It's Thursday. It's OPEN POST Thursday! This is the day and the place for you to leave a general or a specific comment. You got an idea, a question, or anything related to wood carving? If you can put it into words, do it under "comments" here. But, please leave your name, and/ or a link where we can communicate with you.
Wood Carving discussions on techniques, projects, beginner, basic, general and advanced skill levels
11 comments:
I have a few questions for all of those who carve out in Public.
How did you start? What do you keep your tools in? Do you take along something to clean up the chips that get away and go flying when you stand up? Have you ever been told to put your sharp knife away because they think its dangerous in public? Where are places you will take your carving with and carve?
Please tell me some stories and tips too.. help me overcome being self consious and be able to carve in public or at relatives...
Marcia. molson2
Marcia, I carve/whittle anywhere I am. I pull the waste basket over and carve into it. If I can't, I open a magazine on my lap and carve into it (then dump).
At a table or a counter I'll carve so the chips land on the table or counter top, where they can be cleaned off into my hand for disposal. I carve smaller so it's easier. I'll always have a few completed 5 min. owls, wizards, Santa's in my pocket. I may give one away to an interested kid.
A lot of beginning carvers, if they drop a tool, will try to catch it. It's a natural reaction. My Daddy taught me that there are two things you need to do when you drop a sharp tool: 1)DON'T TRY TO CATCH IT!!!!! Sure you'll break a tip or put a nick in the edge, but that's a lot easier to clean up than copious amounts of blood. 2)GET THE HECK OUT OF THE WAY!!!! Knives and chisels are known for taking prodigiously weird hops when they hit the floor, often bouncing several feet in unpredictable directions. Vacate the area as quickly as possible!
Steel doesn't bleed. You do.
Bob
Bob, you are absolutely right. A lot of us have learned the hard way. And some of us have even swatted at a bothersome fly with a knife in hand. Or scratched an itch. Yikes the memories!
Marcia .. I carve out in the public constantly .. I carry my few tools in a small fishing box I bought from walmart and I use it to catch my shavings in .. Its enough room for my knife , v tools and a small carving or two .. I love it
After reading your reply's I'm beginning to think I need to tone down my carving practices. When I stand up I have chips in a five foot diameter circle around me. I cant imagine them all just falling nicely into a container. LOL
Thank you all for replying. I will check into a tackle box..I need something to take along with me thats neat and orderly.
Marcia
And since its still Thursday , I have another question or topic that could be discussed.
I need to learn about finishing carvings. Sealing or polishing or something other than what I'm using. I'm using just plain old polyurathane (water clean up) and I'm not happy with the shine. And I've heard of blo, but afraid of burning my house down and does it smell up my house?.
I was in a big box lumber store today..looking at the zillions of cans and its very overwhelming to me. I did pick up a sanding sealer, but would like pro's and cons of what you folks use...what you like about it and its finished results.
Thanks.
Marcia
And since its still Thursday , I have another question or topic that could be discussed.
I need to learn about finishing carvings. Sealing or polishing or something other than what I'm using. I'm using just plain old polyurathane (water clean up) and I'm not happy with the shine. And I've heard of blo, but afraid of burning my house down and does it smell up my house?.
I was in a big box lumber store today..looking at the zillions of cans and its very overwhelming to me. I did pick up a sanding sealer, but would like pro's and cons of what you folks use...what you like about it and its finished results.
Thanks.
Marcia
Marcia,
blo dont have to be dangerous,
it can be used straight or thinned down, even tinted to antique and then wiped off,
its blo, it has a smell,
i have breathing problems and chemical smells is a trigger, so i dry it outside the house.
just insure anything you use to wipe it down, or clean up blo with is to be saturated with water and put in a container in the outside trash can, or hung on the outside clothe line or fence to let natural dry. then dispose of it in the trash.
there is water base sealers that have mat finish i got mine from hobby lobby or micheals, the matte finish is clear and not shiny...
hope this helps you some..
Marci,
I use the water based poly from Micheals or Hobby Lobby. It comes in gloss, semi gloss and matte. I am just now trying BLO while it is warm enough to dry it outside. I too have breathing problems so I don't want the smell in the shop.
My wife made me an apron with a large pouch in it. I use that to carve with in the car and while waiting for someone. I keep a couple of golf balls with the outside already off and a couple of Jack Price style patterns also and carve them.
So far I have just used a clear satin spray on my carvings after painting
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