Nov
30
Filed Under Hobbies | Leave a Comment
anonymous asked:
is the removal of pare shavings or the cutting of small bits from a piece of wood. It is the most basic form of wood carving but it is not actually the art of wood carving, as it is done today. Wood carving requires a number of tools, even power tools at that. So it could get complicated pretty fast. But this is not how it is when one whittles. All you need to whittle are two things: a piece of wood and a knife.
True whittling has always been very simple. Details in the wood aren’t very refined but rather pretty coarse. When you are holding a whittled object in your hand, you know it. You can plainly see each knife stroke. Using sand paper isn’t an option. This is the exact opposite of wood carving, which typically excels in details. When you’re holding a wood carving of the same object, you usually won’t see even one knife stroke. It’s very interesting. Whittling a little girl could take a week when all you’re using is a knife. Wood carving the same little girl requires more tools but it takes just a fraction of the time. She’ll also have many details that couldn’t be produced with just a knife.
Whittling requires no special tools, no special circumstance or any specific type of working environment. Just you, a piece of wood and your knife are all it takes. You can whittle anywhere inside or outside your home, in a car, at a picnic, in a parknearly anywhere. This is not so with detailed wood carving.
There are quite a number of special tools that you’ll likely be using when you wood carve. There are detail knives and carving knives, wood rasps and wood files, wood gouges and wood chisels. And these aren’t all of them. (Ever heard of a sanding stick?) There’s a very good chance that you’ll probably have a handful of power tools as part of your wood carving tool kit. Then you’ll also need to concern yourself with how to supply electric power. It isn’t so simple.
You really do need a designated work area when you’re wood carving. You usually aren’t even holding the wood you’re working on. Many times it’d be a vise doing that for you so you’ll need a good work bench or platform. And with all those valuable tools around, you don’t want anyone fiddling with them. Besides the possibility of losing them, many of them are dangerously sharp and no one should touch them but you. And what about that special creation that you’ve been working on for so long? You surely don’t want any spectators scoping it out when you’re not around. Who knows what’ll happen? (Hey, where’d the nose go?)
The act of whittling is considered to be a contemplative, meditative process. It isn’t so much what you’re whittling but the process itself. Wood carving, on the other hand, is more of an end result process. You strive to create what you see in your mind with all the details that come with it. You’ve a product to produce and so you may not care to spare any time.
It comes down to a matter of taste and how you feel. If you have no care to rush, you want to take your time and see what happens, whittling is for you. If you’d like to see just how skilled you can be, how good you are at bringing out details, wood carving may be just what you’re looking for. Hey, try them both. You might surprise yourself.
CARMEN
is the removal of pare shavings or the cutting of small bits from a piece of wood. It is the most basic form of wood carving but it is not actually the art of wood carving, as it is done today. Wood carving requires a number of tools, even power tools at that. So it could get complicated pretty fast. But this is not how it is when one whittles. All you need to whittle are two things: a piece of wood and a knife.
True whittling has always been very simple. Details in the wood aren’t very refined but rather pretty coarse. When you are holding a whittled object in your hand, you know it. You can plainly see each knife stroke. Using sand paper isn’t an option. This is the exact opposite of wood carving, which typically excels in details. When you’re holding a wood carving of the same object, you usually won’t see even one knife stroke. It’s very interesting. Whittling a little girl could take a week when all you’re using is a knife. Wood carving the same little girl requires more tools but it takes just a fraction of the time. She’ll also have many details that couldn’t be produced with just a knife.
Whittling requires no special tools, no special circumstance or any specific type of working environment. Just you, a piece of wood and your knife are all it takes. You can whittle anywhere inside or outside your home, in a car, at a picnic, in a parknearly anywhere. This is not so with detailed wood carving.
There are quite a number of special tools that you’ll likely be using when you wood carve. There are detail knives and carving knives, wood rasps and wood files, wood gouges and wood chisels. And these aren’t all of them. (Ever heard of a sanding stick?) There’s a very good chance that you’ll probably have a handful of power tools as part of your wood carving tool kit. Then you’ll also need to concern yourself with how to supply electric power. It isn’t so simple.
You really do need a designated work area when you’re wood carving. You usually aren’t even holding the wood you’re working on. Many times it’d be a vise doing that for you so you’ll need a good work bench or platform. And with all those valuable tools around, you don’t want anyone fiddling with them. Besides the possibility of losing them, many of them are dangerously sharp and no one should touch them but you. And what about that special creation that you’ve been working on for so long? You surely don’t want any spectators scoping it out when you’re not around. Who knows what’ll happen? (Hey, where’d the nose go?)
The act of whittling is considered to be a contemplative, meditative process. It isn’t so much what you’re whittling but the process itself. Wood carving, on the other hand, is more of an end result process. You strive to create what you see in your mind with all the details that come with it. You’ve a product to produce and so you may not care to spare any time.
It comes down to a matter of taste and how you feel. If you have no care to rush, you want to take your time and see what happens, whittling is for you. If you’d like to see just how skilled you can be, how good you are at bringing out details, wood carving may be just what you’re looking for. Hey, try them both. You might surprise yourself.
CARMEN
Nov
30
Im looking for a site that has free wood carving pattern for a beginner carver, one with bowls & crosses?
Filed Under Hobbies & Crafts | Leave a Comment
tj5burgess asked:
im looking for some cross pattern and wooding bowl pattern i saw some one time before and now i cant find them agin
WILBERT
im looking for some cross pattern and wooding bowl pattern i saw some one time before and now i cant find them agin
WILBERT
Nov
29
Filed Under Crafts | Leave a Comment
Len Q. asked:
Whittling is the removal of pare shavings or the cutting of small bits from a piece of wood using a knife or similar wedge-edged tool. It is the most basic form of wood carving but it is not actually the art of wood carving, as it is done today. Wood carving requires a number of tools, even power tools at that. So it could get complicated pretty fast. But this is not how it is when one whittles. All you need to whittle are two things: a piece of wood and a knife.
True whittling has always been very simple. Details in the wood aren’t very refined but rather pretty coarse. When you are holding a whittled object in your hand, you know it. You can plainly see each knife stroke. Using sand paper isn’t an option. This is the exact opposite of wood carving, which typically excels in details. When you’re holding a wood carving of the same object, you usually won’t see even one knife stroke. It’s very interesting. Whittling a little girl could take a week when all you’re using is a knife. Wood carving the same little girl requires more tools but it takes just a fraction of the time. She’ll also have many details that couldn’t be produced with just a knife.
Whittling requires no special tools, no special circumstance or any specific type of working environment. Just you, a piece of wood and your knife are all it takes. You can whittle anywhere inside or outside your home, in a car, at a picnic, in a park—nearly anywhere. This is not so with detailed wood carving.
There are quite a number of special tools that you’ll likely be using when wood carving. There are detail knives and carving knives, wood rasps and wood files, wood gouges and wood chisels. And these aren’t all of them. (Ever heard of a sanding stick?) There’s a very good chance that you’ll probably have a handful of power tools as part of your wood carving tool kit. Then you’ll also need to concern yourself with how to supply electric power. It isn’t so simple.
You really do need a designated work area when you’re wood carving. You usually aren’t even holding the wood you’re working on. Many times it’d be a vise doing that for you so you’ll need a good work bench or platform. And with all those valuable tools around, you don’t want anyone fiddling with them. Besides the possibility of losing them, many of them are dangerously sharp and no one should touch them but you. And what about that special creation that you’ve been working on for so long? You surely don’t want any spectators scoping it out when you’re not around. Who knows what’ll happen? (Hey, where’d the nose go?)
The act of whittling is considered to be a contemplative, meditative process. It isn’t so much what you’re whittling but the process itself. Wood carving, on the other hand, is more of an end result process. You strive to create what you see in your mind with all the details that come with it. You’ve a product to produce and so you may not care to spare any time.
It comes down to a matter of taste and how you feel. If you have no care to rush, you want to take your time and see what happens, whittling could be for you. If you’d like to see just how skilled you can be, how good you are at bringing out details, wood carving may be just what you’re looking for. Hey, try them both. You might surprise yourself.
—————————————–
Len Q. is a master blade sharpener and an adventurer who strives to protect the natural world. If you would like to learn about
- Knife Sharpening: How to Sharpen Knives, Maintain and Store Them
- The Fastest Way to Sharpen, Tests for Sharpness and more
- Sharpening Other Edges
(e.g. Chain Saws, Gardening Tools, Axes)
- Or maybe you could use a Free Guide on Sharpening Lawn Mower Blades
Find it here at www.MakeKnivesSharp.com.
SPENCER
Whittling is the removal of pare shavings or the cutting of small bits from a piece of wood using a knife or similar wedge-edged tool. It is the most basic form of wood carving but it is not actually the art of wood carving, as it is done today. Wood carving requires a number of tools, even power tools at that. So it could get complicated pretty fast. But this is not how it is when one whittles. All you need to whittle are two things: a piece of wood and a knife.
True whittling has always been very simple. Details in the wood aren’t very refined but rather pretty coarse. When you are holding a whittled object in your hand, you know it. You can plainly see each knife stroke. Using sand paper isn’t an option. This is the exact opposite of wood carving, which typically excels in details. When you’re holding a wood carving of the same object, you usually won’t see even one knife stroke. It’s very interesting. Whittling a little girl could take a week when all you’re using is a knife. Wood carving the same little girl requires more tools but it takes just a fraction of the time. She’ll also have many details that couldn’t be produced with just a knife.
Whittling requires no special tools, no special circumstance or any specific type of working environment. Just you, a piece of wood and your knife are all it takes. You can whittle anywhere inside or outside your home, in a car, at a picnic, in a park—nearly anywhere. This is not so with detailed wood carving.
There are quite a number of special tools that you’ll likely be using when wood carving. There are detail knives and carving knives, wood rasps and wood files, wood gouges and wood chisels. And these aren’t all of them. (Ever heard of a sanding stick?) There’s a very good chance that you’ll probably have a handful of power tools as part of your wood carving tool kit. Then you’ll also need to concern yourself with how to supply electric power. It isn’t so simple.
You really do need a designated work area when you’re wood carving. You usually aren’t even holding the wood you’re working on. Many times it’d be a vise doing that for you so you’ll need a good work bench or platform. And with all those valuable tools around, you don’t want anyone fiddling with them. Besides the possibility of losing them, many of them are dangerously sharp and no one should touch them but you. And what about that special creation that you’ve been working on for so long? You surely don’t want any spectators scoping it out when you’re not around. Who knows what’ll happen? (Hey, where’d the nose go?)
The act of whittling is considered to be a contemplative, meditative process. It isn’t so much what you’re whittling but the process itself. Wood carving, on the other hand, is more of an end result process. You strive to create what you see in your mind with all the details that come with it. You’ve a product to produce and so you may not care to spare any time.
It comes down to a matter of taste and how you feel. If you have no care to rush, you want to take your time and see what happens, whittling could be for you. If you’d like to see just how skilled you can be, how good you are at bringing out details, wood carving may be just what you’re looking for. Hey, try them both. You might surprise yourself.
—————————————–
Len Q. is a master blade sharpener and an adventurer who strives to protect the natural world. If you would like to learn about
- Knife Sharpening: How to Sharpen Knives, Maintain and Store Them
- The Fastest Way to Sharpen, Tests for Sharpness and more
- Sharpening Other Edges
(e.g. Chain Saws, Gardening Tools, Axes)
- Or maybe you could use a Free Guide on Sharpening Lawn Mower Blades
Find it here at www.MakeKnivesSharp.com.
SPENCER
Nov
29
Filed Under Small Business | Leave a Comment
Editor123 asked:
If you trace back the early symbols of wooden art, there would be some startling facts in store for you – those elegantly carved out designs would offer an interesting assortment of human creativity and reach. You can do a lot with a wood piece – provided you are equipped with a right kind of wood grinder. Now that computer and latest technologies are here, new mechanical innovations have paved the path for the development of powerful cutting and grinding tools, which can help you get the best of wood designing in the easiest possible way.
A well designed wood grinder enables you to work easily with wood. The comprehensive collection of these tools includes all sorts of wood grinders, chipping tools, and shredders among others. Some of the most common tools are: angle tools, bench tools and die tools. As the name suggests, angle tools are specifically designed to help you work with those big wooden logs. You can easily handle them and get that sophisticated shape without much hassle. Likewise, bench tools are dedicated for grinding. You can polish the wood by using them. According to your needs, many kinds of bench tools are available in the market, which are empowered by sharp blades and knives. On the other hand, die tools also come handy in polishing, but they are used when you need to work on those close curves. They offer the most in efficiency and help you penetrate the wood without putting too much effort.
Well, a new wood grinder tool would be very expensive, if you are looking forward to buy one. It does enable you to do a lot of things easily. Hence, it is pretty expensive, as compared to other common tools. Thus, prior to buy one, you need to make sure certain things including technical specifications of a grinder. At the same time, you need to check the warranty offered by the seller or manufacturer. To know more about these tools, you can do an online research.
GARY
If you trace back the early symbols of wooden art, there would be some startling facts in store for you – those elegantly carved out designs would offer an interesting assortment of human creativity and reach. You can do a lot with a wood piece – provided you are equipped with a right kind of wood grinder. Now that computer and latest technologies are here, new mechanical innovations have paved the path for the development of powerful cutting and grinding tools, which can help you get the best of wood designing in the easiest possible way.
A well designed wood grinder enables you to work easily with wood. The comprehensive collection of these tools includes all sorts of wood grinders, chipping tools, and shredders among others. Some of the most common tools are: angle tools, bench tools and die tools. As the name suggests, angle tools are specifically designed to help you work with those big wooden logs. You can easily handle them and get that sophisticated shape without much hassle. Likewise, bench tools are dedicated for grinding. You can polish the wood by using them. According to your needs, many kinds of bench tools are available in the market, which are empowered by sharp blades and knives. On the other hand, die tools also come handy in polishing, but they are used when you need to work on those close curves. They offer the most in efficiency and help you penetrate the wood without putting too much effort.
Well, a new wood grinder tool would be very expensive, if you are looking forward to buy one. It does enable you to do a lot of things easily. Hence, it is pretty expensive, as compared to other common tools. Thus, prior to buy one, you need to make sure certain things including technical specifications of a grinder. At the same time, you need to check the warranty offered by the seller or manufacturer. To know more about these tools, you can do an online research.
GARY
Nov
28
What is a good kind of wood to carve with turning tools, chisels and files?
Filed Under Sculpture | Leave a Comment
C. A. N. asked:
I received a woodworking tool kit for Christmas, with turning tools, chisels, and files. Does anyone know what type of wood is good for a beginner to carve?
And where I might get a chunk of it? (I live in the desert)
I received a woodworking tool kit for Christmas, with turning tools, chisels, and files. Does anyone know what type of wood is good for a beginner to carve?
And where I might get a chunk of it? (I live in the desert)
Thanks a bunch!
ELDON
Nov
26
Ashley W asked:
I recently spent some time in Cuba on vacation, and bought some wonderful mahogany wood carvings from a local artist. The carvings are meant to hang on the wall, so the front is varnished, but the back of the carving is not. I returned less than a week ago and already cracks in the wood are beginning to form, from what I’ve read online this is from the drastic change in humidity (Cuba is humid, Winnipeg in winter is most definitely not). What can I do to prevent further damage, and is there anything I can do to fix the damage that has already occurred?
RICKY
I recently spent some time in Cuba on vacation, and bought some wonderful mahogany wood carvings from a local artist. The carvings are meant to hang on the wall, so the front is varnished, but the back of the carving is not. I returned less than a week ago and already cracks in the wood are beginning to form, from what I’ve read online this is from the drastic change in humidity (Cuba is humid, Winnipeg in winter is most definitely not). What can I do to prevent further damage, and is there anything I can do to fix the damage that has already occurred?
RICKY
Nov
26
I have a wood carving of an early cowboy-settler-hunter kneeling by a water tank By Cliff any insight helpful
Filed Under Sculpture | Leave a Comment
llewis499 asked:
I would like to know more about this piece . On the back it says BY Cliff
MORTON
I would like to know more about this piece . On the back it says BY Cliff
MORTON
Nov
26
Carving Wood?
Filed Under Sculpture | Leave a Comment
Lovemyfamily asked:
I am a artist–mostly into fine arts. I usually work with paint and pencil, and now would like to try carving wood. Can you suggest the best wood to carve for this purpose? And perhaps wear to get it? Please don’t tell me the forest
Seriously needing to express myself with this art form!!!
SAUL
I am a artist–mostly into fine arts. I usually work with paint and pencil, and now would like to try carving wood. Can you suggest the best wood to carve for this purpose? And perhaps wear to get it? Please don’t tell me the forest
Seriously needing to express myself with this art form!!!SAUL
Nov
25
Filed Under Remodeling | Leave a Comment
Gerry Scott asked:
Wood is related to the progression of the renewal of life. The various elements in our body if kept in balance prevent us from various illnesses and diseases. Within the five elements, wood furnishes the most compliant and fresh solutions within a home. And Sanding Wood Floors is an excellent option.
If the wooden floor in your home is covered up with the carpets, it is not much of a healthier idea; rather you can have your wooden floors sanded. There are few excellent service providers present who are engaged with proving the efficient services related to floor sanding. Carpets furnishes an attractive look but it is a home for dust mites invisible to ***** eye, instead a fresh restored wooden floor i.e. sanding floors is healthier and also environment friendly.
Few important tips for Floor Sanding: A bit of preparation would be good. Little gaps and small imperfections can be filled with resin and wide gaps could be filled with fillets. Also the floor boards should be replaced as required. Sanding can be started then with the use of coarse sanding paper. Using a 7-tier system with a dust free sanding machine is a great idea. For a smooth and even surface, sometimes de-nibbling is required. For a Wood Floor Sanding, it is always recommended to use environment friendly products i.e. to apply three coats of high traffic lacquer. Also, varieties of stains are available to choose from.
For the drum sander, it consists of sanding paper, dust bag and sander itself. It is hard to find sanding paper at a local hardware store, instead you can find at the tool rental yard. You can get at least three gradations namely coarse, medium, and fine sanding paper. Few rental yards also buy unused paper. The operation need to be carried out carefully, this should not happen that you carve unsightly grooves in the wood. It is sometimes unnoticeable to strip off a small piece of wood. You need to be careful with that.
GERMAN
Wood is related to the progression of the renewal of life. The various elements in our body if kept in balance prevent us from various illnesses and diseases. Within the five elements, wood furnishes the most compliant and fresh solutions within a home. And Sanding Wood Floors is an excellent option.
If the wooden floor in your home is covered up with the carpets, it is not much of a healthier idea; rather you can have your wooden floors sanded. There are few excellent service providers present who are engaged with proving the efficient services related to floor sanding. Carpets furnishes an attractive look but it is a home for dust mites invisible to ***** eye, instead a fresh restored wooden floor i.e. sanding floors is healthier and also environment friendly.
Few important tips for Floor Sanding: A bit of preparation would be good. Little gaps and small imperfections can be filled with resin and wide gaps could be filled with fillets. Also the floor boards should be replaced as required. Sanding can be started then with the use of coarse sanding paper. Using a 7-tier system with a dust free sanding machine is a great idea. For a smooth and even surface, sometimes de-nibbling is required. For a Wood Floor Sanding, it is always recommended to use environment friendly products i.e. to apply three coats of high traffic lacquer. Also, varieties of stains are available to choose from.
For the drum sander, it consists of sanding paper, dust bag and sander itself. It is hard to find sanding paper at a local hardware store, instead you can find at the tool rental yard. You can get at least three gradations namely coarse, medium, and fine sanding paper. Few rental yards also buy unused paper. The operation need to be carried out carefully, this should not happen that you carve unsightly grooves in the wood. It is sometimes unnoticeable to strip off a small piece of wood. You need to be careful with that.
GERMAN
Nov
24
Filed Under Art And Entertainment | Leave a Comment
anonymous asked:
Most wood carving tools are cutting tools. Every cutting tool has at least one bevel. This is the sloping surface coming off the edge. But it’s more than jut a sloping surface. It’s actually a cutting angle. So the bevel supports a specific cutting angle that determines how the tool can be used. Experienced carvers know about bevels and how they affect cutting efficiency.
If you’re just starting out as a wood carver, and you’re going to purchase carving tools for the first time, here are some things you should know.
?Some carving tools leave the manufacturer without a bevel. This means that you’ll have to be the one to make the cutting angle, which determines the shape of the bevel. Many experienced wood carvers prefer new tools this way because they want to put the cutting angles on themselves. They don’t want to have to remake an edge.
?Non-beveled edges are only recommended for those wood carvers who already know how to sharpen knives or similar types of cutting tools. Beveled edges are essentially wedges and every metal wedge is, in effect, a knife. When you know how to sharpen knives, you can make the cutting angle (AKA the sharpening angle) just the way you want it. You control the bevel exactly.
?It’s pretty easy to find new carving tools with pre-set bevels already ground in by the manufacturer. Nevertheless, the new carver must be aware that, even though the cutting angle was created by the tool maker, it may not be the correct size or shape that they want. Don’t just assume that the bevel is correct. Know your needs, i.e. your specific carving tasks, and get the right tools. You shouldn’t rush this.
The cutting angle of your carving tool, or the length of the bevel, determines the strength of the wood you can carve. At its very basic, the greater the cutting angle, the steeper and shorter the bevel. The greater angle means more cutting strength on the edge. The stronger the edge, the harder the wood to be cut. What does it all mean?
?If you’re going to cut soft woods, you’ll want a small cutting angle on your tool’s edge. This is a very thin edge and makes for a very large bevel (a long backwards slope).
?If you’re going to cut hard woods, you’ll want a large cutting angle on your tool’s edge. This makes for a much thicker, slanted edge and a small bevel (short and steep).
Here is another important point to keep in mind. The size of the cutting angle on your edge can determine how much control you’ll have when carving.
?If you’re using a carving tool with a small cutting angle and a large bevel, more of your hands can rest on the wood. This provides better control and, therefore, better carving. Unfortunately, your edge isn’t as strong as it could be.
?If you’re using a carving tool with a large cutting angle and a small bevel, less of your hands can rest on the wood. This could make carving a bit clumsy because you’ve got much less control of your hands. It’s a curious thing. You’ve a strong edge that cuts fast but mistakes are easily made.
Because we’re talking about bevels, here are the three main types of bevels that can be found in wood carving: straight (square) bevels, rounded bevels (convex) and hollow (concave) bevels.
?Straight bevels. As the name sounds, these bevels have a straight square edge. They provide the most efficient cutting and the greatest strength to the edge for its sharpness. Many wood carvers prefer this type of bevel.
?Rounded bevels. The profile of a rounded bevel is convex and looks the exact opposite of a hollow bevel. More effort is needed to cut the wood because the wedge is normally thick. Therefore, cutting angles are large.
?Hollow bevels. Hollow bevels are concave and look the exact opposite of a rounded bevel. It’s a very unique shape but working with it isn’t very easy. Oftentimes, the hollowed bevel will unknowingly ride up on the edge of a cut so you’ve got to watch every part of it all of the time.
When you know the fundamentals of how cutting angles on beveled edges affect cutting efficiency, you’ll know so much about any cutting tool that you hold in your hand. Simple mistakes can be avoided and you’d be well on your way to becoming a skilled wood carver.
ISAIAH
Most wood carving tools are cutting tools. Every cutting tool has at least one bevel. This is the sloping surface coming off the edge. But it’s more than jut a sloping surface. It’s actually a cutting angle. So the bevel supports a specific cutting angle that determines how the tool can be used. Experienced carvers know about bevels and how they affect cutting efficiency.
If you’re just starting out as a wood carver, and you’re going to purchase carving tools for the first time, here are some things you should know.
?Some carving tools leave the manufacturer without a bevel. This means that you’ll have to be the one to make the cutting angle, which determines the shape of the bevel. Many experienced wood carvers prefer new tools this way because they want to put the cutting angles on themselves. They don’t want to have to remake an edge.
?Non-beveled edges are only recommended for those wood carvers who already know how to sharpen knives or similar types of cutting tools. Beveled edges are essentially wedges and every metal wedge is, in effect, a knife. When you know how to sharpen knives, you can make the cutting angle (AKA the sharpening angle) just the way you want it. You control the bevel exactly.
?It’s pretty easy to find new carving tools with pre-set bevels already ground in by the manufacturer. Nevertheless, the new carver must be aware that, even though the cutting angle was created by the tool maker, it may not be the correct size or shape that they want. Don’t just assume that the bevel is correct. Know your needs, i.e. your specific carving tasks, and get the right tools. You shouldn’t rush this.
The cutting angle of your carving tool, or the length of the bevel, determines the strength of the wood you can carve. At its very basic, the greater the cutting angle, the steeper and shorter the bevel. The greater angle means more cutting strength on the edge. The stronger the edge, the harder the wood to be cut. What does it all mean?
?If you’re going to cut soft woods, you’ll want a small cutting angle on your tool’s edge. This is a very thin edge and makes for a very large bevel (a long backwards slope).
?If you’re going to cut hard woods, you’ll want a large cutting angle on your tool’s edge. This makes for a much thicker, slanted edge and a small bevel (short and steep).
Here is another important point to keep in mind. The size of the cutting angle on your edge can determine how much control you’ll have when carving.
?If you’re using a carving tool with a small cutting angle and a large bevel, more of your hands can rest on the wood. This provides better control and, therefore, better carving. Unfortunately, your edge isn’t as strong as it could be.
?If you’re using a carving tool with a large cutting angle and a small bevel, less of your hands can rest on the wood. This could make carving a bit clumsy because you’ve got much less control of your hands. It’s a curious thing. You’ve a strong edge that cuts fast but mistakes are easily made.
Because we’re talking about bevels, here are the three main types of bevels that can be found in wood carving: straight (square) bevels, rounded bevels (convex) and hollow (concave) bevels.
?Straight bevels. As the name sounds, these bevels have a straight square edge. They provide the most efficient cutting and the greatest strength to the edge for its sharpness. Many wood carvers prefer this type of bevel.
?Rounded bevels. The profile of a rounded bevel is convex and looks the exact opposite of a hollow bevel. More effort is needed to cut the wood because the wedge is normally thick. Therefore, cutting angles are large.
?Hollow bevels. Hollow bevels are concave and look the exact opposite of a rounded bevel. It’s a very unique shape but working with it isn’t very easy. Oftentimes, the hollowed bevel will unknowingly ride up on the edge of a cut so you’ve got to watch every part of it all of the time.
When you know the fundamentals of how cutting angles on beveled edges affect cutting efficiency, you’ll know so much about any cutting tool that you hold in your hand. Simple mistakes can be avoided and you’d be well on your way to becoming a skilled wood carver.
ISAIAH