BTWC

Wednesday, 30 September 2009

Knives - Selection & Care


Fruit stone whittling

In lack of wood one can whittle small objects from fruit-stones. The stones are harder than most wood and must be scrubbed and dried before use. It seems like the natural shape and surface of the peach-stone lends itself well for monkey motifs.


Peach-Stone collection


Pit-monkeys with interesting decoration

Boy

15 year old Arthur Dayton won a whittling contest in Bridgeport

Knives of France

Knives of France. An Opinel should be in there somewhere for sure. Think its No. 10 from the top on the right actually.

Tuesday, 29 September 2009

Whittling

Whittling is the art of carving shapes out of raw wood with a knife.

Whittling is typically performed with a light, small-bladed knife, usually a pocket knife. Specialised whittling knives are available as well. They have thick handles which are easier to grip for long periods allowing precise control and pressure.

Occasionally the terms “whittling” and “carving” are used interchangeably, but they are different arts. Carving employs the use of chisels, gouges, and a mallet, while whittling involves only the use of a knife. These days whittling is mainly a hobby and not a living as it used to be before carving machines were invented.