woodcarving becoming a lost art.....what do you think?

[mcginnis6010]

I love wood carving and try to carve has often as possible with 3 kids running around the house.  I be actually put a spoon carved from ERC in the primitive skills section. When I carve I don't just carve for myself (though I admit I do lose myself in it everytime) I also like to carve for others and be able to see their faces light up when they see their new spoon or bowl or whatever they ask me to carve because I know that they are getting a one of a kind piece that I poured my heart into and its something that can't be found at a store. Anyway I was wanting your guys opinion on the subject.

[lowell]

I make lots of thinks from wood but can't really say I carve ....would like to see some of your pieces. 

 Closest thing to carving for me ....I made 3 hammers from various woods .  Head and and handle...... all wood.

[madcrow]

Its not completely lost.  I know a few carvers.   My bro and I both carve, though he says what I do really ain't carving.  He practices pretty much all the carving techniquesand mediums,  most of my carving is woodspirits on walking sticks.

[mcginnis6010]

Madcrow I carve some woodspirits and I also do spoons bowls ect.  I haven't done a walkin stick before. But when I carve al I use is a knife. The drawback of using a knife is just having to constantly having to sharpen it. But I love it its challenging and fun I could do it all day.

[madcrow]

I hone mine with a leather buffing wheel on my drill press.  I takes just a few minutes with some good compound.  Keep that knife as sharp as possible.  The less force you have to use, the less likelyhood of getting cut.  My favorite tools are made by Flexcut.  I carved a few spoons and one bowl.  I like turning the bowls on a large better.  But then, that just me.  The important thing is to enjoy the hobby.

[mcginnis6010]

I agree with ya madcrow and my favorite knife in the world a a pocket knife my grandfather gave me when I was younger. It still carves great after all these years.

[Prarie Bowyer]

I'm a carver before a bow maker.

[Badger]

   I envy good wood carvers. I play with it and plan to buy some better carving tools soon. I am so slow at it and my end result is usually not that great. Lately I have been using power tools to take something down and then carving the finish. I may settle on cooking utensils as my art work seems to be lacking.

[mcginnis6010]

Don't get too discouraged badger it takes practice and focus.  You can start of with making utensils if you'd like and build up confidence and skill then when you are confident enough start out with a simple woodspirit before you try something more complicated.

[jonathan creason]

I carved wood duck decoys for a while before I got into this stuff.  Just not enough ducks around here, and I like making stuff to use.  I'll still knock one out every now and then, though.

[crooketarrow]

  I carve a few times a year. Mostly woodsprits dosn't a bow made with only a draw knife and rasp count as carveing.
  But mostly I carve tines and hole antlers with a drimel. As well as moose antler its great foor carveing. It sold not like deer antler. Plus I'm also always keeping a old rock laying around I pound on now and then. Rock carveings totally a different beast. I'm always bleeding from spalls.

[Prarie Bowyer]

   I envy good wood carvers. I play with it and plan to buy some better carving tools soon. I am so slow at it and my end result is usually not that great. Lately I have been using power tools to take something down and then carving the finish. I may settle on cooking utensils as my art work seems to be lacking.

It just takes practice like anything else.  Training the eye to "see" and translate the idea through the hands. 

[mcginnis6010]

I agree with prarie bowyers just let the wood tell you what it wants. If you just start carving a good piece of wood and it'll start taking a shape of its own. Most beginners should start out with a softwood such as basswood or white pine.

[YosemiteBen]

wood working runs in my famil. My granfather learned the trade beginning in Waupeton NDN school before he ran away.  I hope to get a lot of his tools as he can no longer do most of the work and I don't want them stolen or sold off to someone who will not apprecaite them as much. My dad is a tinkerer woodworker. I just do not have the time to do the amount of woodwork that I want to.  Maybe when the kids and grandkids are out of the house!