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Wood carving is a creative process that can start using just one tool, a knife. While it’s possible to use a simple utility knife for this purpose, there are specialty knives available in the market that allow you to achieve finer details.
This article discusses a step-by-step method that will help you learn the right way to carve wood with a knife. I dive into how to carve wood with a knife the right way. I’ll also discuss some tips to use the knife in the best way for wood carving.
Contents
Knife Cut Types
Understanding different cut types will help you carve wood in different styles to achieve finer details.
Rough Cut
A rough cut will help you get rid of bulk material from your workpiece at the beginning of the project. You’ll need to use it to carve the basic shape of the design you want to make. You can use the rough cut using the following:
- Hold the knife from your dominant hand and grab the workpiece in the other one.
- Apply the force away from your body using the knife to make long and sweeping cuts. Make sure that you don’t make deep cuts to keep your workpiece from splitting.
- Reduce the wood by making multiple thin slices to turn the workpiece into the desired form and shape.
Pare Cut/Pull Stroke
The pare cut provides you with better control and allows you to make detailed and precise cuts.
- Hold the knife in your dominant hand and the workpiece in the other hand in a way that the blade is facing towards you.
- Place the thumb of your dominant hand against the edge of your workpiece.
- Squeeze the finger of the same hand to draw the blade towards the thumb.
It’ll make a short yet precise stroke but you’ll need to make sure that your thumb isn’t in the path of the blade. You can wear a thumb pad for added safety while performing pare cuts.
Thumb Pushing Cut/Push Stroke
The thumb pushing cut is used when you can apply it to pare cuts. It also allows you to achieve finer details while carving.
- Grab the knife using your dominant hand and hold the workpiece in the other one in a way that the blade is facing away from you.
- Place your both thumbs on the backside of the blade.
- Apply pressure using your thumbs and fingers to push the blade in the forward direction to make the cut.
You can also use a Dremel for wood carving.
Knife Cutting Techniques
The best way to carve wood is to make cuts in the direction of the grain. Not only will it make the carving process easy but it’ll also allow you to control your knife efficiently.
Carving perpendicular to the grain will increase the risk of splintering and tearing the workpiece.
Never rush the process and avoid applying too much pressure. If your knife gets stuck, stop immediately and backtrack or you’ll end up hurting your hand. It happens when the grain orientation changes because of deep cuts.
Carving is all about using correct angles and removing the wood in thin layers. You want to place your knife at about a 45-degree angle on the workpiece and apply a little pressure to shave off a very thin layer. You can use both pull and push strokes for this purpose.
Similar to using a wood planer, thin shaving will start to curl (if it’s cut in the direction of the grain) and it indicates you’re going in the right direction.
If the shaving doesn’t curl, it means your knife is going deeper in the workpiece than it should. Not only will it lead to rough carving results, but it can also split the wood.
How To Carve Wood with A Knife
Now that you understand the basic cut types and techniques to use a knife to carve wood, it’s time to discuss a step-by-step guide that will help you complete your first wood carving project.
Step 1: Gather Tools
The first step is to gather tools, which means you’ll need a sharp knife.
As mentioned earlier, you can use any type of knife for this process but I recommend you use a chip carving knife. It’s a specialty tool that will allow you to achieve more details. Choose a chip carving knife that comes with a curved blade made of tempered steel.
Other than a knife, you’ll also need blade sharpening tools. That’s because your knife will go through a lot of stress during the carving process that will dull the blade.
You can use sandpaper with more than 600-grit rating with oil/water or any sharpening stone to sharpen your knife.
Step 3: Select Wood Type
There is a wide range of wood species to choose from for carving. Different wood species react to a knife differently and you’ll need to go with the type that’s easy to carve.
Pine, balsa, and basswood are the most commonly used species of wood that people use for knife carving. But I recommend you go with basswood, especially if you’re a beginner because it’s affordable, readily available, and easy to carve.
It’s a softwood species that comes with a small grain and provides you with better control. Make sure thatthe wood you use for this project is completely dry so that it doesn’t carve after the carving process to destroy your finished piece.
Step 4: Choose Design
Once your carving setup is ready, select the design you want to carve. You can find tons of wood carving ideas that match your skill level. If you are a beginner, go with a simple design that you can easily carve.
You can even try to carve the first alphabet of your name for your first project. Not only is it difficult to make a complex design if you’re not experienced but it will also discourage you if you end up with poor results.
If carving proves too difficult, you can always cut patterns with a scroll saw.
Step 5: Trace Your Design
After selecting your design, cut a small piece from the wood you selected and trace your design over it. You can use a pencil or stylus along with carbon paper for this purpose.
Be extra careful while tracing because every single mark you make during this process will translate into your final results. So, avoid unnecessary movements and trace the design with patience.
Step 6: Cut Outline
Grab the knife and start cutting the outline by shaving off thin layers of wood. Use the rough-cut technique to speed up the process but make sure that you avoid deep cuts. Follow the outline and give your workpiece the basic shape of the design you selected.
You might also need to redraw some of the parts of your outline once you have achieved the basic shape. It’ll allow you to add finer details by carving the right areas.
If you have a really big project, you can even use a chainsaw to carve wood.
Step 7: Add Details
Now you’ll need to make pare or thumb pushing cuts to add details. You can also use the tip of your knife to carve small and delicate features like eyes and crevices. You can print out the design and use it as a reference to complete this step.
Keep in mind that adding fine details requires patience and time. So, perform this step when you have time and feel comfortable carving.
Step 8: Smooth Out
While it’s the last step, it’s an equally important one. Get rid of the small wood particles and use high grit sandpaper to smooth out your finished piece.
You can also apply paint and a UV-resistant topcoat to it if you want to go one step further.
Final Words
Mastering the skill of wood carving with a knife requires practice and it’s something that anyone can learn. You can start experimenting by trying out different styles using different knife types and cutting techniques to find out what works the best for you. I hope this guide will help you understand how to carve wood with a knife so that you can complete your first wood carving project.
