Whittling Wood Carving

Bit of chatter in the knife thread from time to time, more so during lockdown maybe time for a separate thread to share creations, tips & knowledge plus ask questions for those newer to it.

My first Rowan spoon (and mallet) as posted in the knife thread:

Nice.

Whittled a mini boat. I rather sadly do these 1 minute whittles I make up in the garden from wood I pick up wandering in the woods. This was one of them.

I just use a Victoriana pen knife. The reaming tool is a hidden gem.

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Spoon V1. No idea what wood as I found it out on a walk. Hultafors chisel knife + a Mora for the carving with some hand drill and light dremel action for the bowl (?) as I don't have a curved knife. Bit of tung oil to treat.

Attended Barn the Spoon's spoon whittling workshop couple of years ago.
https://barnthespoon.com/
Can highly recommend for those wishing to pick up some solid techniques and skills.
Came away with a couple of self-made spoons which get regular use in the kitchen.
Alas, i've been too lazy to continue practicing though hope to pick it up again some day.

The contents of my kitchen drawer. I give away about 2/3 of what I make, and the stuff in the drawer has all be made for a specific job.

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Also I made a set of handles for my knives. All from an end of a beam that was being replaced in an old house. Most of it had rotted but one bit was good so I used the end grain

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The Swiss Army knife has the handles hollowed out and fishing kit hidden inside it. The poacher model.

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All good, great to see & inspired to make more, plus the little boat will be great family activity.

2 x spatulas today... yet to sand them, around which I have a question to follow.

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Where I'm sanding around curved bits using bog standard oakey 80 - 180 paper this is leaving sandpaper residue in the wood, as pictured on spoon 2.

Should I do more to smooth the wood by knife in these bits before sanding, or am I using the wrong paper?

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I would just keep sanding till it’s smooth. In future get the finish better off the knife so there aren’t any cut marks for the bits of abrasive to get stuck in.
And use fresh sandpaper when you start after finishing with the knife. Use partially worn out paper (especially the finer grades) as you get nearer to finishing and before oiling. As a rule of thumb never go back to the blade after you’ve started with the abrasive. Never go back to the abrasive once you’ve applied the oil.

That's the most perfect and succinct advice I have seen in ages, are you sure you're on the right forum?

Recent whittles. The dark ones are laburnum, the little butter knife is holly, and the pale ones in between are hazel.

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Where are you guys getting blanks for carving? Not many fallen trees in se5 :(

Back in the winter I had to take down this Birch tree, so I have a ton of that. I also coppiced some Hazel and Ash the winter before so that's been sitting in my shed drying since.
There are always bits knocking around in the local parks when the tree surgeons have to do some work

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Very nice!

I made this bench in a hollow London Plane tree. Kids were prone to lighting fires and dumping rubbish in it. I tidied up, put this bench in made from a fallen branch with Hawthorn pegs to hold it in place. For the time being everyone seems to be looking after it. It's become quite popular.

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That's almost Fred Dibnah territory.

Thanks for the sanding tips up thread.

Nice.

There's been some coppice work happened near us so I've got hazel & birch scraps to feed on, pictured.

There's a Poplar part fallen that I found today too, some sap is still rising (now falling) as the broken trunk has branches trying to go into leaf... now I'm trying to justify carrying the bowsaw on my next walk as an essential.

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Poplar is a fantastic wood to carve, it’s really light too. This Black poplar was the biggest tree in Reading and it blew down in January.
There’s enough wood there to keep my carving for years.

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@BareNecessities has some very nice carving over in the craftsperson thread.

When I was a teenager I used to carve chains. Guess it was a thing I could occupy myself with when hanging around, in lieu of smoking (or talking). Every so often think I'd like to get back into it but I'm not exactly at a loose ends much these days.
Anyone into those 'puzzles' (chains, rattles etc)?

One of my favourite whittlers https://www.instagram.com/hazelvalleybirds/

The dark ones are laburnum,

Is that a good idea for cutlery, given that laburnum is poisonous?

My first attempt at a spoon yesterday.

https://www.instagram.com/p/B-u8lXBlqOI/?igshid=mscdkuj31t2t

What hook knife should I buy?