This Christmas, your whittling knife awaits you.
Christmas is a wholesome, wonderful time. It is when you share your blessings and woes with the cherished people in your life. Lately, Christmas is all about the flashiest tech and the hip new gadgets. This leaves the survivalist in you unsatisfied and disconnected from nature. On Christmas, put all other gifts to shame and make something yourself. The people who love you will definitely cherish this present more than any store-bought product. But what can you make? Cards, shadow boxes, and frames are very common presents. You need an innovative gift to knock the recipient’s socks off. Why not utilize your knife skills and carve a new present?
Admittedly, it can be a bit challenging if you don’t know how to whittle properly. The prospect of giving a lackluster gift is depressing. Also, Christmas is right around the corner. There are not many backup options left. But don’t fret, there is an easy way to learn to shave in just a few steps. All you need is a few essential supplies and an abundance of confidence. Additionally, it is a great way to de-stress the mind and relax. Many people find comfort in the intricate process and detail-shaping. Thus, all we see are benefits across the board. So, let’s start learning!
What to Whittle
This is where you get to stretch your creativity to its limits. The nature of the gift ultimately depends on who the recipient is. So make sure you decide according to likes and dislikes. For instance, spoons are an appropriate carving project if the recipient is a foodie or a chef. Similarly, painted wooden birds, animals, and other toys are perfect for children. Here are a few other things you can sculpt:
- Whistles
- Swords
- Toys
- Cups and plates
- Cutlery
- Hairclips
- Animals and birds
- Tobacco pipes
- Chess pieces
- Carved eagle feather or fish
- Wooden gnomes
- Boomerang
- Dolls and dollhouses
- Flutes
This is not an exhaustive or complete list. There are many other project areas we haven’t even touched upon. As we said earlier, there is no limit to the imagination at this juncture. Go nuts and plan the perfect sculpting gift for this Christmas.
What Do You Need
This part is simple, no matter the experience level. For any proper whittling process you only need two things, maybe three if you want to be fancy and thorough. You’ll require:
- Wood
- Knife
- Paints and brushes (optional)
Sounds easy enough, right? But there are a few more things to consider before you take a knife and start shaving the first stick you find. There are different types of woods and knives that you should be familiar with.
The perfect knife for sculpting is the common
pocket knife, which can be OTF or spring-assisted side draw. This knife should only be used if the specific whittling knife is not available. The pocket knife is not only your best friend in the survival situations, but it is also your trusted sculpting companion.
OTF blades are thick and serrated, which gives them the required force and bite for carving wood. They are also portable and multipurpose, so you don’t have to carry two knives. Multiple blade pocket knives are even better as they result in different cuts and patterns.
Wood is the other vital component, but one must be able to differentiate between different types of wood. Softwoods are recommended as they have a softer grain and require less power for whittling. They can also be carved quite extensively without developing flaws. The species favorable for carving are basswood, Pinewood, and Balsa Wood. However, pinewood needs to be examined thoroughly. It needs to be cleaned from the sap that is usually present on fresh-cut branches and twigs. The branches and twigs can be used perfectly well for whittling. You don’t need a properly cut and treated a block of wood.
How to Whittle
When you start the whole process of shaping, there must be a few key rules in your mind.
- Safety first. Wear gloves or a thumb pad
- Start slow
- Keep the blades sharp
- If you bleed on the wood, discard it
- Cut with the grain, not with the direction of your hand
- Practice, practice, and practice
Now that you know the basic rules, it’s time to get down to business.
Decide on a shape or a product and draw it on a piece of paper. The drawing should have roughly the same dimensions as the item in question. Take a piece of wood and start cutting towards the desired shape. Give special attention to the cuts of the wood. There are three cuts you can apply. You may apply rough cutting at the beginning of the project. This means long, shallow, swooping cuts to give a general shape to the project. The pull stroke or the paring cut is the next step. This is where you pull the blade towards your thumb and apply more power. This cut gives you a lot of details and patterns.
The push stroke is used when the grain is rough. Be careful when using the push and pull strokes. Protect your digits as any nick or cut can cause heavy bleeding. Keep carving until you have a perfect figuring or a serviceable utensil. Practice makes perfect, so don’t lose hope after a bad first attempt.
Whether you decide on
whittling your way through Christmas or going the old-fashioned route by shopping, this is your one-stop-shop. May your gifts be well-received! Let us know how the gift-exchange goes. Merry Christmas!
