[Woodcarver] Black Walnut

[Joe Dillett]

Hi Doug,

Hardness is a relative term. Black walnut is what I carve mostly however I 
use chisel and mallet. If you are trying to push the tool like you're 
carving basswood, yes walnut is hard to make substantial cuts by hand 
pushing the chisel. Walnut need a mallet for heavier cuts but can be hand 
tooled, for finish cuts, with sharp chisles taking lighter cuts than 
basswood.

Water, if it would soften, would only be absorbed into the wood about 1/16 
of an inch per application and most of your cuts will go deepter than that.

Using a mallet for your rough cuts and hand push the chisels, using light 
cuts, for finishing is the best way I've found to work woods with medium 
hardness like walnut to harder woods like purple heart and ebony.

Joe Dillett
The Carving Shop
645 E. LaSalle St. Suite 3
Somonauk, IL. 60552
(815) 498-9290 phone
(815) 498-9249 fax
http://www.thecarvingshop.com
jdillett at thecarvingshop.com
http://www.carvingmagazine.com Carving Magazine web site and Readers Forum
http://community.webshots.com/user/joe_dillett
http://www.citizenactions.org
http://www.safeguardsystemsinc.com
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----- Original Message ----- 
From: "DOUG NEELY" <dougneely1 at rogers.com>
To: <woodcarver at six.pairlist.net>
Sent: Wednesday, October 05, 2005 10:13 PM
Subject: [Woodcarver] Black Walnut



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I'm working with a large piece of walnut and I realize it's hard ,but it 
seems to be getting harder? Is there any way to soften(wet) this piece or is 
sharp tools and mallet my way through? Have to keep a close eye on the grain 
for checking too. THX...Doug Neely



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