Before jumping on to wood whittling, it is first important to understand what whittling itself is. Whittling is a type of technique in which a person carves different shapes out of wood or even other things. Wood whittling is thus, the carving of raw wood in different shapes as needed. t is generally done preferably with a knife, however, there are numerous extensive tools and accessories that are used especially for whittling. In many areas of the world, it is actually taken seriously as a way of earning, while in the developed ones it is a mere hobby. The first thing that needs to be talked about is the model of wood that is used.
Even though whittling can be done on all types of wood, it is more convenient for the person to use a wood that is softer. If the wood is hard or thick, it shall be difficult for the person to whittle is. The softer the wood, the easier it is to tame. Basswood and pine are softer woods and are thus a better option for whittling while twigs and branches are a famous option since they are easier to find. The second thing that should be pointed up is that of the classifications of knives that are needed. As already mentioned any knife can be used to whittle, however, the correct outcome is only possible if the knives are for this specific use. Some people even proclaim that the regular pocket knife is the best choice for whittling. However, there are a few who claim that it is, in fact, the specialty knives are what actually help achieve get the desired result.
One of the advantages of these specialty whittling knives is that they are made in a way to suit the curves of the hand to make the carving easy. Another important part of whittling, without which this concept would have long gone, is the safety and precautionary measures that are or should be taken during whittling. The most important measure that should be taken is to go deliberately.
The person whittling should not be fast, otherwise, the chances of cutting themselves are way higher. Remember, slow and steady wins the race. Also, it is important to remember that the knives being used are really sharp, obviously, so one should always wear gloves to protect their hands and fingers from cutting. If gloves are not available, one may also use a thumb pad.
The last point of discussion is the resource of the whittling. How can someone learn how to whittle? Well, the best way is to ask someone to teach. One can learn so much by watching live and learning the procedure step by step. However, if that is not possible and perhaps a little slower than the former but one may take help from the numerous videos that are uploaded on various websites that make the learning and understanding of whittling so much easier and absolutely fun!
