How to Whittle
Whittling is wood carving of a sort - dedicated whittlers make all kinds of creations, and some of them have become quite valuable. But whittling, like traveling, is more about the journey than about the destination.
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Things You'll Need
- Honing Oils Or Water
- Whetstones
- Whittling And Wood Carving Kits
- Pieces Of Wood
- Kitchen Utility Knives
- Whittling Knives
Instructions
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1
Choose a piece of wood. It should be big enough to whittle down, yet small enough to hold comfortably.
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2
Choose a knife. It should be sharp and a comfortable size to hold in your hand.
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3
Look at the wood and decide what you want to whittle - making sure to take into consideration what the wood wants. (Many whittlers believe that a piece of wood will speak to you - that the piece already exists, imprisoned deep within the wood - and that the whittler's job is to let it out.)
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Hold the knife in your right hand and the wood in your left (if you're left-handed, reverse this).
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5
Clear your mind. Whittling is a meditative process, good for quiet contemplation.
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Begin gradually shaving away the wood.
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Quit when you're done - or when you want to take a break. The great thing about whittling is that the wood will wait for you.
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Tips & Warnings
If you're a beginner, start with a stick. Shave a point so that you can use it as a skewer for toasting marshmallows or hot dogs over a campfire. See if you can peel the bark off the whole stick (like peeling a carrot). Now that you've gotten the feel of it, you can choose a more challenging project.
Always cut away from your hand and fingers. This means that the entire hand, including the first finger (it's so tempting to extend this finger as a stabilizer - please don't) should be behind the blade of the knife as you whittle.
If you have kids around, put your knife someplace out of reach.
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Comments
View all 12 Comments-
I think I am going to be a whittling man, now all I need is a pair of overalls and a straw hat. yeeeee-haaaaaa!
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Mar 20, 2006
You can seriously hurt yourself while whittling. So it is important to pay attention to what you are doing - for example if someone calls you - first stop handling the knife and then answer. Also use protective gear, there are several types of protective gloves that protect against puncture and cuts (it is important to protect against both), also many carvers use protective bands (such as used by surgeons) to protect against the same things. Always cut away from your body, never toward it. When sometimes you have to switch directions, as happens when you attempt to achieve something, pay more attention to what you are doing. Always use well sharpened knives - they are less likely to slip on the wood and hurt you, and the effort you use to actually carve is much less.
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Mar 20, 2006
You can seriously hurt yourself while whittling. So it is important to pay attention to what you are doing - for example if someone calls you - first stop handling the knife and then answer. Also use protective gear, there are several types of protective gloves that protect against puncture and cuts (it is important to protect against both), also many carvers use protective bands (such as used by surgeons) to protect against the same things. Always cut away from your body, never toward it. When sometimes you have to switch directions, as happens when you attempt to achieve something, pay more attention to what you are doing. Always use well sharpened knives - they are less likely to slip on the wood and hurt you, and the effort you use to actually carve is much less.
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Mar 15, 2006
Keep your knife (or whatever you're whittling with) really good and sharp. A sharp knife is far safer, because you need to put far less force behind the stroke, meaning any slippages are less likely to damage the work or your hand.
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Mar 15, 2006
Keep your knife (or whatever you're whittling with) really good and sharp. A sharp knife is far safer, because you need to put far less force behind the stroke, meaning any slippages are less likely to damage the work or your hand.
