeing as how Roy Humenick did the #98 snakewood American Whittlers. Good to hear that besides looking great in all cover options they seem to also work well.

 

[5K Qs]

GT, I can only assume you plan on whittling an entire tool set to go with that screw driver.

Erik, my original plan after being surprisingly successful with the screwdriver was to whittle several tools, and I even thought about whittling components I could fit together to make a toolbox for my wooden replicas. But it hasn't happened yet; all I have is a screwdriver!

Got inspired by this thread and asked my daughter what she wanted... Should have known it would either be a unicorn or a dolphin... I'm sure the unicorn is next!

...
..

I like that dolphin! :thumbup::thumbup:

Thank you so much for that picture man 👍 you gave me the idea whittle a couple of screwdrivers ( hopefully I can do a Phillips and Flathead )

A problem I had with mine is I started with just a stick off a tree, and the tip of my screwdriver ended up with the central "heartwood", which kept falling out as I tried to thin the screwdriver tip.

...
Thanks GT,
I have a pretty good damage control protocol I mostly do finishing detail carving so the chips are tiny and few,
And I pick up most of them afterwards.
Also I'm usually at the unexplored depths of hospitals where there's not a soul to be seen
Mateo
...

Certainly sounds like you have a well thought out plan, Mateo!! :thumbup::thumbup:

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GT, I can't believe that when I saw this photo earlier I was so focused on the totem pole that I didn't even notice the screwdriver. So cool!
...

Thanks, Greg. In the photo, the screwdriver wasn't quite completed yet. You can see where I'll remove a little strip to make one of the "indents" spaced around the handle. I was so pleased when everyone to whom I showed my final product recognized what I intended it to be!

- GT

 

[Jfowl31]

Went down to Woodcraft and bought a few blocks to play with. Almost bit off more than I could chew with this block of cocobolo! I've got aching joints and a few blisters but finally chewed up this thing into a great paperweight!

I'll do some touch ups here and there and clean up the outside, but this is essentially done!

Once again, the GEC 81 doesn't fail to disappoint. I'm getting the edges flatter and flatter and as long as I keep the edge touched up, the size and shape is just about perfect for me.

 

[WhittlinAway]

Wow, you don't mess around. I'm impressed with how evenly round the ball is. Well done, sir.

I hope your hands recover quickly and are ready for some more whittling soon.

 

[Jfowl31]

The ball is a tad egg shaped,mainly because the cocobolo was so hard to cut across the grain. Started this one last Saturday and spent the last few days of the week taking a 30 hour OSHA course online. Plenty of time to kill!

Thanks for the compliment! The techniques are becoming more second nature.

 

[lutejones]

Great work !!!
Cutting dry cocobolo's end grain with a pocket knife is no joke at all I assure you!
I'm impressed Jfowl really nice a little more clean up and a bit of linseed oil will be the icing on the cake

 

[StoneBeard]

Went down to Woodcraft and bought a few blocks to play with. Almost bit off more than I could chew with this block of cocobolo! I've got aching joints and a few blisters but finally chewed up this thing into a great paperweight!

I'll do some touch ups here and there and clean up the outside, but this is essentially done!

Once again, the GEC 81 doesn't fail to disappoint. I'm getting the edges flatter and flatter and as long as I keep the edge touched up, the size and shape is just about perfect for me.

That looks awesome! Very nice work:thumbup:

 

[HeathH]

Wow! You're a manlier man than me, whittling cocobolo! Gorgeous!!! I whittle with my EDC regularly. I need to get some pictures of some smaller projects, most recently, my sister asked me to re-create ("whittle" in her words) a sign from Lord of The Rings. I only whittled the horse, but I did the detail work on it almost entirely with my single bladed 33OT to really test the pins:

Getting started:

Finished product:

 

[Pomsbz]

That sign is great!

 

[HeathH]

Thanks sir! I loved doing the detail work on the mane and tail - I think hair is my favorite thing to carve. The crudeness is mostly intentional ~ she said she wanted it worn and weathered looking.... It's a pretty cathartic experience to take something that you've put hours of thought and work into, then beating on it with a hammer and gouging it with a screwdriver, then slathering Vaseline here and there before painting, then rubbing it all over with your hands covered in fireplace soot so the paint job looks as awful as possible. Something everybody should do at least once

 

[neal70]

This all looks great-that screwdriver has me thinking of mini tools now as well 5k! Jfowl-what did you use for that dolphin? Looked like maple or birch; cocobolo? are you nuts?!?I've carved boxes and lids out of that and similar scraps of exotics (never throw wood away ) but generally I use a batoning chisel which when sharp cuts like a dream. Think razel by John Graham but not nearly so exspensive I guess I used to carry one in my tool belt, so it was sorta an edc? Maybe not Fantastic stuff everyone, some of it kinda humbling, course practice always helps.
Thanks, Neal