I have been teaching myself the art of carving since my wife came home with a copy of “Woodcarving Illustrated” this summer. I started out with a trusty Buck pocket knife and have grown to a Japanese 5 piece detail set and a Flexcut bench knife.
Since I am new at this I had not run out and purchased basswood, butternut or anything else. I have a box full of scrap 2×4, 2×2, and 1×2 pine to play with. I have found that pine is way to lose grained for some carvings.
I have some scrap red oak in box my box of goodies as well. I have found that I don’t have the time to pump up, to look like Hulk Hogan, to push through the oak.
Anyway, this is basically a rant on pine. I love it for lots of things I make because of my romance with the Old West. I dislike it because when carving and with one little slip “ohhh, sugar!”
This piece was an off shoot of Snowdog’s, http://lumberjocks.com/projects/2656. It had a bit of checking that I did not think was very deep or would cause problems as the piece progressed, WRONG!
Live and learn!
Off my box and back to work!
Enjoy!
p.s. In the background is a Santa from the latest Woodcarving Illustrated and a Snowman of my own desire.
p.p.s. Yes they are both Pine. Wish me luck!
8 comments so far
MsDebbieP
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11909 posts in 642 days
posted 302 days ago
i’m wishing you luck! :)
I have the same relationship with pine and my scrollsaw—easy to work with but then “snap” .. game over.
-- "Functional WoodArt" by Debbie, Canada (http://www.execulink.com/~yohan)
Thos. Angle
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3236 posts in 444 days
posted 302 days ago
Good ol’ pine.sorry firewood, terrible fence posts, not bad for floors but cuttin’ and carvin’, uh-uh.
-- Thos. Angle, Owyhee Design, Oregon
snowdog
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627 posts in 464 days
posted 302 days ago
Go get the Basswood you will enjoy carving it and it is cheep :)
-- "so much to learn and so little time"..
Dick, & Barb Cain
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5047 posts in 781 days
posted 302 days ago
Welcome to the world of Carving!
I’ve found that quarter sawed White pine, or of any kind of pine is great for relief carvings.
-- -** You are never to old to set another goal or to dream a new dream ****************** Dick, & Barb Cain, Hibbing, MN. http://www.woodcarvingillustrated.com/gallery/member.php?uid=3627&protype=1
Dick, & Barb Cain
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5047 posts in 781 days
posted 302 days ago
Buckskin,
I was just thinking, Are you sure your knives , & chisels are sharp enough.
I even had trouble with Pine, & Basswood, until I found out I wasn’t doing a good enough job of sharpening. You have to use a leather strop with a real fine grit, for a real sharp edge.
Your tools edge should have a mirror finish.
-- -** You are never to old to set another goal or to dream a new dream ****************** Dick, & Barb Cain, Hibbing, MN. http://www.woodcarvingillustrated.com/gallery/member.php?uid=3627&protype=1
Hawgnutz
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495 posts in 558 days
posted 302 days ago
I commisserate with you, Buckskin. I have same problems with pine and redwood, too! If you need a relatively inexpensive place, try this. It is woodworkerssource.net
They usually have some killer deals on wood, including basswood. Check their “garage sale” and internet specials. They had a lot of larger basswood last month on garage sale.
God Bless,
Hawg
-- Saving barnwood from the scrapyards
Robert Smith
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86 posts in 403 days
posted 302 days ago
Some Pine carves good, bass wood is probably the best though. but i rip scrap 2by4 pieces to make santa ornaments. building cabnet’s or so forth with pine sure clogs sand paper.but due to breathing problem’s i dont sand my carving’s. use a old belt glue it to a piece of srcap wood rough side up ,to make a strop . stropping ever few minutes keep’s you from sharpening as often . i find hone compound at big flea markets( who knows what the grit size is but it’s cheap)
-- Robert, mountainwoodcarving@netzero.net
rpmurphy509
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292 posts in 336 days
posted 302 days ago
Pine is a very unforgiving (at the worst possible moment) wood.
I like the rustic look you can get with it, but I don’t like how
unpredictable it can be. I should be the only unpredictable anything
in the shop.
-- Still learning everything