Christmas Ornaments

Sorry its been so long. Had loads of work from sixth-form and got a bit snowed under. Atm im working on trying to make some money off my wood carving so im trying to put all other projects on the back burner so i can churn out some Santa's. Ive made 4, painted 3 and sold 2. Not brilliant but i think they are a nice gift for christmas.

Working progress of new whittling character

Ive only just started to whittle the human form as before I was apprehensive of human faces as I thought they were hard to do but as i have discovered by doing this helpful tutorial of a 5 minite wizard there are ways round it. This really built my confidence. This is the link and i have already posted the photo's of the one i carved. www.youtube.com/user/whittler0507#p/search/4/l9sObqxmYJY. I was using another video of his and was trying to carve a Santa but it didn't turn out right so i changed it into a old Sergeant major, as i said before it is a working progress but for a failure i am quiet happy with it. The link to the video i was using is here www.youtube.com/watch?v=eNz-lKtoX2U, Im sorry all i can find is the second part and the conclusion, but it starts off pretty much the same as the wizard.
                                                                   This is my Sergeant.

Rope Sling

My sling was made using about 7 feet and 6 inches of nylon cord. Easy to do ,but does take some concentration. I found this amazing tutorial on YouTube-http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=APExNLO1oHY. I had to watch it a couple of times to get it but i am very new to knots so a veteran would probably find it quiet easy. 
  Ive only just started to really take interest in knots and i have found they really are cool. The person who made that video's channel is really useful and defiantly recommended. Tying It All Together. I am aiming to try and find a really good comprehensive guide to knots so any recommendations would be helpful, thanks.

Making a wooden sheathe for my knife

I've always imagined this as a task impossible for my minor skills as a bushcrafter, but today on this, a fine, chilly summer evening,I thought to give it ago any who.
 It all started when i came across a video of a complete legend hoboex on YouTube, if you have not subscribed to him yet you really should. Not particularly step by step as such because he leaves things to ya own common sense, but he really illustrates how simple it can be and how effective bushcraft is  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kwCHCHLx984&playnext=1&videos=w3E3WXD-SyM&feature=rec-exp_fresh%2Bdiv-1f-36-HM That's the video.

 I didn't use birch bark, i did however use some random old string that i found around the house, i was going to use some cordage ide done but couldn't find any and cba to do any. Later job, i used a close hitch to start the lashing and another one to finish. I got the technique for the knots from SAS Survival Handbook, Revised Edition: For Any Climate, in Any Situation mine is the pocket one that my girlfriend got me its amazing. All things useful to know.

My first wizard

I love to carve as you may or may not no, this was my first patterened carving i went a little bit off in my own way but really enjoyed it. Also this was the first carving ive ever painted and that also turned out well i throught all round gd one.

New spoon knife

To be honest I've had it a while now but i haven't been able to post for a bit so i will write it as if i have just got it .. lol. Its really cool i got it off ray mear's is website, www.raymears.com/Bushcraft_Product/580-Spoon-Knife-Big-Right-handed I wanted this particular one because i thought ,still do think its the best u can get, unless u have a friend that can forge one for you, but don't think of me as a snob just i think with tools, you get what you pay for . I want a tool for life if possible. Its amazing quality, razor sharp comes with a poly blade sheath and the blacksmiths initials on the handle.
  I've made my first bowl with it its hard going if u want it deep, I'm learning very quickly that you do not want to rely on it for the roughing out, may sound stupid but i was naive to think you could make it do the work and it would take it just fine but sadly it seems to blunt quickly.

  Its expensive but very nice to use but i must learn how to sharpen it lol. i finished the outside of the bowl using a belt sander, i no its cheating, i did the bulk work with a chisel and my knife, axe was to clumsy for the job.

First lathe bowl

It was a big learning curve i know its not bushcraft but i want to post about all manner of crafts. I really enjoyed it it was very fun, very quick. Made out of an off cut of pine, it's too soft really and my newbie mistake was seeing other peoples bowls and, not wanting it to be too fat i went to thin. Its unbelievably light almost like polystyrene.
 Sanding is a dream as is lacquering etc. I really want to get a lathe of my own but the cost is very high for my very small bugit.

Follow up on my bow

Finally got some arrows i know its cheating but i just couldn't be bothered with the hassle. I will be making some at some point.
It fired well for my first but then i put a nock in for the arrows to sit.
Now it only fires down lol ow well.
I'll make a new one, its all good fun.
But atm I'm really into wood working so trying to make a few box's etc and my dad wants to teach me rug making, dono how good it will be but I'm always up for learning a new craft.

My first bowl/ pond boat

I made my first bowl using an axe. It took about and hour to rough it out and wasn't very thin but was what i thought quiet good. I then used a curved chissel( normally used for eye soccets etc) to carve the inside deeper .
This part was what took the time i used specald oak, i think and seeled it using lin seed oil. Before sanding it 3 times with 80-180 grit paper i tryed to get rid of some of the indents left from a inadequat tool for the job. I think it turned out well but there is obvious room for inproovement.
I am currently workin on getting a spoon knife, this will hopefully enhance any future bowls by giving a smoother base and getting rid of marks left by my chissel.

My cordage break through

I bought Ray Mear's essential bushcraft and was reading through and i found where he talks about cordage using nettles and I've been trying to make cordage for ages using all sorts of different methods with all sorts of materials but my break through moment came with using root fibres (which i bashed with the back of my axe) and the method suggested in this his book.
 This method is where you turn the piece away from you then move it underneath the other piece by twisting both pieces towards you.
 Where i struggled and still do is in splicing. I learned through the Internet and from Essential bushcraft, but what i found was that what they don't seem to tell you is to twist the pieces together and hold them with the finger you hold the actual cordage with but maybe its just me.
The last thing I'll say as i am also a beginner is that once you have done it once you can always do it, like riding a bike.

My first bow

I managed to make my bow and not have it brake on me for the first time last night. 4 tries down but at least I've finished it.

From my experience the key is to loose as much wood as you can till it bends then take more off

but don't just concentrate on the front also concentrate on the sides.

My next job is to either buy or make some arrows any advise would be useful please.

My first ever carving

This was my first ever carving i gave this to my mum, i know its ruff but i only had a stanley knife. This also took me ages and lots of cut fingers lol. If you can't tell its a bear, like i said i only had a stanley knife so i found detail difficult.

Tiki Man

My first carving to add is one i did for my girlfriend and its of a tiki man. I enjoyed doing this but it took forever. All i used was a small swiss army blade and I burned it to enhance the details i put in it. I went through a faze of burning my carvings but i'm not sure if it does enhance it or not to be honest. I also stained the stump he's sat on.

Intro

This is my first blog, I hope the title hasn't misled you as initially this will mainly be on carving/whittling but I am an aspiring bushcrafter. So I will be putting in some attempts at bushcraft, so hopefully I'll be learning with you.

How I came upon writing a blog...I was lying in the bath discussing with my girlfriend ( who was not in the bath) about building a website for displaying and getting feedback on whether you think my carvings are suitable for selling. Also Im looking for advice on how I can improve, as hopefully I would like to carve as my career.