Little Book of Whittling Gift Edition E-Book

Chris Lubkemann

• Herausgeber: Fox Chapel Publishing
• Kategorie: Lebensstil
• Sprache: Englisch
• Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2018

Seitenzahl: 99

Beschreibung

Now available in a handsome new hardcover gift edition, this friendly guidebook will encourage readers to whittle away the hours. Great for beginners looking for an easy way to get started and more advanced carvers looking for a relaxing way to spend their time, Little Book of Whittling Gift Edition provides 18 projects, including knives, forks, birds, animals, trees, and flowers. Chapters detail the proper whittling tools and materials, including what woods are best to carve, and how to start projects by selecting and safely sharpening the best knife for each project.

Leseprobe

© 2018 by Chris Lubkemann and Fox Chapel Publishing Company, Inc., 903 Square Street, Mount Joy, PA 17552.

Little Book of Whittling (ISBN 978-1-56523-968-5, 2018) is a gift edition of The Little Book of Whittling (ISBN 978-1-56523-772-8, 2013), published by Fox Chapel Publishing Company, Inc. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without the prior written permission of the copyright holders.

Print ISBN 978-1-56523-968-5

eISBN 978-1-60765-543-5

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Names: Lubkemann, Chris, author.

Title: Little book of whittling / Chris Lubkemann.

Description: Gift edition. | Mount Joy, PA : Fox Chapel Publishing Company,

    Inc., [2018]

Identifiers: LCCN 2018008122 | ISBN 9781565239685

Subjects: LCSH: Wood-carving. | Wood-carving--Technique.

Classification: LCC TT199.7 .L822 2018 | DDC 736/.4--dc23

LC record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2018008122

To learn more about the other great books from Fox Chapel Publishing, or to find a retailer near you, call toll-free 800-457-9112 or visit us at www.FoxChapelPublishing.com.

We are always looking for talented authors. To submit an idea, please send a brief inquiry to [email protected].

Lovingly Dedicated

To Mom, who was, without a doubt, the greatest fan of my work. (Who else would dedicate permanent space in her purse to a little plastic display box of my carvings?!)

To Dad, whose tools and readily shared raw materials inspired me early on in my great appreciation and enjoyment of working with wood.

Acknowledgments

If you ever want to have fun and a great experience working on a book, do one with the folks at Fox Chapel. Many were involved in the production of this book and to all who contributed I say a huge “Thank You!”

I’d especially like to single out Alan, Peg, Gretchen, Troy, Mark, and Greg. They’re the ones I had the most contact with.

While I consider myself at least fairly proficient in my knowledge and experience with what is explained in this book as related to wood and the use of a pocketknife, I can’t claim expertise in all aspects of hiking, camping, s’moremaking, and camp recipes. For these super-interesting little additions, hints, and notes that are scattered throughout the book and which add so much to it, all credit goes to Gretchen and her “Fox Chapel Hikers Gang” (to coin a new name) for their great contribution.

It’s been a fun team to work with!

CONTENTS

About the Author

Introduction

Getting Started

The Projects

Knife

Spreader

Spoon

Poker

Fork

Stick Figures

Toppers (Horse’s Head, Dog’s Head, Goat’s Head)

Duck

Songbird

Jumping Fish

Flower

Tree

Canoe

Walking Stick

Slingshot

Whistle

Back Scratcher

Miniatures Challenge

CHRIS LUBKEMANN

A child of missionaries, Chris Lubkemann grew up in the forests of Brazil and Peru, where sawing, planing, hammering, and building were a part of daily life. He quickly developed an appreciation for wood and entertained himself—and others—by handcrafting rafts, tree houses, traps, and slingshots from scrap wood. Since that time, he has continued to integrate his woodworking skills with good old-fashioned fun.

Chris’s first writing on whittling appeared in 1972 in the form of published notes, which have since been produced in both English and Portuguese. His most recent book, Whittling Twigs and Branches, was published by Fox Chapel Publishing in 2002. Chris is also a regular contributor to Chip Chats magazine. His work has been featured in Wood Carving Illustrated magazine and on the DIY network. He has carved some of the world’s smallest branch carvings, and his smallest branch rooster was given a Guinness World Record Certificate in 1981.

Currently, Chris demonstrates whittling as the resident woodcarver at the Amish Farm and House in Lancaster, Pennsylvania.

INTRODUCTION

For many people, “whittling” conjures up quite a colorful image. It goes something like this: a fairly old codger with longish hair, wearing bib overalls and missing about a third of his teeth, sits in an old bentwood rocker on the front porch of a very weathered cabin located somewhere up in “them thar hills”—or several old codgers sit on stools around an old potbellied iron stove in the corner of a 125-year-old country store. In either case, there are piles of random wood shavings and chips in front of each stool or chair. Most importantly, there are the old, well-worn pocketknives and the even older and more worn hands that wield them. Go on—fill in the picture with even more details.

I’m sure a lot of whittling has indeed been done in the molds just described. And who is to say that some real benefits haven’t come from those front porch or round-the-stove sessions? While it’s probably true that in many cases all that was produced was a pile of chips and shavings with nothing but the knife left in the hands, I’m sure that on many other occasions what remained in the hand opposite the one holding the knife was an incredible work of art.

Throughout this book, you’ll notice tip boxes just like this one. Inside you’ll find information meant to add to your whittling experience—anything from methods for starting a fire to baits for fishing to recipes for the perfect s’mores. Also keep your eye out for little tips and facts at the bottom of many pages. Whether you’re on the trail, in camp, or at home, I hope that these tidbits evoke the fun and relaxing atmosphere that the ideal whittling experience will create. Oh, and be sure to check out some of my favorite tips throughout the book.

With these connotations of whittling and whittlers, it is easy to see why many whittlers/woodcarvers try too hard to define and to run away from certain terms. I’ve come across a number of folks in the woodcarving community who struggle with the word “whittle” and opt for the word “carve” because they want their work to be taken as serious art and not as the production of wood chips. Just for fun, I went to the dictionary that was closest at hand to see how it defined the word “whittle”. Here’s what I found: “to pare or cut off chips from the surface of (wood) with a knife” or “to shape or form by so paring or cutting.” I also looked up “carve”: “to make or shape by or as by cutting, chipping, hewing” and “to decorate the surface of with cut figures or designs.” Sounds like “whittle” and “carve” could almost be synonyms! True, the first definition of “whittle” could lend itself to the final product being just a pile of random chips on the floor, but the second definition certainly allows for all kinds of creativity and objects of genuine art.

Whittling is a very portable craft—you can take it just about anywhere. As you can see, it was a perfect way to pass the time while I was stuck in totally stopped traffic on I-81 in Virginia.

Today, whittling is alive and well and is certainly not limited to the characters, settings, or descriptions I’ve listed above. I would describe whittling as a simple type of woodcarving that involves a knife as its primary instrument. People of all ages, lifestyles, and levels of experience have enjoyed trying this simple and relaxing form of carving. Folks who have never carved a piece of wood will discover a new source of fun and satisfaction. Even old hands at woodcarving may find a few ideas that they’ll get a charge out of.

Aside from its relaxing effect, whittling has a number of other advantages. To start, the main raw material is free and, generally speaking, quite easy to find. (I don’t ever recall having to pay even a cent for one of the twigs or branches I’ve used over the past 39 years!) And as for the tools required and the few other materials and supplies, they’re simple, inexpensive, and very easy to get.

Also, whittling in general is a very “portable” craft. You can take it just about anywhere. That’s why I’ve designed this book as an outdoor companion. Whether you’re on the trail, sitting around the campfire, or just relaxing on the front porch, you’ll find lots of interesting facts, games, recipes, and more to keep you occupied between whittling projects. If you’re not as inclined to the outdoors, you can take your whittling to a number of indoor locations as well. I’ve whittled at commencement exercises, at wedding receptions, in barbershops, in doctor’s offices, and during totally stopped traffic jams, just to name a few.

So, relax, carve away, whittle, shape, form, whatever. Enjoy what you’re doing, and don’t worry if your finished project doesn’t turn out perfect or about any preconceived notions of whittling. My hope is that you’ll jump into the projects that follow and that they will provide you with fun, relaxation, and creativity and will “prime the pump” for other projects that this particular whittler has never even thought of !

Happy Whittling!Chris Lubkemann

GETTING STARTED

For those of you who have never whittled before, take some time to read through the following sections for some tips and techniques that will make your whittling easier and more enjoyable. Some of the topics we’ll cover include choosing your wood, sharpening, and the basic cuts.

If you don’t have immediate access to good branches, milled scraps are a fine alternative.

CHOOSING WOOD

While the main raw material we’ll be using and illustrating in the following chapters generally consists of small branches or twigs of one description or another, I definitely don’t mean to imply that only branches will work for these projects. Actually, many kinds of scrap wood will serve the same purposes. I choose twigs and branches because I, having been a “branch carver” most of my life, happen to have a ton of twigs and branches on hand and they’re more what I’m used to carving.

If you don’t have immediate access to any good branches but do have a supply of milled wood scraps, go ahead and experiment with what you have. Make sure any milled lumber you use is straight-grained and without knots. Just to show you some of the possibilities, the photo below shows different types of wood along with two letter openers and a little boat that emerged from milled scraps. Generally speaking, however, I’d still recommend twigs and branches as an excellent raw material.

GENERAL CHARACTERISTICS OF GOOD WOOD

Most of the projects on the following pages call for straight, “unforked” pieces of wood. As a rule, the best woods (1) are straight-grained, (2) have a small pith (the small spongy part right in the center of the branch), and (3) don’t have sticky sap to contend with.

Most of the projects in this book call for straight, unforked branches. Notice that the grain runs in only one direction.

Sometimes it’s an advantage to use a forked branch. These branches are a little trickier to carve because the grain runs in three different directions.

A quick note about pine: For the most part, I avoid using pine branches because it forces me to deal with a lot of sticky sap. If I carved fresh pine, I’d be spending an awful lot of time cleaning my knife and my hands. However, some milled pine blocks or board scraps will work for several of the projects in this book. There’s nothing quite like experience to show you what will work well and what won’t.

MOISTURE IN BRANCHES

As you are looking for branches, it’s best to avoid wood that is so dry that the branch snaps cleanly in two when bent. I prefer to carve wood that has at least a little bit of moisture in it. As a rule of thumb, look for wood that is neither freshly cut nor very dry.

Some of the hardwoods, such as various maples, oaks, and beeches, need to be worked when they’re still quite fresh. Some of the birches—with the notable