How to Whittle

What does Whittle mean?????

...carve (an object) from wood by repeatedly cutting 

small slices from it.

Whittling is an activity that can be enjoyed by most anyone all you need is a very sharp knife and some wood. The wood can be a fallen branch of any size, a chuck of craft wood, or even a fire log.
It helps if you have a rough idea in your head of what you would like to create but sometimes, spontaneity and accidental art works just fine too.

Whittling is carving but taking little slices off of the wood off at a time. Remember to work slowly and make small cuts so you don't take off too much wood at one time.

Choose your wood and prepare it by taking the bark off if necessary. You may even want to select a piece of wood that does not contain sap or is still soft and green.

The knife one would choose should have a very sharp blade and should be comfortable to handle for long periods of time. Either a kitchen knife, a hobby knife, or a jackknife are suitable for your whittlin' project. Good knife skills are important before attempting to whittle any project!

Learn how to sharpen your knife and take nicks out of the blade. There are several tools available for knife sharpening including the stones on the back of most electric can openers. Other tools would be a hand held sharpener which looks like this:

 and is held in one hand as you run the knife blade through the sharpening stones. Other types would include a rounded knife steel, or a flat sharpening stone in which you would run the knife blade over at an angle with some oil for a smoother edge.

Remember these safety tips!
Never run with your open knife in your hand!

Store the knife out of the reach of small children.
 Hold the knife firmly and always cut ayaw from your body and hands!

Slice with the knife, don't try to saw with as the knife may slip.

If you cut yourself, seek help immediately and wash the would under cold running water!

Now you are ready to begin your project! Start slowly and take small pieces of wood off your "stick"
by making short light strokes with our knife. Clean of the bark and begin to form your masterpiece!

With practice, you'll soon see what an amazing hobby this is creating animals, 

whistles, and even slingshots!

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