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.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Honing Oils Or Water
• Whetstones
• Whittling And Wood Carving Kits
• Pieces Of Wood
• Kitchen Utility Knives
• Whittling Knives

1. 

   Choose a piece of wood. It should be big enough to whittle down, yet small enough to hold comfortably.

2. Choose a knife. It should be sharp and a comfortable size to hold in your hand.

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.)

4. Hold the knife in your right hand and the wood in your left (if you're left-handed, reverse this).

5. Clear your mind. Whittling is a meditative process, good for quiet contemplation.

6. Begin gradually shaving away the wood.

7. 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.

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.

on 3/20/2006 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.

on 3/15/2006 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.

on 1/18/2006 Wearing a mesh glove, often used for filleting fish, is a great idea to wear on your left hand (if you are right handed) when whittling. It provides a flexible way to whittle with ease and protect your hand at the same time.

on 11/22/2005 When you cut yourself, don't freak out. Staunch the flow of blood, wrap it in a tissue, towel or band aid and hold the wound above your heart. That makes it harder for the blood to flow and it will stop bleeding faster.

Never whittle in the dark--you can not see your hands well enough to protect them well.

Lastly, if you keep slicing your hand, try wearing flexible leather gloves or use some sort of a plastic clamp, it's much safer.

on 11/22/2005 If you ever get to a knot in the wood, place the wood on a table at a 45 degree angle from the wood and keep whittling until you're through it.