A Place for Wood Carvers and Whittlers
I’m trying to find a lost email message:
Yesterday, May 2, 2023 I received a message (email) from someone in British Columbia, Canada. It came from someone named Lawrence, and it contained two photos of a carving sent in for my Photo Shop. The message mentioned something about a copper wire being used in it.
Anyway, somehow that message got deleted from my files. So I’m hoping that person will see this post and resend the message so that I can post it in my next blog.
Thank you!
Bob K.
Remaining Woodcarving Shows & Events for 2023
The following is a list of the remaining woodcarving shows & events for 2023. Get out and look for one near you!
June 1-3 – Clayton, Indiana. Central Indiana Woodcarvers Roundup at Martha’s Orchard; 9-5 daily. $15 preregistered; $20 at the door. Bob Woodruff (317) 459-4454.
June 2-4 -Spokane, Washington. Spokane Carvers’ annual rendezvous at Tin Cup Cafe, 10013 W Charles Rd, Nine Mile Falls. Free classes, 8 to 4 daily. Roger (509) 467-3342; email Spokanecarversinfo@gmail.com. Web: SpokaneCarvers.com.
June 3-9 – Crete, Nebraska. 46th Doane Woodcarving Experience at Doane University, 1014 Boswell Avenue. Five-day seminar. Rohn Collins (402) 880-6721; rohncollins@cox.net. Website: www.thedoaneexperience.com/index.html.
June 10-17 – Maquoketa, Iowa. Affiliated Wood Carvers host annual International Woodcarvers Congress. Visit website: www.woodcarverscongress.org.
June 14-17 – Evart, Michigan. Evart Woodcarvers Roundup at Osceola County Fairgrounds (camping available). Free workshops (cost for supplies only). Call (734) 649-3259. Website: evartroundup.com.
July 8-14 – Creede, Colorado. Creede Woodcarvers Rendezvous at Underground Mining Museum & Community Center. Marianne Benjamin (719) 648-6854; email: maben4580@ gmail.com; website: www.creedewoodcarvers.com.
July 10-14 – Ellensburg, Wash. Northwest Carving Academy. Email tbmoss@msn.com. www.nwcarvingacademy.com
July 19-22 -Fletcher, Ohio. Buckeye Woodcarvers Roundup at Poor Farmers Campground, 7211 Lost creek-Shelby Rd.; 9am to 5pm. Admission: $25. Barb Foster (937) 773-7314 or (937) 214-0790. Campground: (937) 368-2449.
July 29-30 – Colorado Springs, Colo. Pikes Peak Whittlers 39th show/sale at Colorado Springs Shrine Club; 10-4. $5 adults; $4 military/seniors; scouts free; under 12 free w/adult. Email: good-wood@comcast.net; or sgurnett@comcast.net.
August 11-12 – Broken Arrow, Okla. Woodcarving and Arts Festival at Broken Arrow Central Park Community Center, 1500 S. Main St.; 9 to 5. Blake (918) 629-8007, bawerner57@gmail.com; Bill Payne (918) 251-8734, wudcrvr@cox.net.
August 26 – Saginaw, Michigan. Tri-City Wood Carvers 34th annual woodcarving and art show, competition, and sale at KC Hall, 4840 Shattuck; 10am to 4pm. Admission: $3. Jack Harper (989) 600-0262; harperjack1S@gmail.com.
September 2 – Williamsville, Illinois. Sangamon Valley Wood carvers’ 32nd show/sale/competition at Williamsville Village Hall, 141 W. Main St; 10 to 4. Admission free. Bill (217) 414- 4790,williamwrice@sbcglobal.net;www.svwoodcarvers.org.
September 2-3 – Wheeling, West Virginia. Oglebay Wood carvers Show. Email: clark@unimaxsystems.com. Website: www.oglebaywoodcarvers.com.
September 9 – Janesville, Wisconsin. Rock River Valley Carvers Show and Sale at Craig Center, Rock County Fairgrounds, 1301 Craig Ave.; 9am to 4pm. Free admission. Brad Crandall (608) 931-0188, bwkicrandall@gmail.com.
September 16 – Ballwin, Missouri. West County Woodcarvers 17th annual show at Salem in Ballwin United Methodist Church, 14825 Manchester Road; 10 to 4. Free admission. Larry Keller (636) 227-4598; club.mail@wcwoodcarvers.org.
September 16 – Eau Claire, Wisc. Carve In on the Chippewa,
hosted by West Wisconsin Wood Carvers Guild at Brick
House Pub and Banquet Room (not handicap accessible), 2233 Birch St.; 10am to 4pm. Free admission. Call Charlene at (715) 497-6296; thelynums@gmail.com.
September 21-23 – Spanish Fork, Utah. Utah Valley Wood carvers Show. Info at website UVWC.org, and on Facebook.
September 23-24 – Colorado Springs, Colo. Carvin’ the Rockies with Caricature Carvers of America. Dale Green (801) 503- 8754; dalecarves@gmail.com.
September 23-24 – Trenton, Ohio. Barn-N-Bunk Woodcarvers Weekend (show and sale) at 3677 Wayne Madison Road. Website: miamivalleywoodcarvers.com.
September 30-October 1 – Spokane, Washington. Artistry in Wood Show at The Hive, 2904 E Sprague Avenue. Website: SpokaneCarvers.com.
October 7 – Saline, Michigan. Saline Woodcarvers Show. Email Peggy Lubahn at plubahn@aol.com.
October 7-8 – Coon Rapids, Minn. Metro chapter of Minnesota Woodcarvers Assoc hosts 20th carving weekend seminar at Coon Rapids VFW, 1919 Coon Rapids Blvd. Saturday 8-5; Sunday 8-4. Email Tom Sheldon at tbshel@comcast.net.
October 13-14 – Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. Artistry in Wood Show at Will Rogers Gardens Exhibition Center, 3400 NW 36th Street; 10am to 4pm. Free admission. Marvin Jones (405) 397-2034; carvinmarvinej@gmail.com.
October 19-29 – Pensacola, Florida. Woodcarving competition and display at the Pensacola Interstate Fair. Email Bert Black btblack_32503@yahoo.com.
October 21 – Camdenton, Missouri. Lake of the Ozarks Wood carvers host 7th annual show at Community Christian Church, 1064N Highway 5. Admission is free; food is not. Doug Bibles (573) 286-1049, dbibles@charter.net.
October 21-22 – Wayne, New Jersey. North Jersey Woodcarvers Woodcarving and Art show & Sale. Wayne Police Athletic League (PAL), PAL Rd., Wayne, NJ 07470. Sat. 10-5, Sun. 10-4. For more information contact Jerry Cetrulo: njcarver7@optonline.net
October 27-28 – Archbold, Ohio. 36th annual Woodcarvers Show and Sale at Sauder Village. Call (800) 590-9755, or visit website www.saudervillage.org.
October 28 – Proctor, Minnesota. Knotty Carvers of the North Show at St. Luke’s Sport and Event Center, 704 Kirkus St.; 10am to 3pm. Free admission. Sandy Skrien (218) 260-0271; knottycarvers@gmail.com.
October 28-29 – Asheville, N. Car. Western North Carolina Carvers host exhibition at Folk Art Center, Blue Ridge Parkway, Milepost 382. Saturday 10-5; Sunday 10-4. Admission is free. Email: johnnieburg@msn.com.
October 28-29 – Bellville, Illinois. 52nd Midwest Artistry in Wood Show at Belle-Clair Exposition Hall, 200 S. Belt East at Highway 159. Sat. 9am-Spm, Sun. 10am-4pm. Admission $5 (under 12 free). www.midwestwoodcarvers.com
October 28-29 – East Berlin, PA. Conewago Carvers 31st Annual Woodcarving and Art Show & Sale. East Berlin Community Center. Sat. 9-4, Sun. 9-4 For more information, contact Kyle Gabel, Show Chairman info@conewagocarvers.com or 717-676-7612
November 3-4 – Huntsville, Ala. North Alabama Woodcarvers’ 39th Mid-South Woodcarving Show/Competition at Trinity United Methodist Church, 607 Airport Rd. Friday 9-6; Saturday 9-4. Free admission. Glenda Anderson (256) 990-7776; glenda701@yahoo.com.www.nawawoodcarvers.org/shows
If I have missed any upcoming shows or events please send them in to carverbobk@woodchipchatter.com and I will get them posted.
Reader’s Comments
Our first comment this month comes from my friend Heath Paull in response to last month’s book review on “The Illustrated Guide to CARVING TREE BARK”:
“Have that book and is fantastic.
Thanks for sharing as always!”
Our next comment comes from my friend Rhonda Smith regarding the photos of the Saw Whet owl carved by Dick Bonewitz last month. Rhonda writes:
I took the Saw Whet class with Dick Bonewitz with Josh Guge in Springfield MO at the Ozark Carving seminar in mid-March. This was a power carving class. Josh is an excellent instructor!
I also know Rick Jensen quite well and have taken a class with him. He is a very good instructor and very giving of his time and expertise in carving bark.
I called Rick today after I read your blog to let him know that you were featuring his book on your blog. He was quite pleased. I also forwarded the blog on to him.
Thank you, Rhonda. That was very nice of you to tell Rick about my blog.
I received another comment from Allen regarding my tutorial on how I carve a Moravian star ornament. Allen said:
“I will give this a try. Thank you so much”
Give it a try. It’s a fun project and not very difficult. I’m sure if you follow my tutorial you should have no trouble. The key is to make sure your knife is very sharp. Good luck!
Photo Shop
Photo Shop is the section of Wood Chip Chatter where carvers can send in photos of their wood carvings for display. It’s your chance to show off your work…sort of a show and tell. The photos will only be displayed and no comments or critiques will be made. For critiques on your carvings send them in to the “Carver’s Corner.” Send your photos to carverbobk@woodchipchatter.com.
I received an entry to the Photo Shop from my good friend Jim Shay. Jim writes:
Here is a turtle is finished from a roughout I purchased from Ken Kuhar. It measures 4 1/2″ x 4″ x 4″ and it’s finished with Howard Feed-N-Wax.
Terrific looking turtle, Jim! Thanks for sending it in. The carving work is very clean and the painting is neat. Nice job!
Carver’s Corner
Carver’s Corner is the section where you can send in photos of your carvings to have me critique them and offer you my truthful opinions on what you did right and what you might improve on next time. It’s an excellent opportunity to improve your carving skills! Send your photos to carverbobk@woodchipchatter.com.
I received an entry to the Carver’s Corner this month from my good friend, Todd Martin from Huntington, Indiana. Todd asked if I would review the caricature bust of a construction worker he recently carved. Here is what he had to say:
“Hi Bob,
Always look forward to seeing Wood Chip Chatter in my inbox. Thanks for your work on this, and for helping others out with their questions.
I’d love to get some feedback on this small bust of a construction worker : ).
Best,
Todd”
Thank you for your kind words, Todd, and especially for submitting your construction worker carving to the Carver’s Corner.
Your construction worker bust looks terrific. You did an excellent job with the carving and there’s so much to like. The facial features are all done very well and I particularly like the job you did on the ears. The nostrils, however don’t look quite right to me. I think you cut them in too high and the gouge you used could have been just a bit wider.
I like the eye brows, side burns and hard hat, but next time bring the side burns straight up and give yourself more forehead on the sides.
The way you blended in his 5 O’ clock shadow caught my eye immediately. although next time you might want to try adding a little texture there. Use a 1/8′ (3mm) V-tool and “dig” tiny marks all around in the area of the beard. Stab the V-tool into the wood just a little ways, then pry out tiny chips. Practice on a piece of scrap wood first if you have never done it before. This is just an idea. Look at other caricatures and you will see what I mean. Yours looks great as is, however.
About the only other thing I can add is to maybe start experimenting with adding buttons. Overall I think you did a terrific job and your construction worker bust is a carving you can be proud of.
Our next entry to the Carver’s Corner comes from my good friend, Jim Shay who carved two Mike Shipley bears. Jim writes:
Here’s my bears all finished with Howard’s Feed-N-Wax. You can critique and include in your next blog if you want. Ma Bear and Barry Bear are basswood roughouts purchased from Van Kelly. 6″ x 2″ x 2 1/2″
Overall I like the work you did on your two bears, Jim. It appears that you followed the roughouts closely without many changes. The first thing that comes to mind, as usual in my case , is to apply your paint lighter. Thin your paint out more and apply it in thin wash coats to build up the color.
Barry Bear looks good for the most part but there are a few things I would have done differently with Ma Bear…and these are partly personal preference, Starting with her feet I would either cut her dress back to show more of her boots (like with Barry Bear), or cut the boots off altogether and have the dress hang straight down to the ground showing no feet (boots) at all.
Also, I would personally like to see Ma Bear’s muzzle carved more like Barry’s. I have attached a photo of a Ma Bear that I carved to illustrated what I am talking about.
I hope this was helpful. Keep up the good work, Jim and I look forward to seeing more of your carvings here in Wood Chip Chatter.
Woodcarving Tip
Noses & Ears
I like big noses and ears on my caricatures, but whatever your preference is always draw them larger (at least 25%) than you want them. The tendency, at least for me anyway, is to carve away (too much) wood as I form my nose and ears leaving me with smaller features than I would like. Having that extra wood to begin with helps to eliminate that problem. Remember, you can always cut wood away but you can never add it back.
Questions & Answers
I received a very interesting question from my good friend, Todd Martin from Huntington, Indiana. It’s something that should interest all of you cottonwood bark carvers out there. Todd writes:
“Hi Bob,
I enjoyed your review of the bark carving book. I recently bought a few pieces, and that inspired me to give it a try. I do have the book, but hadn’t delved into it much. But I have a question perhaps you can help with:
After carving the bark, a concern was raised about bringing it into the house because of the possibility of insects. The book mentions using fumigants, but it isn’t specific beyond that. Some people say to microwave the bark; others suggest freezing it for a few days. I wonder if you and your sources have any suggestions or can suggest the best, most effective option.
Thank you in advance.
Todd”
Thanks for your excellent question, Todd. It’s something that many bark carvers never give a thought about. To get an answer for you I spoke with Kathryn Overcash from Mineral, Virginia who is a noted cottonwood bark carver and this is what she told me:
“I had an old upright freezer someone gave me. When I received buggy bark, I’d stick it in the freezer for a few days. Although that seemed to kill the critters, I didn’t think it was a good solution. I figured that where most of the bark came from the temperatures were very cold, so the bugs might hibernate. For some pieces, I’d pop them in the microwave (microwave dedicated to bark). Heat for about 1 minute. Don’t overheat and catch fire. That seemed to work. I hear of folks putting their bark in a black trash bag and spraying with bug killer and sealing it. I don’t like that method because of the poison left in the bark. I have a large storage container where I store the bark. It gets very cold in the winter and very hot in the summer. I think that’s why I haven’t had a bug problem for awhile. Critters can’t get into the container. And the cold/heat kills the rest.”
I hope this helps, Todd.
Interesting Fact
Amazing but true…
Free Pattern
Here’s a pattern for you to carve for the Fourth of July:
Uncle Sam
Upcoming Workshops & Seminars
Carving A Woman’s Face
Teacher: Janet Cordell
Dates: June 2,5,9,12,16
Times: 2-4 p.m. Pacific Time 3-5 p.m. Mountain Time 4-6 p.m. Central Time 5-7 p.m. Eastern Time
10 hours ( 5 sessions – 2 hours each day)
Location: Online (Via Zoom)
For details and to sign up email janet_cordell@yahoo.com
Creative Caricature Heads in Wood
Teacher: Dave Stetson
Dates: June 3,4,10,11,17,18
Times: Sat, Sun – 9:30am-11:30 Pacific /11:30am-01:30pm Central / 12:30pm – 2:30pm Eastern
12 hours (6 sessions – 2 hours each day)
Location: Online (Via Zoom)
For details and to sign up email Dave Stetson
Introducing Fab Phoebe!!!
Payment may be made through PayPal, Zelle or personal check. If paying by PayPal add $5.00 service charge UNLESS you send it to friends & family. For PayPal and Zelle please use email bzcarvn@ptd.net. This is NOT the same email address as this email was sent from. For personal check mail to Bob Hershey, 13 Pfautz Ave., Lititz, PA 17543. Please include your mailing address so I can send the roughout. About two weeks before the class I’ll email you the link to the Zoom page for the class and the password to view the videos.
Thank you for participating in past classes and I look forward to carving with you again.
For more information contact Bob Hershey at bzcarvn@gmail.com or 717-951-5569.
Online Classes With Chris Hammack
Teacher: Chris Hammack
Chris Hammack is offering a new series of online classes to help students learn and sharpen their woodcarving skills. Individual and Group Classes are available through his web site chrishammackart.com/groupclass
Whittle Wednesdays
Teacher: Dwayne Gosnell
Dates: Two – 2 hour classes each month on Wednesdays
Location: Online (Via Zoom)
To sign up contact Dwayne Gosnell via email dagwood_76@gmail.com
Woodcarving Academy
Established in 2020, the Woodcarving Academy offers dozens of videos and seminars created by some of the country’s top level instructors. More videos are added regularly as they are created by the instructors.
With a paid subscription to the Woodcarving Academy you can view any videos you like for as many times as you like.
Subscription rates: Monthly = $19.95 Quarterly = $49.95 Annual = $139.95
There is even a Free level which allows you to tour the website and watch the sample videos and content, and receive email updates as new content becomes available.
Check out the Woodcarving Academy and learn with the masters right in the comfort of your own home! Go to: www.woodcarvingacademy.com or Email: support@woodcarvingacademy.com
News & Announcements
The International Association of Woodcarvers has upcoming Zoom meetings on the following Saturdays at 3PM EST with special guest presenters. Check them out…
Zoom: 310-460-3575
Presentation Schedule:
The International Association of Woodcarvers is now on its Summer schedule for the months of June, July and August. Meetings will be held just once per month during that time.
Summer Presentation Schedule:
6/24 – Jeff May – Chain saw carving
7/15 – Randall Stoner (The Mad Carver)
8/26 – Rich Smithson – Helvie Knives
INTERNATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF WOODCARVERS
COME JOIN US!!!
The Jersey Hills Wood Carvers (JHWC) club is a small but growing group of wood carvers sharing their time, knowledge and joy of woodcarving. The JHWC generally meets from 7:00 PM EST to 9:00 PM EST on the 1st, 3rd and 5th Thursday of each month (when school is in session) at the Jefferson Township High School wood shop classroom.
Membership is “FREE” and open to anyone interested in woodcarving regardless of their ability.
JHWC’s Upcoming Meetings and Events
June 15th
There will be no meetings held during the Summer.
For more information contact:
Al Santucci alsantucci4@gmail.com President
Bill Brunner billbrunnerdesign@gmail.com newsletter/website editor
Or visit:
Website: https://www.jerseyhillswoodcarver.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/736479646821641/
AML Wood Carving Knives
AML Wood Carving Knives are handmade by Andy Loughlin in Monroe, New York.
The blades are made from 1095 high carbon steel which sharpens easily and holds an edge well. The variety of handle styles are all made from diverse exotic woods from all around the world. The knives are all available for auction on EBay under AML Knives. Bidding usually starts at $22 and most knives sell for between $40 and $100.
Every knife comes razor sharp right out of the package and each one cones with a custom made magnetic wooden sheath at no extra cost.
I have personally used AML Knives and can tell you their quality is excellent. They are very sturdy and well made. These knives have quickly become quite popular and sell out fast so check the site often for availability. Below are examples of some knives currently available or which have recently sold:
The next issue of Wood Chip Chatter will be posted on July 7, 2023.
This will be our 2nd Anniversary issue!
Keep a sharp eye out for it!
Keep a sharp edge, and keep on carvin’!
Funny Bone
Two tons of human hair destined for a wig maker was stolen.
The police are combing the area.
Illustrated Guide To
CARVING TREE BARK
by
Rick Jensen
and
Jack A. Williams
A Book Review
The “Illustrated Guide To CARVING TREE BARK” is the most comprehensive book on cottonwood bark carving I have ever seen. Published in 2004 by Fox Chapel Publishing Company this 75-page guide is chock full, from cover to cover, with color photos that take you step-by-step through the carving process of a bark house project.
The book is written by co-authors, Rick Jensen and Jack A. Williams whom are both highly acclaimed, award-winning wood carvers and instructors, and their expertise shows through in the “Illustrated Guide To CARVING TREE BARK.”
The book starts out with a page about the authors followed by a page that mentions the reasons why they prefer cottonwood bark as their medium of choice. Next there is a 15-page gallery of magnificent bark carvings which will inspire you to read further and pique your interest in bark carving.
Chapter One tells all about the several types of cottonwood bark that exist, and the differences between them.
Chapter Two covers some of the basic techniques and tricks used in cottonwood bark carving such as making special cuts and filling holes and cracks. Chapter Three provides a step-by-step color photo tutorial on how to carve a whimsical bark house.
Chapter Four shows how to carve a bark tree in the round and Chapter Five goes over various painting and finishing techniques. The end of the book (Chapter Six) includes several tree spirit patterns.
If you like to carve cottonwood bark or are even considering it then the “Illustrated Guide To CARVING TREE BARK” should be in your library.
Reader’s Comments
My first comment this month comes from an unidentified reader who had some very nice things to say:
“Bob: Longtime reader and just want to thank you for promoting our wonderful hobby. Your newsletter continues to improve and is enjoyable to read. Here is a big “I like it!!!”
Thank you so much for your kind and encouraging words! They are greatly appreciated.
My next comment comes from my good friend, Doug Prior from West Jordan, Utah who is a new Walnut Oil convert. Doug says:
“Bob .
I just wanted to let you know that I received my order for Mahoney’s Walnut Oil this past week and used it for the first time on my latest “roughout” cowboy. I really like it after applying it yesterday. The Naturoil I was previously using was 3 times as high per ounce. I appreciate your suggestion.”
I‘m glad you’re having good success with Walnut Oil, Doug. I have been a big fan of Walnut Oil for over 2 years now and have been getting great results with it. As you know, I don’t like Boiled Linseed Oil for its odor and fire hazard, and the fact that it hardens after it has been applied.
Mineral Spirits are my second choice to Walnut Oil and the Natureoil you used is basically just mineral spirits at a much inflated price. While Natureoil is an excellent product in my opinion you can get the same results with plain Mineral Spirits for a lot less money.
As mentioned, Walnut Oil is my wood treatment of choice because it is an odorless, non-combustible, non-refined natural oil.
Be sure and see Doug’s fine cowboy carving in the “Carver’s Corner” below!
Photo Shop
“Photo Shop” is the section of Wood Chip Chatter where carvers can send in photos of their wood carvings for display. It’s your chance to show off your work…sort of a show and tell. The photos will only be displayed and no comments or critiques will be made. For critiques on your carvings send them in to the “Carver’s Corner.” Send your photos to carverbobk@woodchipchatter.com.
Our first entry to the “Photo Shop” comes from my good friend, Ray Seinhart who send in a photo of the Leprechauns he’s been carving:
Thanks for the photo, Ray! Your Leprechauns look great! I like how you made them all look different. That’s a good way to challenge yourself and improve your carving skills.
Next we have a photo of a cowboy submitted by my good friend, Doug Prior from West Jordan, Utah:
Good job on your cowboy, Doug! You added a lot of nide details to it. I like it.
Our next “Photo Shop” entry comes from my good friend Betty Klein who meticulously carved a little duck feather. Betty writes: “Hello, here is a photo of a little duck feather carved all with hand tools approximately 2” length that was from an old years ago pattern from Chip Chats.”
That’s a beautiful job you did on your little feather, Betty! It looks very delicate and realistic.
Next, we have two photos of a Saw Whet Owl carved by my good friend, Dick Bonewitz from Carmel, Indiana. Along with his photos Dick writes:
"Bob, I thought you might like this for your next issue. Keep up the good work.
This is a Saw Whet Owl I just completed in a 5 day class with Josh Guge at the Ozark Woodcarving Seminar. It is in Tupelo wood and was all power carved and painted with acrylics. Josh is a wonderful instructor.
Dick Bonewitz
Carmel, In"
Magnificent job, Dick! Very realistic looking owl. The carving, detail, wood burning and painting are all very well done.
We have one more entry from my good friend, Jim Shay who carved a caricature turtle from a Ken Kuhar roughout. Jim writes:
“Hi Bob ,
Here are photos of the Turtle which is carved from a roughout purchased from Ken Kuhar. This is one of the first roughouts that I’ve worked with. It’s a whole different process when working with a roughout as opposed to a block of basswood. I’ve given the turtle a coat of Howard’s Feed and Wax.”
Your turtle looks terrific, Jim! The carving work is nice and clean, and I like the way you blended different shades of colors in your painting. Keep up the good work!
Carver’s Corner
“Carver’s Corner” is the section where you can send in photos of your carvings to have me critique them and offer you my truthful opinions on what you did right and what you might improve on next time. It’s an excellent opportunity to improve your carving skills! Send your photos to carverbobk@woodchipchatter.com.
This month I received a “Carver’s Corner” entry from my good friend, Doug Prior from West Jordan, Utah who carved a cowboy from a Dwayne Gosnell roughout and asked me to critique it. Doug asked:
“Bob .
I just wanted to say I have finally started to read your last couple of sessions. I have enjoyed them a lot and looks like a good source to share ideas. I am going to send a picture to be critiqued by you.
Doug Prior
West Jordan, UT”
Thank you for subscribing to Wood Chip Chatter, Doug. I hope you will continue to enjoy reading it and getting its benefits. Overall your cowboy looks okay. You’re definitely on the right track but there are several of areas for improvement.
I will try to help you here. First of all I noticed that your hat brim is too thick. There is plenty of wood there. Try to get your next one thinner. The scarf looks good but you want to make your shoulders broader in the future. Look at the shoulders on some actual people and you will see that they stick out almost perpendicular from the neck before they meet the arms.
The shirt and buttons look good, although I would like to see more wrinkles, and I like how you have the belt pulled down in the front.
You did a nice job on the eyes and the nose is very well done. The ears, however, are too small. Ears go from the top of the eye brows to the bottom of the nose, so in your case you just needed to bring the ears down to the bottom of the nose. Overall, the face looks good but next time I would like to see some bags under the eyes and some wrinkles in the face. Also, the mouth should be just a bit wider.
Thank you for submitting your cowboy for a critique, Doug. Keep up the good work and stick with it. If you concentrate on the areas I mentioned I’m sure you will see improvements in your next one.
Questions & Answers
Shortly after I posted my last blog about the Wood Properties of Cottonwood on April 7th I got a question from my friend, Brad Coval who picked up on a discrepancy in the provided data list. Brad asks:
“Hello, little confusing. First line of cottonwood properties in the 2nd column states cottonwood is good for carving, then the 3rd grouping of characteristics at the bottom of the 2nd column states “not good for carving”. Do you know if it’s good or bad? I ask because I have a bunch of cottonwood trees around me that people cut down. Thanks”
Brad, the source where this data came from sometimes contradicts itself and this is one of those cases. While cottonwood bark is soft and excellent for carving, the actual wood from the cottonwood tree does not carve well. The data in that list pertains to the wood from the actual cottonwood tree and NOT the cottonwood bark. I hope that helps.
Free Pattern
Here are a few letter opener patterns that are both functional and fun to carver. Chip carvers will have a good time embellishing the handles too.
Upcoming Workshops & Seminars
Carving Little Caricature Pups
Teacher: Dale Green
Dates: May 20, 21
Times: 10:30-12:30 Mountain Time (2 hours each day)
Location: via Zoom
Cost: $95 which includes two roughouts (4″ & 5″) and shipping
Students will learn the different ways to apply texture, carving the eyes and painting for different effects.
For information contact Dale Green at: dalecarves@gmail.com or call 801-503-8754
Female Bust
Teacher: Janet Cordell
Dates: June 2,5,9,12,16
Times: 2-4 p.m. Pacific Time 3-5 p.m. Mountain Time 4-6 p.m. Central Time 5-7 p.m. Eastern Time
10 hours ( 5 sessions – 2 hours each day)
Location: Online (Via Zoom)
For details and to sign up email janet_cordell@yahoo.com
Creative Caricature Heads in Wood
Teacher: Dave Stetson
Dates: June 3,4,10,11,17,18
Times: Sat, Sun – 9:30am-11:30 Pacific /11:30am-01:30pm Central / 12:30pm – 2:30pm Eastern
12 hours (6 sessions – 2 hours each day)
Location: Online (Via Zoom)
For details and to sign up email Dave Stetson
Online Classes With Chris Hammack
Teacher: Chris Hammack
Chris Hammack is offering a new series of online classes to help students learn and sharpen their woodcarving skills. Individual and Group Classes are available through his web site chrishammackart.com/groupclass
Whittle Wednesdays
Teacher: Dwayne Gosnell
Dates: Two – 2 hour classes each month on Wednesdays
Location: Online (Via Zoom)
To sign up contact Dwayne Gosnell via email dagwood_76@gmail.com
Woodcarving Academy
Established in 2020, the Woodcarving Academy offers dozens of videos and seminars created by some of the country’s top level instructors. More videos are added regularly as they are created by the instructors.
With a paid subscription to the Woodcarving Academy you can view any videos you like for as many times as you like.
Subscription rates: Monthly = $19.95 Quarterly = $49.95 Annual = $139.95
There is even a Free level which allows you to tour the website and watch the sample videos and content, and receive email updates as new content becomes available.
Check out the Woodcarving Academy and learn with the masters right in the comfort of your own home! Go to: http://www.woodcarvingacademy.comor Email: support@woodcarvingacademy.com
News & Announcements
The International Association of Woodcarvers has upcoming Zoom meetings on the following Saturdays at 3PM EST with special guest presenters. Check them out…
Zoom: 310-460-3575
Presentation Schedule:
5/6 – Marc Strozyk
5/13 – Mark Dellinger
5/20 – Lucas Kost
5/27 – Woody Wood Spirits (Reese)
The International Association of Woodcarvers will go to its Summer schedule for the months of June, July and August. Meetings will be held just once per month during that time.
Summer Presentation Schedule:
6/24 – Jeff May – Chain saw carving
7/15 – Randall Stoner (The Mad Carver)
August – TBD
INTERNATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF WOODCARVERS
COME JOIN US!!!
Special Note: Congratulations to the International Association of Woodcarvers who just celebrated their Third Anniversary in April!!!
The Jersey Hills Wood Carvers (JHWC) club is a small but growing group of wood carvers sharing their time, knowledge and joy of woodcarving. The JHWC generally meets from 7:00 PM EST to 9:00 PM EST on the 1st, 3rd and 5th Thursday of each month (when school is in session) at the Jefferson Township High School wood shop classroom.
Membership is “FREE” and open to anyone interested in woodcarving regardless of their ability.
JHWC’s Upcoming Meetings and Events
May 18th
June 1st, 15th
There will be no meetings held during the Summer.
For more information contact:
Al Santucci alsantucci4@gmail.com President
Bill Brunner billbrunnerdesign@gmail.com newsletter/website editor
Or visit:
Website: https://www.jerseyhillswoodcarver.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/736479646821641/
AML Wood Carving Knives
AML Wood Carving Knives are handmade by my good friend, Andy Loughlin in Monroe, New York.
The blades are made from 1095 high carbon steel which sharpens easily and holds an edge well. The variety of handle styles are all made from diverse exotic woods from all around the world. The knives are all available for auction on EBay under AML Knives. Bidding usually starts at $22 and most knives sell for between $40 and $100.
I have personally used AML Knives and can tell you the quality is excellent. They are very sturdy and well made. These knives have quickly become quite popular and sell out fast so check the site often for availability. Below are examples of some of the knives that have recently sold:
The next issue of Wood Chip Chatter will be posted on June 2, 2023.
Keep a sharp eye out for it!
Keep a sharp edge, and keep on carvin’!
Funny Bone
COTTONWOOD, EASTERN Populus deltoides (Populus – ancient Latin name; deltoides – triangular in reference to the leaf shape)
This tree is known also by several other names, including ASPEN COTTONWOOD, CAROLINA POPLAR, RIVER POPLAR, WATER POPLAR, YELLOW COTTONWOOD.
The tree grows to a height of 100 ft. or more, with a diameter from 5 to 8 ft. It is at its best in moist soil, along the banks of rivers or edges of swamps. It has a wide distribution in this country and to early pioneers in the Midwestern plains the trees proved invaluable for shade and timber, and the leaves helped to feed the livestock. The bright green, broad leaves have a feathery appearance and flutter in the breeze like the quaking aspen. This is the state tree of Kansas.
The wood of this tree is very similar in texture and appearance to the other eight or ten species of this family. The tree was named from the cottony fluff that is attached to the seeds.
The color of the wood is creamy white, and the heartwood is white to light brown. It has a smooth, even texture and is slightly lustrous in appearance. Difficulty is experienced in seasoning cottonwood, owing to the large amount of warpage, but it is easily worked with tools and is a favorite wood for manufacturing boxes and packaging crates because it takes the stencil ink so well. It is also used for rough carpentry work, excelsior, firewood, pulpwood and low-priced commercial veneers.
Reader’s Comments
I received some very nice comments this month from two of my readers which I wanted to share. The first one comes from my friend, Gary O. Baker who said:
“Another good issue Bob, thank you for your work!”
Thank you for your kind thought, Gary. It is much appreciated.
My second comment comes from my very dear friend Phyllis Stone who wrote:
“Awesome blog as usual Bob. Thanks for all you do to keep this blog going. Take care.”
Thank you, Phyllis. I appreciate your words of encouragement.
Next, we have an excellent question from Whittle Designs regarding last month’s article on How to Make Emblems & Logos for Wood Carvings. Whittle Designs asks:
“What type of paper does Ed print is logos on?”
That’s a very good question, so I check with Ed and this is what he had to say:
“I do use just regular computer paper. You have to be careful on paper weight. The lighter papers glue onto the wood better. Heavier papers don’t like to adhere to distortions on the wood from carving plus the edges become more prominent.”
We also have a comment from my good friend, Jim Babcock from Columbus, Indiana who wanted to pass along a little tip to everyone. Jim writes:
“Bob:
Just passing this along, not sure I would do this often. I tinted some Howard Feed-N-Wax with a bit of acrylic paint. Certainly could have achieved a similar effect with diluted paint or stain.
Just an f.y.i.”
Not a bad thought, Jim, and experimenting is always a good thing but I think (in most cases) the coloring should be applied before the finish and wax goes on.
Carver’s Corner
“Carver’s Corner” is the section where you can send in photos of your carvings to have me critique them and offer you my truthful opinions on what you did right and what you might improve on next time. It’s an excellent opportunity to improve your carving skills! Send your photos to carverbobk@woodchipchatter.com.
It’s been awhile but I finally got another entry into the “Carver’s Corner” for a carving critique. My good friend, Dean Stewart sent in a photo of a flower with a female face he recently carved. Here’s what Dean had to say:
“I thought I’d send along a picture of my recent attempt at a female face. I would appreciate if you put that in the feedback column and offer some input on improvements.”
Thanks so much for your entry, Dean! I was almost ready to give up on the Carver’s Corner. There’s a lot to like about your flower. Your overall execution was well done. The paint color choice is good and I like the pearlescent look of the whole carving. The petals are carved nicely but next time try to undercut them more. Don’t be afraid to carve underneath to give the effect that one petal is overlapping the other.
You also hit a home run with the female face in the center. Female faces have very smooth features and high cheek bones and you nailed all of that. Closing the eyes also helped to make it look more feminine. It wouldn’t pass for a realistic face but it does have a nice angelic look about it. Nice job…I believe you accomplished your goal.
Photo Shop
“Photo Shop” is the section of Wood Chip Chatter where carvers can send in photos of their wood carvings for display. It’s your chance to show off your work…sort of a show and tell. The photos will only be displayed and no comments or critiques will be made. For critiques on your carvings send them in to the “Carver’s Corner.” Send your photos to carverbobk@woodchipchatter.com.
This month we have two photos of a unique carving from my very good friend, Nicky Foley. Nicky describes the carving and tells the intriguing story behind it:
“Hi Bob
sliothar is a hard solid sphere slightly larger than a tennis ball, consisting of a Cork or rubber core covered by two pieces of leather stitched together. Sometimes called a “hurling ball” they used to be timber also. These are used in the game of hurling which dates back to 1200 BC, this ball would be hit around a pitch with a wood Ash stick called a hurl\hurly.
Look it up on YouTube it’s a tough game and helmets were only made compulsory in 2010 and before this they were optional . Thank you for thinking that this is good enough for your Blog which i always look forward to coming out. Keep up the good work.
Hurling is played mainly in Ireland apart from a pocket around the world where Irish
people have emigrated to. London actually have a small league going on and they pay in the
all Ireland championship now also. Australia has a few teams now playing as well.”
That’s very interesting, Nicky, and something I knew nothing about. I did look it up in the encyclopedia and found that the game of hurling is much like a cross between lacrosse and field hockey. The sticks, called hurlings are used to pass or bat the sliothar from one player to another, and to score goals.
Your carving of the sliothar is a very worthy representation, by the way.
Next we have a photo sent in by my very good friend, Bruce Ankeny from Blue Earth, MN of his incredible collection of Hippies:
Spectacular job, Bruce! I always love seeing your work but these guys are definitely one of my absolute favorites! I can’t say enough about the diverse expressions and remarkable attention to the details of that era. Magnificent work, my friend!
Next we have a photo sent in by my very good friend, Jim Babcock who carved a wizard from my article which appeared in the Summer 2017 issue of Woodcarving Illustrated. Here is what Jim had to say:
“Bob:
Thanks for publishing your wizard pattern some time ago in the magazine. It
adapts well to many styles and finishes.
Attached is an image of a garden wizard that I’ve carved often and given to
those who are dealing with illness or loss. It seems to bring a smile.
Jim Babcock”
Thank you for the photo of your garden wizard, Jim! I like how it is cheerfully painted and that you carve them for those who greatly appreciate having them.
Free Pattern
I realize winter just ended but I thought I would squeeze in this fun Eskimo:
Upcoming Workshops & Seminars
Woodcarving the Waving Walker
Teacher: Dave Stetson
Dates: April 22,23,29,30 May 6,7
Times: Sat, Sun – 9:30am-11:30 Pacific /11:30am-01:30pm Central / 12:30pm – 2:30pm Eastern
12 hours (6 sessions – 2 hours each day)
Location: Online (Via Zoom)
For more details and to sign up email Dave lcnmichele@aol.com
Woodcarving Old Faithful Horse
Teacher: Janet Cordell
Dates: April 24, 28 May 1, 5, 8, 12
Times: 2-4 p.m. Pacific Time, 3-5 p.m. Mountain Time, 4-6 p.m. Central Time 5-7 p.m. Eastern Time
12 hours (6 sessions – 2 hours each day)
Location: Online (Via Zoom)
Contact Janet Cordell at: janet_cordell@yahoo.com
Carving Little Caricature Pups
Teacher: Dale Green
Dates: May 20, 21
Times: 10:30-12:30 Mountain Time (2 hours each day)
Location: via Zoom
Cost: $95 which includes two roughouts (4″ & 5″) and shipping
Students will learn the different ways to apply texture, carving the eyes and painting for different effects.
For information contact Dale Green at: dalecarves@gmail.com or call 801-503-8754
Online Classes With Chris Hammack
Teacher: Chris Hammack
Chris Hammack is offering a new series of online classes to help students learn and sharpen their woodcarving skills. Individual and Group Classes are available through his web site chrishammackart.com/groupclass
Whittle Wednesdays
Teacher: Dwayne Gosnell
Dates: Two – 2 hour classes each month on Wednesdays
Location: Online (Via Zoom)
To sign up contact Dwayne Gosnell via email dagwood_76@gmail.com
Bob Hershey has released his “Woodcarving Louisa Mae” Workshop recordings. All 8 parts have been uploaded. Bob takes you through his process of carving the wonderful “Louisa Mae bunny” just in time for Easter.
Reminder! we have added a Facebook group that is dedicated for students to share their creations that are based on their learnings from the Woodcarving Academy’s videos. If you are a paying subscriber please join us by Clicking Here and ask to join the group.
Woodcarving Academy
Established in 2020, the Woodcarving Academy offers dozens of videos and seminars created by some of the country’s top level instructors. More videos are added regularly as they are created by the instructors.
With a paid subscription to the Woodcarving Academy you can view any videos you like for as many times as you like.
Subscription rates: Monthly = $19.95 Quarterly = $49.95 Annual = $139.95
There is even a Free level which allows you to tour the website and watch the sample videos and content, and receive email updates as new content becomes available.
Check out the Woodcarving Academy and learn with the masters right in the comfort of your own home!
News & Announcements
The International Association of Woodcarvers has upcoming Zoom meetings on the following Saturdays at 3PM EST with special guest presenters. Check them out…
Zoom: 310-460-3575
Presentation Schedule:
4/8 – Van Kelly – Van Kelly’s Carving
4/15 – Matt Atland – Deep Holler Knives
4/22 – Ryan Green
4/29 – Richard Houlden
There are no further meetings currently scheduled at the time of this writing. Check with the International Association of Woodcarvers for more updates.
INTERNATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF WOODCARVERS
COME JOIN US!!!
The Jersey Hills Wood Carvers (JHWC) club is a small but growing group of wood carvers sharing their time, knowledge and joy of woodcarving. The JHWC generally meets from 7:00 PM EST to 9:00 PM EST on the 1st, 3rd and 5th Thursday of each month (when school is in session) at the Jefferson Township High School wood shop classroom.
Membership is “FREE” and open to anyone interested in woodcarving regardless of their ability.
JHWC’s Upcoming Meetings and Events
Apr. 20th
May 4th, 18th
June 1st, 15th
For more information contact:
Al Santucci alsantucci4@gmail.com President
Bill Brunner billbrunnerdesign@gmail.com newsletter/website editor
Or visit:
Website: https://www.jerseyhillswoodcarver.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/736479646821641/
AML Wood Carving Knives
AML Wood Carving Knives are handmade by Andy Loughlin in Monroe, New York.
The blades are made from 1095 high carbon steel which sharpens easily and holds an edge well. The variety of handle styles are all made from diverse exotic woods from all around the world. The knives are all available for auction on EBay under AML Knives. Bidding usually starts at $22 and most knives sell for between $40 and $100.
I have personally used AML Knives and can tell you the quality is excellent. They are very sturdy and well made. These knives have quickly become quite popular and sell out fast so check the site often for availability. Below are examples of some of the knives that have recently sold:
New Q&A Section Coming Soon!!!
I’m always in search of ways to make Wood Chip Chatter more informative, and recently came upon the thought of adding a Question & Answer (Q&A) section to my blog. The Q&A section will be the place for readers to write in and ask anything they have on their minds regarding woodcarving and whittling. I’m hoping this will be another way that I can be more helpful to the woodcarving community.
Feel free to ask anything you want. Don’t be bashful. Remember there is no such thing as a ridiculous or stupid question. I want this new feature to be something everyone can benefit from. Just send your questions to carverbobk@woodchipchatter.com and I will answer them in my next blog post. Just write “For Q&A” in the Subject box of your email so I know what it’s for. It’s that simple.
I hope you will all take advantage of this excellent opportunity and give it a try.
Don’t Forget!
We are always looking your contributions to Wood Chip Chatter. Your questions and comments help to keep this blog active and going! Effective discussions are one of the best ways to learn about the topics that interest you. Remember, there’s no such thing as a dumb question. Plus we would all love to learn about the unique tips, techniques and products YOU use in your woodcarving process.
We can also use more photo contributions to the “Carver’s Corner” and “Photo Shop”. My “Carver’s Corner” is a great way to get constructive critiques on your carvings so you can learn where to improve on your next ones, and I’m sure you all have some terrific carvings to share in my “Photo Shop” section. Photos of your carvings liven up the blog’s appearance and make it more interesting.
Send your questions, comments and photos to carverbobk@woodchipchatter.com. They will all be greatly appreciated.
The next issue of Wood Chip Chatter will be posted on Friday, May 5, 2023.
Keep a sharp eye open for it!
A very Blessed & Happy Easter and Passover to everyone!
Enjoy your holidays!
Keep a sharp edge, and keep on carvin’!
Funny Bone
We all love wood carving but most of us all hate painting. I think part of the reason why is because we are not good at it. Painting is an art form of its own and just like wood carving it takes a lot of practice to get good at it. The area of painting that I really struggle with is doing fine detail work. Well thanks to my very, very good friend Ed Livingston there is a way to get perfectly detailed emblems and logos on your wood carvings without the hassle of painting. Ed has developed a system for transferring symbols and designs from the internet to your carvings, and has put together a tutorial on how he does it. So the following is Ed’s tutorial on “Making Emblems & Logos For Wood Carvings” which he has graciously shared with us.
Making Emblems & Logos For Wood Carvings
1. The first step is to go on-line and Google up a photograph or clip art of the emblem or logo that I need.
2. Then I import the emblem or logo into Microsoft Publisher and after measuring the actual size that I need for the caricature that I’m whittling I reproduce it a number of times using the sizing marks on the Publisher screen. I often will make a couple slightly larger and slightly smaller just in case I’m not satisfied with the size that I originally choose. At this time I will also create a text box and format it with color and writing as needed producing duplicates as I did with the emblems and logos.
3. Once I’m satisfied with my selection I’ll print the sheet out and spray just the emblems, logos, and text with a good coat of Krylon Workable Fixatif. The stuff is too expensive to waste so there’s no need to coat the entire sheet which will be trashed anyway.
4. Once the sheet is dry I cut out each emblem, logo, and text as required and glue them in place on the caricature with Gorilla Type II glue. The reason that I use Gorilla glue is that it dries whiter in color than Titebond. And of course the reason that I use a Type II is that unlike a regular white glue such as Elmer’s it’s water resistant.
5. The final step before I apply a finish to the entire caricature is to apply a full strength coat of what ever varnish I am going to use on the caricature, to the emblem, logo or text. I do this with one swipe of the brush. This puts a final seal on the emblem, logo or text. The reason is that I never apply polyurethane finishes to my carvings full strength. Most of the time they are mixed with water as much as 50-50 and sometimes, not very often, but sometimes, if the Fixatif isn’t applied evenly, the ink will still run with the heavy water mixture.
Thank you very much, Ed, for this excellent tutorial. I can honestly say that I have personally tried this method several times and it is easy to do and works like a dream.
Carving Tip
Add Wrinkles for Realism
Clothing wrinkles add realism to your carvings. Try to add wrinkles to your carvings for a more realistic look. Use various sized gouges along with your carving knife to make cuts that go in different directions to simulate clothing wrinkles. Study pictures or actual clothing for guidance on how it drapes and wrinkles on the body as it moves, twists and turns. There are also some excellent artist’s books on clothing drapery and wrinkles you may want to consider purchasing for reference.
Questions & Comments
First, we have a comment from my good friend, Jim Babcock with a response to last month’s discussion on wood carving knives. Here is what Jim had to say:
“Bob:
Thanks for your latest blog; always find them to be a nice mix of show schedules & events, patterns, and carving tips. Nice to review your feature on knives. I think everyone gravitates to vendor tables to see what’s new; never can have enough knives ! I started carving with OCCT and own many that hold an edge and keep on going. Recently added a Helvie, which sure looks nice and came sharp and ready to carve.
Jim Babcock Columbus, Indiana”
Thanks for writing and for your nice comments, Jim. OCCT knives are terrific knives and I actually own several myself. Helvies, of course, speak for themselves.
Our next comment comes from Michael Woodard Photography who writes:
“Thanks for the article. Some thoughts and updates. I have also been an OCCT person, I have seven of their knives”
I appreciate your comments, Michael, and as I mentioned OCCT knives are an excellent choice for any wood carver.
Our next comment comes from my very good friend and frequent contributor, Dean Stewart. Dean adds some meaningful information to last month's discussion on cleaning strops. Dean writes:
"Bob
Regarding the question about cleaning a strop. I found that a brass detail brush does a great job of cleaning out the old metal and compound. It restores the nap of the leather but doesn’t damage it. I found mine at harbor freight but I’ll bet they can be found in other stores in the automotive section.”
Thanks so much for your feedback, Dean. The use of a small brass brush is an excellent way to clean a strop and in fact, I have used one myself at times. I’m sure they can also be found on Amazon.
Next we have a question from John Nielsen regarding an old Japanese knife he bought and is looking for information on it. John asks:
“I bought some used tools and one of them was this skew knife. I enjoy using it and hoped to find one as a mirror image.
-It has no maker marks on it, only a stamp indicating it was made in Japan.
-It has a serrated skew blade and the long side is also sharp.
-The serrated blade acts like a saw & is great for removing wood in tight places.
-I have searched on Amazon by photo & description, and other sites under ‘carving’, ‘skew knife’, ‘serrated carving tool’, ‘pottery’, ‘wood tools’, ‘clay tools’ but unable to find it.
Appreciate your help in identifying it so I can order its mate.
John Nielsen
Overgaard, AZ”
That is quite a unique looking tool and is one which I have never seen. My first impression is that it was used as some sort of woodworking tool, more like for carpentry rather than for woodcarving. I can’t really offer anything more than that. Perhaps some of our fellow carvers can tell us more about it. Does anyone know anything about this kind of knife?
Our next comment comes from my very, very good friend, who at his request shall remain nameless. So I will just refer to him as I.S. I.S. has some significant information to add to our discussion from last month on wood carving knives for beginners. Here is what he had to say:
“Bob,
After reading through your latest Chatter I would like to add that BeaverCraft tools are available on Amazon, eBay, Etsy and from Woodcraft. I believe I also viewed some for sale on another carving tool supply website but I cannot remember which one it was. I was not paying attention that close.
Also, to your beginner suggestions don’t forget the tried and true low cost Murphy knife. And suggest a beginner clamp the knife handle, protected of course, in a vise, cutting edge down, and round off the back of the blade with a narrow strip of coarse emery cloth using a motion like polishing shoes, to make the knife travel smoothly through curved cuts.
I love what you are doing, keep at it.
Thanks,
I.S.”
Thank you very much for your input, my friend! That is truly important information. Carvers interested in BeaverCraft tools should definitely check out those other means of obtaining them.
The tried and true Murphy knife should always be part of any discussion on wood carving knives for beginners. They are sturdy and inexpensive (around $25), and are ideal for someone just starting out. In fact, the Murphy knife was one of the first carving knives I ever owned. I actually own several and they had served me well over the beginning of my wood carving journey.
Photo Shop
“Photo Shop” is the section of Wood Chip Chatter where carvers can send in photos of their wood carvings for display. It’s your chance to show off your work…sort of a show and tell. The photos will only be displayed and no comments or critiques will be made. For critiques on your carvings send them in to the “Carver’s Corner.” Send your photos to carverbobk@woodchipchatter.com.
Our first entries to the “Photo Shop” this month come from my friend, Tim Lassen who has been busy carving some amazing aquatic creatures as gifts for the family. Tim writes:
"Hi Bob..I really enjoy your blog and the work and thought you put into each endeavor. The penguin was carved from one of your patterns . Also photo of rainbow I finished at Christmas. Actually I completed two one for each of our sons. Again thnx..Tim"
Thank you for the photo entries, Tim! They are always greatly appreciated. Your penguin looks great and I’m glad you enjoyed using my pattern. Your rainbow trout, though is magnificent! The details are spectacular from the fins and scales to the spots and coloration. Even the rock habitat is a work of art. I’m sure your sons loved them.
The next entries are from my good friend, Vern Freer. Vern has been busy carving penguins and citrus fruit. This is what he had to say:
“Hi Bob,
Just thought I’d share some photos from a few of my more recent carvings. The playful penguins were adapted from the pattern you shared with us back in September. They’ve been a great hit with family and friends. Thanks for sharing the pattern with us. The other photos are of Clem N. Tine. He’s the latest addition to the Citrus Gang. Thanks again for the time you take putting Wood Chip Chatter together, your critiques, recommendations, and all the useful information you provide to the carving community. I know that I have definitely benefited from your advice.
Vern Freer
(@vernfreer)”
Thanks so much for the photos, Vern, and also for the kind words about Wood Chip Chatter. I work hard every month to put together a blog that I think is both informative and entertaining to my readers. You penguins came out terrific! I really like how you changed them up with different embellishments such as scarves, hats and sweaters.
Clem N. Tine, of course looks like a grand addition to your “citrus gang.” I have loved seeing each and every one of your members of the “gang” as you have posted them on Instagram. Perhaps you might send them in to Wood Chip Chatter for the benefit of everyone else to see. I’m sure they would all enjoy them.
Our next entries to the “Photo Shop” come from my friend, Kathy Savage who carved three bears (not the Three Little Bears) as gifts. Kathy writes:
“so I 1st carved this bear over 10 years ago , then decided idea to carve it again for the family Christmas yanke swap ( of course I had to carve a new one for myself)
I like the way I carved the tree in the newer ones
thanks
Kathy”
Wow! I love all three of them, Kathy! So much detail in them, and the painting and finish are top notch. Someone got a great gift in your Yankee swap.
“Thanks
The 2 ( one for my swap gift and 1 for my husband) of them got opened early and traveled around quite a bit
One of my adult nephews was amazed with the fur detail!
Kathy “
Last but not least we have an entry from my good friend and frequent contributor, Dean Stewart who carved an absolutely stunning bowl out of butternut. Dean writes:
“I wanted to share a picture of this trinket bowl I just finished. It’s carved from Butternut and finished with clear furniture wax. It’s the first time I’ve carved butternut but I’m now a big fan. I found it easy to carve but a little fuzzy. It took the sanding well.”
That's an absolutely gorgeous bowl, Dean! You did a magnificent job on it. Butternut is a great wood to carve and a nice change from basswood. It carves fairly easily and holds detail reasonably well. Although it can be a little splintery and fuzzy at times it sands and finishes nicely. Butternut has a beautiful grain, much like Black Walnut and in fact, is often referred to as "white walnut."
Free Pattern
This month we have a pattern for all you relief carvers out there.
Upcoming Workshops & Seminars
Woodcarving the Waving Walker
Teacher: Dave Stetson
Dates: April 22,23,29,30 May 6,7
Times: Sat, Sun – 9:30am-11:30 Pacific /11:30am-01:30pm Central / 12:30pm – 2:30pm Eastern
12 hours (6 sessions – 2 hours each day)
Location: Online (Via Zoom)
For more details and to sign up email Dave lcnmichele@aol.com
Woodcarving Old Faithful Horse
Teacher: Janet Cordell
Dates: April 24, 28 May 1, 5, 8, 12
Times: 2-4 p.m. Pacific Time, 3-5 p.m. Mountain Time, 4-6 p.m. Central Time 5-7 p.m. Eastern Time
12 hours (6 sessions – 2 hours each day)
Location: Online (Via Zoom)
Contact Janet Cordell at: janet_cordell@yahoo.com
Online Classes With Chris Hammack
Teacher: Chris Hammack
Chris Hammack is offering a new series of online classes to help students learn and sharpen their woodcarving skills. Individual and Group Classes are available through his web site chrishammackart.com/groupclass
Whittle Wednesdays
Teacher: Dwayne Gosnell
Dates: Two – 2 hour classes each month on Wednesdays
Location: Online (Via Zoom)
To sign up contact Dwayne Gosnell via email dagwood_76@gmail.com
Woodcarving Academy
News & Announcements
The International Association of Woodcarvers has upcoming Zoom meetings on the following Saturdays at 3PM EST with special guest presenters. Check them out…
Zoom: 310-460-3575
Presentation Schedule:
3/4 – Jarrod Wood
3/11 – Bruce Ankeny
3/18 – Tim Perry
3/25 – Raymond Kinman
4/8 – Van Kelly
INTERNATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF WOODCARVERS
COME JOIN US!!!
Lancaster County Woodcarvers Zoom Meetings
(Informal meeting – Open to all)
Zoom: 417-966-8402
Schedule
Tuesday, March 14 at 7PM EST
Tuesday, April 11 at 7PM EST
Tuesday, May 9 at 7PM EST
There are no meetings in June, July and August.
Come join the fun…and you might even learn something
The Jersey Hills Wood Carvers (JHWC) club is a small but growing group of wood carvers sharing their time, knowledge and joy of woodcarving. The JHWC generally meets from 7:00 PM EST to 9:00 PM EST on the 1st, 3rd and 5th Thursday of each month (when school is in session) at the Jefferson Township High School wood shop classroom.
Membership is “FREE” and open to anyone interested in woodcarving regardless of their ability.
JHWC’s Upcoming Meetings and Events
Mar. 16th, 30th
Apr. 6th, 20th
May 4th, 18th
June 1st, 15th
For more information contact:
Al Santucci alsantucci4@gmail.com President
Bill Brunner billbrunnerdesign@gmail.com newsletter/website editor
Or visit:
Website: https://www.jerseyhillswoodcarver.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/736479646821641/
Don’t Forget!
We are always looking your contributions to Wood Chip Chatter. Your questions and comments help to keep this blog active and going! Effective discussions are one of the best ways to learn about the topics that interest you. Remember, there’s no such thing as a dumb question. Plus we would all love to learn about the unique tips, techniques and products YOU use in your woodcarving process.
We can also use more photo contributions to the “Carver’s Corner” and “Photo Shop”. My “Carver’s Corner” is a great way to get constructive critiques on your carvings so you can learn where to improve on your next ones, and I’m sure you all have some terrific carvings to share in my “Photo Shop” section. Photos of your carvings liven up the blog’s appearance and make it more interesting.
Send your questions, comments and photos to carverbobk@woodchipchatter.com. They will all be greatly appreciated.
Coming Shows
Does your club have a show coming up this year? Email me your brochure or send me your information so I can advertise it in Wood Chip Chatter.
The next issue of Wood Chip Chatter will be posted on Friday, April 7, 2023. Keep a sharp eye open for it!
Keep a sharp edge, and keep on carvin’!
Funny Bone
Basic Knives for Beginning Whittlers
Whittling with pocket knives
Before I got my first whittling knife I used my pocket knife, which, so long as it was sharp, did a great job. Throughout whittling history, whittlers used pockets knifes and some still choose them over specialized whittling knives. For me, the main benefit is that they are so portable. I always have my pocket knife on me during outdoor trips, so it’s nice to know that if the opportunity or need arises for some impromptu creativity, I’m covered. I also like that you can switch between the different blade sizes, depending on your need. Although I have several good pocket knives my favorite is my two-blade Oar Carver, which is larger than most pocket knives, but the larger handle fits nicely in my hand.
Using your pocket knife is a great way to try out whittling without investing in a ‘proper’ whittling knife. If you’re just beginning whittling then having a blade that has the ability to lock is something to consider. A non-locking blade can be unstable and tricky to work with, and the potential for lost fingers is also higher than with a locking knife.
Whittling knives for beginners
Knives that are designed specifically for whittling tend to be non-folding knives, which makes them a little less convenient for on the go wood carving. However, their fixed blade makes them more sturdy and their handles sit much more comfortably in the hand than pocket knives. That said, there are also some really excellent folding knives that are ideal for whittling, and some pocket knives that are specifically designed as whittling knives.
There are a ton of specialist whittling knife options out there and many whittlers have multiple knives for different jobs. Here are some of the best whittling knife brands (in no particular order) that are ideal for beginner whittlers:
2. OCCT – An excellent quality knife at a competitive price. High quality steel blades that hold an edge well with periodic stropping. The walnut handles are straight, nothing fancy, but are comfortable to hold. OCCT knives come carving sharp right out of the box. I own several of these knives in two different sizes and really like them. OCCT knives are readily available from most woodcarving suppliers.
3. Helvie – A top of the line quality knife (my knife of choice) at reasonable prices with excellent steel blades that hold and edge with periodic stropping. You can get a Helvie knife in about a dozen different standard handle styles. Helvies also come carving sharp right out of the package. They are only available direct from Helvie Knives and not through any distributors. They are extremely popular and very hard to get.
4. Drake – A very high quality knife made with blades of excellent quality steel and top notch wood handles. Drake knives come factory sharp, although I found their selection of knifes to be somewhat limited. They are moderately priced, but I have only seen these knives available from Drake Knives and a handful of distributors.
5. BeaverCraft – Made in Ukraine, these knives are relatively inexpensive but are of very good quality. I tested their Sloyd style knife and although I don’t carve with that type of knife I found that it cut well and stayed sharp. BeaverCraft is a new and growing company from the Ukraine and is gradually expanding their line of tools and accessories and now have a fairly diverse line of carving knives available. At the present time I believe you can only get BeaverCraft knives directly from BeaverCraft Tools as well as on Amazon, although I think you will start to see them carried by some woodcarving suppliers soon.
There are many other excellent knife makers out there so you might want to ask around and do some research, but the ones I’ve listed above are all knives I have personal knowledge with and can speak from experience for them.
Carving Tip
Cut Off Those Corners!
Before you finish a carving, turn the piece around and carefully examine it. Ask yourself: “Is it too square looking? Are there a lot of sharp corners?” Unless you’re doing a flat plane carving you don’t want to leave a lot of big corners on your piece. In other words, knife facets are fine but you don’t want the overall carving to look too boxy or like it has flat sides. There are no flat areas or sharp corners on figures in real life (just look around), so your figures and caricatures should not be square, have flat spots or sharp angles either.
Take a photo! I often find that taking a photo of my carving before it’s finished will uncover flaws that I hadn’t noticed with my naked eye. I guess that’s why they say “A picture tells a thousand words.”
Don’t be too anxious to finish your carving. Take the time to do it right. Your work will look much better in the end.
Questions & Comments
Here is a copy of an Instagram message I received from my good friend, Richard Cahill with some very nice and much appreciated compliments:
Thank you very much for your thoughtful comments, Richard! It’s feedback like that that encourages me to keep doing what I’m doing. I’m glad you’re enjoying Wood Chip Chatter and your newly discovered hobby of wood carving. Keep up the good work you’re doing and I hope we will see some of your carvings here in Wood Chip Chatter.
Next I got a very good question from new subscriber, Jim Carlson about honing compound. Jim writes:
“I add honing compound to my strop every time I use it. Does the strop ever need to be cleaned to remove this accumulated abrasive?”
Thanks for writing, Jim. Adding honing compound every time you use it is adding way too much compound and is only overloading your strop unnecessarily. You should only need to add compound every once in a while (when you feel like your strop is not longer sharpening your knife), and yes, old built up compound should be scraped off periodically. Use the back of a knife or an old credit card to scrape the compound off the strop. I hope this helps.
Photo Shop
“Photo Shop” is the section of Wood Chip Chatter where carvers can send in photos of their wood carvings for display. It’s your chance to show off your work…sort of a show and tell. The photos will only be displayed and no comments or critiques will be made. For critiques on your carvings send them in to the “Carver’s Corner.” Send your photos to carverbobk@woodchipchatter.com.
My good friend, Rick Keiper has been busy carving homes for Gnomes and has sent in some photos of his work:
“Good morning Bob,
Love your work and what you do for the art of woodcarving. I enjoy reading your Wood Chip Chatter newsletter every time it comes out. I recently carved a couple of gnome home trees that I think are great for spring. My wife loves them. I attached some pictures! Hope you enjoy!
Rick Keiper
Master Sergeant
U.S. Army
(912) 610-0722
RK Wood Carving”
Thank you for your kind remarks, Rick! Those are terrific little trees you carved! What a cool idea and very cute. I can see why your wife loves them.
My good friend, Bob Tomlinson from Madison, Wisconsin sent in a photo of a rather large project he completed a few months ago for a friend. Bob Writes:
“here is a project I completed back in September for sn Ohio State fan who lives near me here in Wisconsin.
Bob”
Thanks for the photo, Bob! Always appreciated. I read your note and then was surprised when I saw the photo at how large your carving/project is. You did quite an impressive job. It looks just like the real “Brutus.”
Free Pattern
Here is a pattern I found and modified many years ago and have gotten a lot of mileage out of.
Coming Workshops & Seminars
Cowboy
Teacher: Dave Stetson
Dates: February 4, 5, 11, 12, 18, 19.
Times: Sat, Sun – 9:30 – 11:30 Pacific time / 10:30 – 12:30 Mountain time / 11:30 – 1:30 Central time / 12:30 – 2:30 Eastern time.
12 Hours (6 sessions – 2 hours each day)
Cost: $125 payable thru check or Zelle, or $130 via PayPal.
Pattern for cutout will be provided or 9” tall roughout I’ve designed can be purchased from Dwayne Gosnell Roughouts.
To attend the workshop, a passcode and login code will be provided for Zoom, a free app downloadable to your computer, tablet or phone. All sessions will be recorded for student playback.
Woodcarving Old Faithful Horse
Teacher: Janet Cordell
Dates: April 24, 28 May 1, 5, 8, 12
Times: 2-4 p.m. Pacific Time, 3-5 p.m. Mountain Time, 4-6 p.m. Central Time 5-7 p.m. Eastern Time
12 hours (6 sessions – 2 hours each day)
Location: Online (Via Zoom)
Contact Janet Cordell at: janet_cordell@yahoo.com
Online Classes With Chris Hammack
Teacher: Chris Hammack
Chris Hammack is offering a new series of online classes to help students learn and sharpen their woodcarving skills. Individual and Group Classes are available through his web site chrishammackart.com/groupclass
Whittle Wednesdays
Teacher: Dwayne Gosnell
Dates: Two – 2 hour classes each month on Wednesdays
Location: Online (Via Zoom)
To sign up contact Dwayne Gosnell via email dagwood_76@gmail.com
News & Announcements
The International Association of Woodcarvers has upcoming Zoom meetings on the following Saturdays at 3PM EST with special guest presenters. Check them out…
Zoom: 310-460-3575
Presentation Schedule:
2/4 – Richard Houlden
2/11 – Alec LaCasse
2/25 – Dan Gallagher
INTERNATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF WOODCARVERS
COME JOIN US!!!
Lancaster County Woodcarvers Zoom Meetings
(Informal meeting – Open to all)
Zoom: 417-966-8402
Schedule
Tuesday, February 14 at 7PM EST
Tuesday, March 14 at 7PM EST
Tuesday, April 11 at 7PM EST
Tuesday, May 9 at 7PM EST
There are no meetings in June, July and August.
Come join the fun…and you might even learn something
The Jersey Hills Wood Carvers (JHWC) club is a small but growing group of wood carvers sharing their time, knowledge and joy of woodcarving. The JHWC generally meets from 7:00 PM EST to 9:00 PM EST on the 1st, 3rd and 5th Thursday of each month (when school is in session) at the Jefferson Township High School wood shop classroom.
Membership is “FREE” and open to anyone interested in woodcarving regardless of their ability.
JHWC’s Upcoming Meetings and Events
Feb. 16th
Mar. 2nd, 16th, 30th
Apr. 6th, 20th
May 4th, 18th
June 1st, 15th
For more information contact:
Al Santucci alsantucci4@gmail.com President
Bill Brunner billbrunnerdesign@gmail.com newsletter/website editor
Or visit:
Website: https://www.jerseyhillswoodcarver.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/736479646821641/
Don’t Forget!
We are always looking your contributions to Wood Chip Chatter. Your questions and comments help to keep this blog active and going! Effective discussions are one of the best ways to learn about the topics that interest you. Remember, there’s no such thing as a dumb question. Plus we would all love to learn about the unique tips, techniques and products YOU use in your woodcarving process.
We can also use more photo contributions to the “Carver’s Corner” and “Photo Shop”. My “Carver’s Corner” is a great way to get constructive critiques on your carvings so you can learn where to improve on your next ones, and I’m sure you all have some terrific carvings to share in my “Photo Shop” section. Photos of your carvings liven up the blog’s appearance and make it more interesting.
Send your questions, comments and photos to carverbobk@woodchipchatter.com. They will all be greatly appreciated.
Coming Shows
Does your club have a show coming up this year? Email me your brochure or send me your information so I can advertise it in Wood Chip Chatter.
Keep a sharp edge, and keep on carvin’!
Funny Bone
It turns out I had the Lancaster County Woodcarvers Zoom meeting schedule correct the first time. The meeting nights which were originally on the first Tuesday of the month have now been changed to the second Tuesday of the month. So here is the CORRECT schedule of meetings:
Lancaster County Woodcarvers Zoom Meetings
(Informal meeting – Open to all)
Zoom: 417 966 8402
Schedule
Tuesday, February 7 at 7PM EST
Tuesday, March 14 at 7PM EST
Tuesday, April 11 at 7PM EST
Tuesday, May 9 at 7PM EST
No meetings in June, July and August
Come join the fun…and you might even learn something.
It was just brought to my attention that in my last issue of Wood Chip Chatter I had the wrong dates for the Lancaster County Woodcarvers Zoom meetings. So listed below are the correct dates for the meetings. My sincerest apologies to Bob Hershey and the Lancaster County Woodcarvers for the error.
Lancaster County Woodcarvers Zoom Meetings
(Informal meeting – Open to all)
Zoom: 417-966-8402
Schedule
Tuesday, February 7 at 7PM EST
Tuesday, March 7 at 7PM EST
Tuesday, April 4 at 7PM EST
Tuesday, May 2 at 7PM EST
Tuesday, June 6 at 7PM EST
Come join the fun…and you might even learn something.
Since my last newsletter on January 6 a whole new list of IAW Zoom presentation dates became available so I wanted to be sure and get that schedule out to everyone.
The International Association of Woodcarvers has upcoming Zoom meetings on the following Saturdays at 3PM EST with special guest presenters. Check them out…
Zoom: 310-460-3575
Presentation Schedule:
1/14 – Chris Morgan
1/21 – Marty Leenhouts
1/28 – Pat Coffey
2/4 – Richard Houlden
2/11 – Alec LaCasse
2/25 – Dan Gallagher
INTERNATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF WOODCARVERS
COME JOIN US!!!
Upcoming Shows
Keep a sharp edge, and keep on carvin’!
I hope everyone had a safe and happy holiday season, and as we look toward the new year ahead we look forward to doing a lot more carving, improving our carving techniques and maybe even getting out to one or two carving shows, or join a club and make new friends. There is a lot to look forward to so let’s all make 2023 a great year!
This month, I start the year off with a brief discussion on the woods of the European Union, and follow with a list of some of the upcoming woodcarving shows and events for the first three months of 2023,
Woods of the European Union
The four largest producers and exporters of softwood lumber in Europe are Sweden, Finland, Germany, and Austria. Together they produced just over 56% of Europe’s total lumber production in 2019, and the international shipments by these “Top 4” accounted for about two-thirds of continent’s total export
The main source of the lumber used in the world is forests, which can be classified as virgin, semi-virgin and plantations. Much timber is removed for firewood by local populations in many countries, especially in the third world, but this amount can only be estimated, with wide margins of uncertainty.
Nearly all of our domestic building wood is softwood (it’s estimated to comprise about 97 percent of that used in new houses), which comes primarily from the South and West—60 percent of the Southern harvest is softwood, and 98 percent out West.
38% of the sawn softwood consumed was home grown, with 92% of the imported softwood coming from the EU and 6% from Russia. 7% of the sawn hardwood consumed was home grown, with 55% of the imports coming from the EU, 21% from the USA, and 18% from tropical sources.
China has grown rapidly over the recent decades to become one do the world’s largest wood producing countries and consumer of forest products, and it has recently overtaken the US in sawn wood production. The country is by far the largest producer and consumer of wood-based panels and paper.
The EU’s wood-based industries cover a range of downstream activities, including woodworking industries, large parts of the furniture industry, pulp and paper manufacturing and converting industries, and the printing industry.
Softwoods
Hardwoods
European hardwoods are used extensively in construction, furniture and door manufacture.
Upcoming Shows & Events for Jan. – March, 2023
January 8 – Port Orange, Florida. Four area clubs host show at Port Orange Adult Center, 4790 South Ridgewood Avenue; 9am to 4pm. Call Connie Teeters (386) 624-2334; or email Connieteeters49@gmail.com.
January 10 – Harlingen, Texas. Chip-0-Texas Show at Park Place Park, 8:30am to 2:00pm. Free admission. Ken Eberle (785) 650-1055.
January 20-21 – Edinburg, Texas. Rio Grande Valley Woodcarvers Show and Competition at Nomad Shrine Club, 10am to 4pm. Admission: $5. Email Dennis Horstman: dhorstmanl7@gmail.com.
February 1-4 – Ashland, Nebraska. Nebraska Carving Retreat at Peter Keiwit Lodge, Mahoney State Park. Four-day classes. Email Roger Nadrchal: wood_chips@yahoo.com. Website: www.nebraskacarvingretreat.com.
February 9-20 -Tampa, Florida. Woodcarving show and competition at Florida State Fair. Competition open to all Florida residents, including seasonal. Brenda Gregory (813) 734- 2810; brenda.gregory@floridastatefair.com.
February 23-March 19 – Anchorage, Alaska. Artistry in Wood at Midtown Mall, 600 East Northern Lights Blvd #133; noon to 6pm (closed on Tuesdays and Wednesdays). Jim Powell (907) 887-9701; j-hpowell@alaskan.com.
February 25-26 – Mesa, Arizona. Desert Woodcarving Show and Sale. Bobby Gray (480) 323-8981, bgray839@gmail.com. www.desertwoodcarvingshow.com
March 4 – Tucson, Arizona. Southwest Woodcarvers demonstrate and exhibit during Saddle Brooke Spring Art Show at Saddle Brooke Two Arts and Craft Center, 38759 S Mountain View Blvd.; 9 to 3. Email: azchipster@gmail.com.
March 11-12 – Millersville, Penn. 48th annual Woodcarving & Wildlife Art Festival at Millersville University Student Memorial Center, Shenks Lane. Saturday 10 to 5; Sunday 10 to 4. Admission $5. Jeff Pretz (717) 940-3311; jefpretz@ptd.net.
Reader’s Comments
My good friend, Dean Stewart sent in a nice comments along with photos of a couple of cool festive Gnomes he recently carved:
“Bob,
Happy holidays to you. As the year end I wanted to say thank you for all the hard work you put into the blog. I looked forward to reading every issue.
Here are a couple of gnomes for the holidays in their festive hats.”
Dean’s Holiday Gnomes
Thanks, Dean! I know I can always count on you for a few photos. I like them both but would love to know how you make the one with the moppy beard. Happy holidays to you and your family too!
“The moppy beard is jute cord. The strands were separated into just two or three pieces. They were then applied around the nose with hot glue and then trimmed. I have to give my wife credit for that. She did it.
Regards,
Dean Stewart”
Photo Shop
“Photo Shop” is the section of Wood Chip Chatter where carvers can send in photos of their wood carvings for display. It’s your chance to show off your work…sort of a show and tell. The photos will only be displayed and no comments or critiques will be made. For critiques on your carvings send them in to the “Carver’s Corner.” Send your photos to carverbobk@woodchipchatter.com.
Our one and only entry to the “Photo Shop” this month comes from my friend, Nicky Foley. Nicky Wrote:
These are eventually finished and off to their new homes, a grandmother ordered these one for each of her grandchildren.
That sure is a nice batch of Santa ornaments, Nicky! Some lucky grandchildren are going to get a nice gift from grandma this year!
Our next entry to the “Photo Shop” comes from my good friend, Dick Bonewitz from Carmel, Indiana. Dick writes:
"Here is a picture for your next issue.
This cardinal was power carved out of Tupelo and painted with Liquitex acrylics. It was a bandsaw cutout from Josh Guge, who is an excellent carver and instructor.
Josh has detailed cast models of his birds to follow while carving. It makes the process of getting correct dimensions and feather detail so much easier while working remotely.
Dick Bonewitz
Carmel, In"
Thanks for the photo, Dick! I can always use it. That’s a beautiful cardinal. Very well carved and exceptionally painted.
Free Pattern
Many of you have written asking for a Comfort Bird pattern so I thought it would be a good idea to include one in this month’s newsletter.
News & Announcements
The International Association of Woodcarvers has upcoming Zoom meetings on the following Saturdays at 3PM EST with special guest presenters. Check them out…
Zoom: 310-460-3575
Schedule:
1/14 – Chris Morgan
INTERNATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF WOODCARVERS
COME JOIN US!!!
Lancaster County Woodcarvers Zoom Meetings
(Informal meeting – Open to all)
Zoom: 417 966 8402
Schedule
Tuesday, January 10 at 7PM
Tuesday, February 14 at 7PM
Tuesday, March 14 at 7PM
Tuesday, April 11 at 7PM
Tuesday, May 9 at 7PM
Tuesday, June 13 at 7PM
Lancaster County Woodcarvers
Come join the fun…and you might even learn something.
The Jersey Hills Wood Carvers (JHWC) club is a small but growing group of wood carvers sharing their time, knowledge and joy of woodcarving. The JHWC generally meets from 7:00 pm to 9:00 pm on the 1st, 3rd and 5th Thursday of each month (when school is in session) at the Jefferson Township High School wood shop classroom.
Membership is “FREE” and open to anyone interested in woodcarving regardless of their ability.
JHWC’s Upcoming Meetings and Events
Jan. 19th
Feb. 2nd, 16th
Mar. 2nd, 16th, 30th
Apr. 6th, 20th
May 4th, 18th
June 1st, 15th
For more information contact:
Al Santucci alsantucci4@gmail.com President
Bill Brunner billbrunnerdesign@gmail.com newsletter/website editor
Or visit:
Website: https://www.jerseyhillswoodcarver.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/736479646821641/
Upcoming Workshops
Flat Plane Figures
Teacher: Ryan Olsen
Dates: January 14,15,21,22
Times: Sat, Sun – 9:30am-11:30 Pacific /11:30am-01:30pm Central / 12:30pm – 2:30pm Eastern
8 hours (4 sessions – 2 hours each day)
Cost: $95
Location: Online (Via Zoom)
For details and to sign up email: Ryan Olsen ryanscaricatures@gmail.com
American Cowboy
Teacher: Dave Stetson
Join me carving the American Cowboy. Workshop will be hosted by the Woodcarving Academy on February 4, 5, 11, 12, 18, 19. Hours will be 9:30 – 11:30 Pacific time, 10:30 – 12:30 Mountain time, 11:30 – 1:30 Central time, 12:30 – 2:30 Eastern time. Six two hour sessions will take you thru design and carving techniques accompanied by stories from past experiences carving cowboys with close friends from all over the country.
Cost will be $125 payable thru check or Zelle, or $130 via PayPal. Pattern for cutout will be provided or 9” tall roughout I’ve designed can be purchased from Dwayne Gosnell Roughouts.
To attend the workshop, a passcode and login code will be provided for Zoom, a free app downloadable to your computer, tablet or phone. All sessions will be recorded for student playback.
Online Classes With Chris Hammack
Teacher: Chris Hammack
Chris Hammack is offering a new series of online classes to help students learn and sharpen their woodcarving skills. Individual and Group Classes are available through his web site chrishammackart.com/groupclass
Whittle Wednesdays
Teacher: Dwayne Gosnell
Dates: Two – 2 hour classes each month on Wednesdays
Location: Online (Via Zoom)
To sign up contact Dwayne Gosnell via email dagwood_76@gmail.com
The next issue of Wood Chip Chatter will be posted on Friday, February 3, 2023. Keep a sharp eye open for it!
Keep a sharp edge, and keep on carvin’!
Funny Bone
I‘ve been working hard on my booklet project these past few weeks although I did manage to take some time off for family, the Thanksgiving holiday and to put Wood Chip Chatter together for this month. I hope you all had a Happy Thanksgiving and got your fill of turkey and pumpkin pie. We had 20 guests at our house and a 27.5 lb. turkey! I was eating turkey and pies for days!
This month I’m pleased to say we have an excellent article from my good friend, Jack Loring with tips on how you can save money on your wood finishes. There is some very interesting information here that I was never aware of. I think you will find it intriguing.
It happened to me and I don’t want it to happen to you!
By Jack Loring
What happened?
I had a large quart-sized can of wood stain and one day I opened the can and saw that the stain had developed orange-colored flecks in it. I was always careful to seal the can well and also stir the stain before every use. This stain had oxidized and it was ruined. The can was mostly full and I had to throw it away. Wasted a lot of money!
If you’re a carver, woodworker, carpenter, or a DIY person like me, you probably use a variety of different wood finishes such as; varnish, stain, paint, and other oil-based finishes. Maybe you’ve had to toss out a can of finish that’s still half full because it has oxidized, thickened, skinned over, polymerized and become useless.
The problem is oxidation, once we open a can of finish the oxidation process has begun and the more finish we use the more the level of the liquid finish goes down creating even more space for oxygen to fill up.
It’s a real problem and I’m here to share some tips (3 different methods) to help you save money by preserving and extending the shelf life of your liquid wood finishes.
Methods For Slowing the Oxidation Process
Method #1 – Rocks & Marbles
Sounds strange doesn’t it, how do rocks and marbles help to preserve wood finish?
This is an old school method of fighting oxidation. By putting rocks into the can of finish we can use the rocks to displace the liquid finish, raising the fluid level and forcing the oxygen out of the can. Some people prefer to use marbles instead of rocks.
Method #2 – Bloxygen
There’s a product called Bloxygen (Blocks Oxygen), that is basically an aerosol can of Argon gas. Argon is an inert gas which means it’s not going to cause a chemical reaction when it comes into contact with other chemical compounds in your wood stain or varnish. How does it work? Well it turns out that Argon is heavier (has more density) than oxygen – so to use the Bloxygen you spray the product into your can of finish, as the Argon goes in, it forces the oxygen out. You only need to spray for a few seconds and then immediately seal up the lid good and tight.
Although I’ve never used this product, I’ve talked with other carvers that told me it can be pretty effective. Argon gas has not been shown to harm the environment but you do need to use it in a well ventilated area.
The re-sealable paint can was patented by Sherwin way back in 1877. Before the re-sealable can came along any unused paint had to be thrown away. Although the cans are still the primary way to store paint and finish they do have their issues because it doesn’t take long for some of us to gum up the seal on a resealable can and Bloxygen requires a good seal in order to be effective.
Method #3 – Stop Loss Bags
My preferred method for preserving wood finish is to remove the finish from the can. Stop Loss Bags enable me to transfer my liquid finish from the can to a sturdy and clear plastic bag and then just squeeze out all of the air bubbles before sealing the bag for storage.
I start by writing the product name, date and other information on the bag before any liquid goes in. The Sharpie marker erases easily with some rubbing alcohol which is important because you can refill the bag and write a new date on it.
When you’re ready to use some finish It’s easy to see the contents of the bag and mix up the varnish, stain, paint, etc. by moving the bag around a bit. Then just pour some finish into a container and you’re ready to go. I like to use plastic containers that my favorite cookies are packaged in. What a great excuse to buy cookies!
A lot of woodworkers mix up their own wiping varnish by combining varnish with mineral spirits and I’ve used these bags for storing an antiquing medium made from a mixture of wood stain and mineral spirits. They work fine, no leaks or problems with the mineral spirits eating through the plastic. However – Stay away from paint thinner and lacquer thinner because the manufacturer warns against using them with the Stop Loss Bags.
I’ve even used one of these bags for storing my Howard Feed & Wax. If you’re not familiar with Howard products they have a full line of wood finishing products. You can find Feed and Wax in local hardware stores and online as well.
Remember the gummed up can lid issue I mentioned earlier? Well that’s no longer an issue since we don’t need the can anymore. And unlike the can, the Stop Loss Bag is easy to open and close without any tool needed to pry open the lid.
If you’re going to give these bags a try I recommend that you also purchase the collapsible funnel because It’s designed to fit snugly over the spout of the Stop Loss Bag.
It’s lined with silicone so you can let varnish dry overnight then turn the funnel inside out to peel off the dried varnish. You can also turn it inside out and clean it with a solvent like mineral spirits or alcohol.
What about you?
Send in a comment to Wood Chip Chatter and share your thoughts and experiences.
Questions & Comments
My first comment comes from my friend, Jim Babcock from Columbus, Indiana who writes:
“Bob:
As always, very much appreciate the information you share on your blog on
techniques and products. Congratulations on the book project with Fox Chapel,
I will keep my eye out for the book when it becomes available down the road.
Fully understand your decision to put the blog on a partial hiatus and will still
look forward to it, just not as often.
Best regards,
Jim Babcock
Columbus, Indiana”
Thank you for your thoughtful comments, Jim! I’m really excited to write this booklet and hope it will be well received by the woodcarving community. I thought long and hard about making the decision to publish Wood Chip Chatter just once per month and I also hope my readers and fellow carvers will understand. I truly value comments like yours as they give me confidence that I am doing the right thing, and inspire me to keep moving forward.
My next comment comes from my friend, Nate Streed who writes:
“Super timely and very helpful! Thank you so much. Nate”
I‘m glad I could help, Nate, and I hope to see some photos of the great creations my readers carve using artificial snow.
Next we have a comment from carvnlad who writes:
“Hi Bob, Thanks for all the work you put into the “Wood Chip”. I learn something new from each one and save them all. Looking forward to your booklet.
Best regards, Richard.”
Thank you, Richard! I’m happy to know Wood Chip Chatter is helpful, and everyone will learn some new tips and techniques from my booklet.
Next comes a question from my friend, Gary Baker on carving happy Santa faces:
“Bob, I have been carving a few Santa ornaments without any success getting a real happy face. What’s the secret ?”
Thanks for writing. The two most important factors that make up a happy face are the mouth and the eyes. Most carvers think it’s just the mouth. For the mouth, make sure you turn the corners way up. Exaggerate them if necessary. The eyes should not be big and round, but rather narrow and squinty looking. And always make sure your pupils are large, Many carvers make the mistake of making their pupils too small which gives the carving a scared or staring look I hope this helps.
And finally we have an excellent question from my good friend, Greg Meece, about a problem he has noticed with using walnut oil. Greg writes:
Hi Bob.
I hope you are not too busy with your book writing to answer a question from one of your blog subscribers. I switched from using boiled linseed oil to walnut oil as my pre-painting sealer, as you recommended. It has many advantages. One issue, however, is that I noticed that the oil tends to bleed from the bottom of the carving for many days. This photo was taken a week after I finished the carving and set it on this piece of paper overnight?
Thanks!
Greg Meece
Greg Meece Walnut Oil Problem
Thanks for writing, Greg. I’m sorry you’re having problems with the walnut oil. I’ve heard others complain of the same problem.
Walnut oil is a natural oil that is unrefined like many other oils such as boiled linseed oil. Therefore, it doesn’t polymerize and harden like those oils do. For this reason it takes much longer for walnut oil to dry. This is why you may see it running out of the bottom for a period of time.
The only thing I can recommend is to apply the walnut oil lightly with a brush. Less is more. Remember, when painting you only want to treat the wood’s surface anyway. Never soak your carving in walnut oil as this will add too much oil to the wood and definitely cause it to run out the bottom; and never brush oil on the bottom of your carving. You might also want to try spraying the bottom with a sealer such as Krylon or Deft which may slow down the bleeding process. For now, I suggest you keep your carving out on an absorbent paper towel which will help to wick the oil out.
I hope this helps.
Carver’s Corner
This month we have another carving by my good friend, Tracy Czajkoski:
Hello Bob,
Please critique my latest carving:
I appreciate your words of wisdom to help me grow as a carver!
Tracy Czajkoski
Thank you for sending in your skiing dog photos, Tracy! The carving is adorable and so very well carved and painted in every way. You got great motion in the carving with his ears flying out and the scarf flying backwards. Excellent work there!
Your painting is so beautiful too, I love your choice of colors which make the piece very colorful and eye catching, a
nd the paint job you did on the sweater is mind boggling!
I’m really attracted to the skis and would love to know how you made them and what kind of wood you used.
Awesome work on this one, Tracy! Congratulations!
Free Pattern
News & Announcements
Lancaster County Woodcarvers Zoom Meetings
(Informal meeting – Open to all)
Zoom: 417 966 8402
Schedule
Tuesday, December 6 at 7PM
Tuesday, January 3 at 7PM
Come join the fun…and you might even learn something.
The International Association of Woodcarvers has upcoming Zoom meetings on the following Saturdays at 3PM EST with special guest presenters. Check them out…
Zoom: 310-460-3575
Schedule:
12/3 – John Overby
12/10 – Jarrod Wood
12/17 – Neil Southerland
12/24 – OFF
12/30 – OFF
INTERNATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF WOODCARVERS
COME JOIN US!!
The Jersey Hills Wood Carvers (JHWC) club is a small but growing group of wood carvers sharing their time, knowledge and joy of woodcarving. The JHWC generally meets from 7:00 pm to 9:00 pm on the 1st, 3rd and 5th Thursday of each month (when school is in session) at the Jefferson Township High School wood shop classroom.
Membership is “FREE” and open to anyone interested in woodcarving regardless of their ability.
JHWC’s Upcoming Meetings and Events
Dec. 15th
Jan. 5th, 19th
Feb. 2nd, 16th
Mar. 2nd, 16th, 30th
For more information contact:
Al Santucci alsantucci4@gmail.com President
Bill Brunner billbrunnerdesign@gmail.com newsletter/website editor
Or visit:
Website: https://www.jerseyhillswoodcarver.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/736479646821641/
Don’t Forget!
Even though I am posting just once per month now, I still need your photos, questions and comments to keep Wood Chip Chatter interesting and informative. So please continue sending your contributions to carverbobk@woodchipchatter.com. Anything and everything is welcome and greatly appreciated.
Upcoming Workshops
Raccoon Santa
Teacher: Bob Hershey
Dates: December 3, 4, 10, 11
Time: Sat, Sun – Sat, Sun – 1:30pm-3:30 Pacific /3:30pm-05:30pm Central / 4:30pm – 6:30pm Eastern
8 hours (4 sessions – 2 hours each day)
Location: Online (Via Zoom)
Contact Bob Hershey: bzcarvn@gmail.com
Online Classes With Chris Hammack
Teacher: Chris Hammack
Chris Hammack is offering a new series of online classes to help students learn and sharpen their woodcarving skills. Individual and Group Classes are available through his web site chrishammackart.com/groupclass
Whittle Wednesdays
Teacher: Dwayne Gosnell
Dates: Two – 2 hour classes each month on Wednesdays
Location: Online (Via Zoom) – Visit his web page and see learning opportunities.
To sign up contact Dwayne Gosnell via email dagwood_76@carverbobk
The next issue of Wood Chip Chatter will be posted on Friday, January 6,2023. Keep a sharp eye open for it!
Wishing everyone a Happy Hanukkah, a Blessed and Merry Christmas, and a Happy New Year!!!
Keep a sharp edge, and keep on carvin’!
Funny Bone
Wood Chip Chatter