How to Carve a Wooden Knife

Carving a wooden knife can a fun whittling project that can be completed in an afternoon or weekend. The knife can be any size or style you choose--your own imagination is the only limit to your knife design. To get started, you may want to use a knife you already own as a pattern to give you a visual aid to complete the carved knife.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• White paper
• Pencil
• Carbon paper
• Basswood block or slab
• Knife for outlining (optional)
• Carving knives or whittling knife

1. Draw the shape of the knife you want to carve onto a sheet of white paper. You can trace the outline from an existing knife.

2. Lay a sheet of carbon paper over the basswood block or slab that you plan to carve into a wooden knife.

3. Place the knife outline on the carbon paper. Trace the outline onto the wood using a pencil.

4. Begin carving away the wood from the outside of the pencil marks using a carving or whittling knife. Carve away small portions at a time to avoid chipping into the outline.

5. Begin shaping the knife blade by beveling down from one edge of the blade to the opposite edge on both sides of the wood.

6. Shape the handle of the knife by removing wood until the handle is comfortable and smooth to hold.

Tips & Warnings

• If you own a band saw, removing excess wood from the pattern is simple. Just cut the block or slab following the outline 1/4 inch from the outside of the pencil markings. Basswood is a soft wood that is easy to carve, making it good for the beginner. You can further smooth the wood by sanding with fine-grit sandpaper.
• Always whittle or carve away from your body. Whittling or carving toward you increases the chances that a slip could cause a severe wound.

References

• Whittling and Woodcarving by E. J. Tangerman, Dover Publications, Inc. 1962