The SAK Whittling Club

[caninesapien]

Apologies for the silly question! Has anyone ever tried sharpening the screwdriver end of the SAK can opener? I was thinking it might make a decent gouging tool for whittling? Is this even possible? Thanks!

[magentus]

Apologies for the silly question! Has anyone ever tried sharpening the screwdriver end of the SAK can opener? I was thinking it might make a decent gouging tool for whittling? Is this even possible? Thanks!

Yes! There's all sorts of sharpening you can do on the SAK tools. I have an 84mm Recruit that I sharpened the tools on especially for whittling. The Recruit has no back tools and so is very comfortable to use for any length of time.
WP_20170124_011 by magpie2112, on Flickr

[caninesapien]

Fantastic! Thanks magentus! I was considering trying it last night but thought it best to check here first.

Did you sharpen those edges on a sharpening stone or did it need something else?

[magentus]

Fantastic! Thanks magentus! I was considering trying it last night but thought it best to check here first.

Did you sharpen those edges on a sharpening stone or did it need something else?

I just used the diamond edge of my DC4 stone to start with and finished with the finer side. SAK's are very forgiving - you could use a file to start and a stone to finish. I managed to get a razor edge on both tools, and the best bit is they will still function as intended if you're careful.

[caninesapien]

Fantastic! I will definitely be having a go at this soon. Seems just the right size for some of the detailing I want to do on future whittling projects. Thanks!

[magentus]

No Problemo! 

[captain spaulding]

I found some unfinished whittling projects from a few years back. I may have to give it a go at finishing them. I also want to start a canoe and oars. 

[Marcellus]

My Whittling knives and some works in progress





Schrade 34OT (carbon steel) USA made
Vic Super Tinker w/ split ring and ring holder removed
Two Flexcut knives
Last, the longer,  fixed  blade knife, was bought off a well known auction site, handmade by seller ( Can't remember name at present)   

Plus  a Flexcut tool with multiple attachments for the handle

[MadPlumbarian]

Apologies for the silly question! Has anyone ever tried sharpening the screwdriver end of the SAK can opener? I was thinking it might make a decent gouging tool for whittling? Is this even possible? Thanks!

Yes! There's all sorts of sharpening you can do on the SAK tools. I have an 84mm Recruit that I sharpened the tools on especially for whittling. The Recruit has no back tools and so is very comfortable to use for any length of time.
WP_20170124_011 by magpie2112, on Flickr

Interesting,
JR

[Barry Rowland]

Slowly carving out a canoe with the Swisschamp.  I like how that big guy fits in the hand and that chisel makes short order of soft wood.

[magentus]

 

[eamo]

 

[Danjo]

Just playing around with a branch I picked up.

[caninesapien]

I'm waiting for the wet weather to stop for a minute so I can find some dry wood!

[Ron Who]

I'm waiting for the wet weather to stop for a minute so I can find some dry wood!

Is there any dry wood to find in Wales? You might try your hand at soapstone instead!
(Or maybe fruits and veggies, see e.g. Mutita EdibleArt at https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC-C7YqQCvJ-2EUUyH7iOStw).

[caninesapien]

I'm waiting for the wet weather to stop for a minute so I can find some dry wood!

Is there any dry wood to find in Wales? You might try your hand at soapstone instead!
(Or maybe fruits and veggies, see e.g. Mutita EdibleArt at https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC-C7YqQCvJ-2EUUyH7iOStw).

Maybe I should try coal whittling instead

[caninesapien]

Should have said - not my pic obviously! For illustrative purposes only haha

[Spork, Lord of Lime Jello!]

Spoon gouge mod

[magentus]

Spoon gouge mod

Miss! He batoned with a slipjoint! I'm telling!

Great vid 

[george c]

Hi Folks,

Over the years I've tried to "whittle." Results have been so so...and, I never stuck with it. Anyway, going to give it a try again.

I've tried to whittle "Little People" and wood spirits. Enjoyed both. "Carving the Little Guys" by Keith Randich is available used. I think it's a great book and goes step by step.

Not sure what the policy is about putting links here, but just bought 20 pieces, basswood, 1x1x5 for $12.50 that includes shipping.



Best regards,

George

[Mactire404]

Great thread this. I think I will have a go at converting a SAK to a whittling tool.
Next time I see some battered SAK in the thriftshop I will pick one (or two) up.

Carving the Little Guys by Keith Randich looks to be a great book. He also has other books about whittling.

[caninesapien]

A little mushroom/toadstool I did earlier today. Doesn't look like much but I'm pleased with it!

[Ron Who]

 

This makes me happy. Nice job, nice pic.

[captain spaulding]

(Image removed from quote.)

A little mushroom/toadstool I did earlier today. Doesn't look like much but I'm pleased with it!

Very cool.

[magentus]

That's a cool project C-Unit  I'm glad you whittled an non-poisonous one.   

[caninesapien]

Thanks all! I painted the little mushroom on the weekend too, quite pleased with how it turned out!

Anyone have any experience with woodcuts/wood printing? I experimented a little on the weekend and got mixed results - and apologies for off-topic discussion - i tried a little with linocuts as well and am fairly happy with how they turned out. At work at the moment but will post pics later!

With more intricate whittling designs, I'm having trouble getting good thin clean cuts, even with a variety of good, sharp knives - there seems to be always splinters and jagged edges. Is this "normal"? Would it be best to leave that stuff for sanding/filing at the very end of the project?

[Spork, Lord of Lime Jello!]

Thanks all! I painted the little mushroom on the weekend too, quite pleased with how it turned out!

Anyone have any experience with woodcuts/wood printing? I experimented a little on the weekend and got mixed results - and apologies for off-topic discussion - i tried a little with linocuts as well and am fairly happy with how they turned out. At work at the moment but will post pics later!

With more intricate whittling designs, I'm having trouble getting good thin clean cuts, even with a variety of good, sharp knives - there seems to be always splinters and jagged edges. Is this "normal"? Would it be best to leave that stuff for sanding/filing at the very end of the project?

Perhaps it's the choice of wood?

https://letterpresscommons.com/wood-cut/

[Fortytwo]

With more intricate whittling designs, I'm having trouble getting good thin clean cuts, even with a variety of good, sharp knives - there seems to be always splinters and jagged edges. Is this "normal"? Would it be best to leave that stuff for sanding/filing at the very end of the project?

I'm not entirely sure what you mean and besides I'm hardly an expert whittler but I hope I can offer some insight anyway. First of all it's the material, some woods, will never take very crisp features. This seems to be the natural state of some woods while others become like this due to exposure to the elements. Second factor I would guess on is the edge grind. To make really thin cuts you kind of want to slice of the material, so any grind style that works well for that should work fine, I prefer either a Scandi-grind or a full flat (much like you would see on a kitchen knife). Either will take a micro-bevel since I do honing on a honing steel but they will be extremely small compared to what is normally seen on production knives (you'd be hard pressed to see them with bare eyes).

[shibafu]

Going in the right direction relative to the grain is important too, I would think.  I'm no carver but I know when you plane a board, it will plain smoothly in one direction, but in the opposite direction you get lots of tear-out of the grain.  Imagine the wood fibres as a bundle of straws, lying in the direction of the grain lines.  If cut as though you're smoothing them down, they will cut smoothly.  If you go in the opposite direction, the blade will tend to slide between the fibres and lift them up.

[caninesapien]

Thanks for the replies all. I'm doing my best to carve with the grain, but when I'm getting into more intricate sections (e.g. on the small wood spirit I carved recently, I found I was having trouble with the contours of the face), I find that trying to go with the grain can be difficult and i would end up getting splinters which ruins the finer details. I'm using basswood planks for practice and they have been fine. Maybe I just need more practice! Thanks again all.