Whittling with modern folders

O

outdooredge

Joined
Feb 22, 2013
Messages
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Most modern folders are not good at cutting wood because they were not made for wood. But some modern knives are still very good at wood cutting.

So has anybody tried whittling (I don`t mean carving faces and that but just wood cutting) with any modern folder like spyderco, benchmade, kershaw...

Only serious test that I found on forum is:
http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php/682141-Whittling-test-yields-surprises

My personal experience with modern folder (byrd raven) is that it isn`t good but works.
 
What's good? That's a tricky thing to define. If you just want to point some stakes get a Spderco military and use the chest lever grip. Make sure it doesn't take your thumb off though. ;) It chews through it pretty quick.
 
Scandi ground folders are good at this sort of thing.

Enzo Birk
Enzo PK70
Helle Dokka
Helle Skala
some Eka folders, not sure which ones
 
I carved the end of a stick into a point (that's all I really can do) with a ZT 0551. It worked pretty well.
 
KnottyEagle said:
I carved the end of a stick into a point (that's all I really can do) with a ZT 0551. It worked pretty well.
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Yep. For basic stuff like that pretty much any knife will do. In fact the only knives that I've used that weren't all that great for basic stuff were "survival" knives with the edges ground too thick. But that's more for fixed blades. I can't see a folder having such obtuse edge angles but you never know. Where there's a will to screw something up, there's a way. ;)
 
My problem with a lot of modern folders is that the handles are usually very thin and I like a nice full sized grip in a carving knife. But I've used a few of my modern folders to carve stuff and they worked well, mostly full flat ground blades with thin edges. My Caly 3 is one of my favourites.
 
I have a ZT0200 and don't cut wood with it. I'd put my $ on it being able to, and well, though. It's a pretty substantial knife.
 
I guess I'm not sure what you are asking. Wood carving with modern knife? Yes, I have carved lots of stuff with various knives including Spydercos.

Just whittling wood (that is, making shavings)? Yes, I have done this extensively with various knives including Spydercos.

Would I prefer a good fixed blade? Yes, but sometimes folders are fun. Most of my fixed blades are a little larger than I like for detail carving, but wood shavings for killing time or fire building they are ideal;)

ImageUploadedByTapatalk1375230517.739900.jpg

My boy:
ImageUploadedByTapatalk1375230550.602511.jpg
 
Lately, I have been whittling figures and shapes (crude, all) from pieces of Ponderosa Pine that I pick up while walking my dogs. Toss 'em when done. And I do have a small project that I am whittling (vs carving with carving tools) with a traditional stockman. But the impromptu stuff that I do while walking the dogs I do with whatever I happen to be carrying at the time. I find that my LW Manix2 works really well for whittling when you choke up on the choil for decent control. My mini-grips also seem to work well, the full size grips through, not so much.

So, yeah, you can do some whittling with modern folders, I guess. At least I haven't cut any digits off - yet. :D
 
Today I went hiking and used the hogue ex02 and sebenza large for whittling (polished edge retention tests) and they do fine.

I suppose certain jimping would be annoying like the hogue.

sebenza's rounded spine feels great with pressure.

hogue with the thicker blade was more adept at chopping, I feared the sebenza couldn't handle full forces.
 
I've carved a feather stick or two with my CRK Star-Tac. It is not exactly ideal, but it will do it.

When I was at school, I spent many a happy afternoon carving toothpicks out on the quad. I used a couple of different knives, namely a Buck Vantage, SAK, Inron MY-803, and an Opinel. The Opinel and SAK were probably the best, although the Inron wasn't half bad. The Buck Vantage wasn't the best, the roughly finished spine hurt and the lock failed a few times.
 
We were in the mountains a couple of weekends ago and I made a spoon from the center of a pretty large heart of aspen that had dried. I only used my Mule and my Manix 2. Both did good, but the mule did outshine the Manix just a bit. I think I need to take a shorter, edge to spine, knife next time. The bowl was exausting as both knives were just a bit too big for my novice skills.
 
I'm a whittling newbie, but I carve mostly with Cold Steel Tuff Lite and Mini Tuff Lite folders:

6rHWZnk.jpg
 
haven't done too much detail stuff. my spyderco military is my main camping, hiking, woods knife though. stopped carrying fixed blades most of the time as the folder is in such a more efficient package. it sees a lot of fire wood prep, and some basic whittling.

minimalist said:
I have a ZT0200 and don't cut wood with it. I'd put my $ on it being able to, and well, though. It's a pretty substantial knife.
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being "substantial" is almost always a bad thing for wood work actually. and it's why modern folders are often not great at it.

to be more accurate, a substantial handle is nice, but substantial in a way most ZT knives are not. you do not want jimping or aggressive texturing.b also the blade should be as short, thin, and narrow as you can get away with for the tasks at hand.

so basically a big round, smooth handle with a small pointy blade is often ideal.
 
Shotgun said:
Yep. For basic stuff like that pretty much any knife will do. In fact the only knives that I've used that weren't all that great for basic stuff were "survival" knives with the edges ground too thick. But that's more for fixed blades. I can't see a folder having such obtuse edge angles but you never know. Where there's a will to screw something up, there's a way. ;)
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Every knife will do this but will it do good or it will take 1 hour for one spear? I am looking for a knife that will do it good.
 
outdooredge said:
Every knife will do this but will it do good or it will take 1 hour for one spear? I am looking for a knife that will do it good.
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I don't mean to be rude, but I'm still unclear on a few things.

Any knife of reasonable steel and heat treat should support a properly thin edge to whittle a good sized stick into a pointed "spear" in short order.

I see this as a function of the user and his/her ability to maintain the edge suited to their chosen tasks, as well as having the ability to work the wood.
 
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