[Woodcarver] Basswood question

[Jay Henson]

I'm using some old 3/8" sheets of basswood to learn and practice chip 
carving patterns and seem to be running into a problem with small 
pieces chipping out of the wood much more frequently than I'd expect 
(sometimes 30-50%). I read some about making sure the wood has enough 
moisture, keeping knives sharp, not trying to cut too deeply and the 
simple fact that chips happen. Being in SC, enough moisture hasn't 
typically been much of an issue.

That said, I tend to carve small items and where I'm chipping out the 
basswood, the edges are typically under 1/16" or smaller. The basic 
"triangle" chip is not a problem now. Am I expecting too much from 
the basswood grain to hold together more than I should? That is, 
should I just keep the size of the carving on a larger scale? I did 
get a box of nice Northern Basswood from the folks at Smoky Mountain 
Woodcarvers recently, but haven't tried it yet, until I had a bit of practice.

Since I've carved cherry more than anything else for years, I'm most 
familiar with how much I can do with it even in very small details. 
BTW, I loved the work Donna Menke shared from her web. I really like 
the work on those beautiful butterflies (my dad is an entomologist) 
and those feathers.

Thanks,

Jay Henson
jay at thewaytech.com