# Question Of The Week... ( 2017 Week 25)



## ripjack13 (Jun 18, 2017)

*Have you ever tried carving? Do you think it's an important skill for woodworkers to learn? And, What’s the difference between carving and whittling?*





**Rules**
There is no minimum post requirement,
primates, woodticks and leprechauns are welcome to post an answer.
And of course the  and the sillysippian too...


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## Mike1950 (Jun 18, 2017)

I did about 30 yrs ago- good stress relieve. My FIL who was an airline pilot retired and joined a group in Missoula MT. that built and carved the carousel there. I inherited a few unfinished carvings and his vast collection of carving tools. They have sat in drawers for 5 yrs now. One of these days I will put them to work. difference between carving and whittling - silly question!!! they are spelled different- even @Tclem will probably get this one....

Reactions: Like 4 | Thank You! 1 | Funny 2


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## Tony (Jun 18, 2017)

I have tried whittling but never carving, failed miserably. The difference to me is whittling is a simpler form of carving. Both difficult and beyond my talents. I think if you want to do it, you should. If not, that's okay too. I don't think there are "set rules" for things or skills that make you a woodworker. Tony

Reactions: Like 4 | Agree 1


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## woodtickgreg (Jun 18, 2017)

Never really done much of either one. I bid on a couple of sets of carving tools at auctions but I always seem to get outbid. I would like to learn chip carving. I'll score a set of carving tools one day.............

Reactions: Like 4


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## Fsyxxx (Jun 18, 2017)

The main difference is whittling is almost always done with one knife, carving is a whole set. Whittling is much much less expensive but it doesn't give you an excuse to buy a whole cabinet full of really awesome knives.

Reactions: Like 1 | Agree 3 | Funny 2 | Way Cool 1


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## Tclem (Jun 18, 2017)

I can wittle and walk but I've never carved anything.

Reactions: Like 2 | Funny 2


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## NYWoodturner (Jun 18, 2017)

Whittling is what you do to erase the horrible result from attempting to carve...

Reactions: Agree 1 | Funny 10


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## ripjack13 (Jun 18, 2017)

@spaz


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## ripjack13 (Jun 18, 2017)

@scrimman

Reactions: Thank You! 1


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## ripjack13 (Jun 18, 2017)

@Paul Veerkamp


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## woodman6415 (Jun 18, 2017)

I whittle me a tooth pick ever once in a while ... and try to sharpen pencils ... does this count?

Reactions: Funny 5


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## ripjack13 (Jun 18, 2017)

@tocws2002


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## ripjack13 (Jun 18, 2017)

@Wildthings


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## ripjack13 (Jun 18, 2017)

@Fsyxxx


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## ripjack13 (Jun 18, 2017)

@ClintW


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## ripjack13 (Jun 18, 2017)

@Twig Man

Reactions: Like 1


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## ripjack13 (Jun 18, 2017)

@chicago

Where is this guy...haven't seen em in a while...


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## ripjack13 (Jun 18, 2017)

@barry richardson


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## ripjack13 (Jun 18, 2017)

ripjack13 said:


> @Fsyxxx



Whoops....you're already here....lol

Reactions: Funny 1


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## Mike1950 (Jun 18, 2017)

ripjack13 said:


> Whoops....you're already here....lol


already here and ya tagged him twice-Yikes what ya doing man!!!! happy fathers day- Thanks for all ya do here.

Reactions: Thank You! 1 | Agree 2


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## Sidecar (Jun 18, 2017)

Ummm , both seem to bring a loss of liquid from the vascular system , gonna have to ponder on this today ......

Reactions: Agree 2 | Funny 3


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## CWS (Jun 18, 2017)

Tclem said:


> I can wittle and walk but I've never carved anything.


At the same time?

Reactions: Like 1 | Agree 1 | Funny 1


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## Ray D (Jun 18, 2017)

I always felt that carving required an artistic ability...of which I have none. I can replicate things but don't ask me to design anything.

Reactions: Like 1 | Agree 1


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## barry richardson (Jun 18, 2017)

I think Greg @Fsyxxx explained the difference pretty well. I like. Carving cause it is quiet enough to listen to the radio, doesn't make much dust, and time passes like magic when you I do it. The most difficult (and important) thing to learn for me about carving was getting the tools sharp. Sharp beyond what I used to think sharp was.... 
You have infinitely more creative options with carving, woodworking machines make things square and flat, lathes make things round, everything else is carving....

Reactions: Like 3 | Great Post 2


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## Fsyxxx (Jun 18, 2017)

Your right about sharp. It's a whole other level of sharp.

Reactions: Like 1 | Agree 1


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## rocky1 (Jun 18, 2017)

ripjack13 said:


> *Have you ever tried carving? Do you think it's an important skill for woodworkers to learn? And, What’s the difference between carving and whittling? *




Not yet, but I will be embarking upon that journey in the near future; have a project in mind, already have the rather extensive set of carver's chisels, I just need the knives now, and I'm good to go. Trying to decide how many knives are truly necessary before investing hundreds of dollars though!

Is it an important skillset?  I've known lots of very skilled woodworkers who have not had even the slightest clue about carving. And, at the same time, have known a carver or two that couldn't hang a door if their life depended on it.

The difference in the two is totally dependent upon who's hand the knife is in, and what part of the country you come from. Some folks whittle things better than most folks carve, and some places around the country they'll simply look at you and shake their heads, like you're from way up in one of them northeasterner states, if you call it carving.

Reactions: Like 5


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## steve bellinger (Jun 18, 2017)

done a little over the years,and yes i think there is a difference.I know most of ya seen these but here they are again..LOL

Reactions: Like 2 | EyeCandy! 2 | Way Cool 4


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## Schroedc (Jun 18, 2017)

I have done both, not really good at either, whittling seems to be more casual and free form, carving seems to have more of a set outcome. 

I got some nice carving tools a while back and got them razor sharp, planning to embellish some turnings with carving in the future when I can find time to do stuff for myself....

Reactions: Like 2


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## DKMD (Jun 18, 2017)

I played around a little with hand tool carving textures into turned pieces. Not sure the tools were sharp enough(probably not) and my technique was pretty poor. I managed to muddle through a few things, but my damn thumbs were really sore for a long time after that... sore enough to prevent future attempts. 

Did a little power carving for a few of the Beads of Courage boxes for SWAT... kind of fun without the sore thumbs.

Reactions: Like 1 | Way Cool 7


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## Tclem (Jun 18, 2017)

CWS said:


> At the same time?


One at a time

Reactions: Like 2


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## spaz (Jun 18, 2017)

I have have heard that carving is having the intent of making something, whittling is no intent. Ahhh, says Confucius!
Happy Father's Day!

Reactions: Like 3


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## Spinartist (Jun 18, 2017)

Last carving I did

Reactions: Like 1 | Funny 8


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## kweinert (Jun 18, 2017)

I've thought about. But never gotten a Round Tuit and actually given it a try. I don't think it's an important skill to learn in order to be a woodworker. Just another artistic outlet. Do you have to be able to do metal patinization like David Marks does? Or being able to pierce a piece? They are all ways for someone to enhance a piece that was made in some other way is all.

Reactions: Like 1 | Agree 1 | Great Post 1


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## scrimman (Jun 18, 2017)

Errrr...yer kiddin', right? 
I've done both, and, yes, whittling is strictly with knife blades. In my humble opinion NOTHING teaches you about grain quite like whittling and/or carving.

Reactions: Like 4 | Agree 2


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## Blueglass (Jun 18, 2017)

I have done one carving of a dragon that came out nice. My dad and my sister both carve quite a bit.

Reactions: Like 4


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## tocws2002 (Jun 19, 2017)

I don't do much carving, though it's on my list of things to try. Would probably be more along the lines of decorative and chip carving, course then I would have to learn to sharpen all the chisels, gouges, knives, etc, which would be another thing on my list. The list is too long already, but what the heck, I'll go ahead and add carving to it. Will let you know when I get around to it.

-jason

Reactions: Like 4 | Agree 1


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## Wildthings (Jun 19, 2017)

ripjack13 said:


> @Wildthings


I used to whittle all the time...... no wait err I was whistling .... nevermind

Reactions: Funny 6


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## Brink (Jun 19, 2017)

Spinartist said:


> Last carving I did



I bet @DKMD could put it back together

Reactions: Agree 1 | Funny 4


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## ClintW (Jun 19, 2017)

I would agree with what has been said by others. Whittling is more of just pick up a stick and carve something, maybe just even make wood chips. Carving would be a more set end goal and also would include much larger and 2d type relief carvings.

I would say it's not a necessary skill, but can be very useful to know. Can be used to add subtle accents to pieces that really set it off.

Reactions: Like 1 | Agree 2


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## Tony (Jun 19, 2017)

Brink said:


> I bet @DKMD could put it back together



He could, but I bet it would look like this

Reactions: Agree 1 | Great Post 2 | Funny 7


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## Paul Veerkamp (Jun 19, 2017)

Carving is much more fun. Power tools are involved.

Reactions: Like 1


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## DKMD (Jun 19, 2017)

Tony said:


> He could, but I bet it would look like this
> 
> View attachment 129786



Yeah, so? I'm a leg man... what can you do?

Reactions: Great Post 1 | Funny 2


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## Brink (Jun 19, 2017)

Tony said:


> He could, but I bet it would look like this
> 
> View attachment 129786



Chernobyl chicken?

Reactions: Funny 7


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## rocky1 (Jun 19, 2017)

Actually Colonel Sanders bred those back in the 70s, figured they were gonna get rich selling drumsticks, but they couldn't catch the damn things!

Reactions: Funny 4


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## Sidecar (Jun 20, 2017)

Well be'n new to all this would it be carve'n , whittle'n and scrape'n ? Bleed'ns a given ......

Reactions: Way Cool 5


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## Paul Veerkamp (Jun 20, 2017)

ripjack13 said:


> @Paul Veerkamp


latest to show.

Reactions: Way Cool 8


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## woodtickgreg (Jun 20, 2017)

Paul, your work is amazing!

Reactions: Agree 1


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## ripjack13 (Jun 20, 2017)

Wow....i love it!


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