Anyone WHITTLE?

[mermaidmama]

I'd like to try making some wooden animals for ds. Does anyone have any tips or links for beginners? What tools should I get? Thanks!

[dharmama]

: i've been interested in learning more about this for a long time now. looking forward to reading replies.

[sunanthem]

For easy projects to start, try buying some wood cutouts on etsy or at the craft store, then you'll just need a sharp pocket knife, and you can shape the edges. Then sand it and polish it with something natural.
If you want to get into making your own cutouts, you can get a hand saw or a scroll saw, find the image of the animal you'd like to make, trace it on to the wood, cut it out, then continue with the whittling.
With your carving knives, always be sure to cut away from yourself, and buy a sharpener to maintain your knife and always keep it sharp, and of course, store it away from kids.

[sunanthem]

Here is a page to get you started on making a wooden toy bird;
http://www.make-baby-stuff.com/handmade-toys.html

[mermaidmama]

re

thanks!

[NoliMum]

I don't whittle but I do power-carve using a dremel rotary*tool. I have done some teeny tiny animals with a carving knife after cutting the initial shape with a scroll saw, as Sunanthem recommended.

I tried the carving knives sold at craft stores like Jo Ann's and Michaels, and they were horrible. DO NOT BUY! I cut myself more than I cut any wood. I bought an X-Acto carving knife from a hobby shop for about $10 and it works really well.

[AALIYAH1]

great tips. I enjoyed reading this