[Woodcarver] Think first, then carve

[Classic Carving Patterns]

OK ... While I am rambling on the list this morning and taking up your
inbox space I thought I would share a laugh upon myself with everyone.

Yesterday I picked up a block of basswood on which to do a little Wood
Spirit carving, it was a 2 1/2" square 8" high as a cane segment.  Now
normally I do relief carvings.  The blank is placed in a bracing board
or wedged between my knees on my lap as I work.  I then make my cuts
using one hand to hold the knife and the other hand lays over the back
of my cutting hand and first set of knuckles as a counter brace for
guiding the cut and controlling the amount of pressure I place on each
cut.

Well, yesterday's little session of whittling was very different than I
have been doing for quite some time.  As I needed to round the blank
first before I began my wood spirit I was using my bracing hand's thumb
over my whittle hand's thumb for control of the stroke.  Dumb move,
Susan!!!!  Yep, you guessed it, I have a very well blistered cutting
thumb this morning ... AHHHH!

This leads me to two independent thoughts.  One, the first wood carving
book I ever purchased of course showed carving in progress.  The
gentlemen's hand, throughout the photos, showed all sorts of band aids
and they seemed to move from finger to finger with each different shot.
At that time I wondered how good a carver was he and was this a hobby I
really wanted to indulge in?  Second, there is an old wood working adage
about Measure Twice, Cut Once.  I think around the studio I am going to
add an adage ... Think Twice (about what I am doing and how I am doing
it) and Do Once.   (GRIN)

Dumb move, Susan .... Dumb, Dumb, Dumb, especially as I want to continue
whittlin' today!

Susan  

Carving Patterns Online
Designs Online Since 1997!
Classic Carving Patterns By L.S.Irish
http://www.CarvingPatterns.com
http://www.WoodCarvingPatterns.com