Author Topic: Practice carvings... (Read 3251 times)

RedRiverII · « **on:** June 18, 2021, 06:43:42 PM »

Which wood is best to practice carving on? I have a Maple kit coming from Kibler and I own a curly maple slab. I want to practice on some wood other than these two stocks. I have zero carving experience. I have several chisels and gouges. Would you recommend a supply house for wood? Thank you in advance.

TommyG · « **Reply #1 on:** June 18, 2021, 07:24:45 PM »

You can certainly practice on anything from a chunk of firewood to a 2x4. The softer wood will let you know right away if your tools are sharp as you will experience more "tear out" if they are not. I would recommend starting out on flat work and working your way to contoured pieces(think buttstock, wrist shapes, etc.), before going onto the gun.

Scota4570 · « **Reply #2 on:** June 18, 2021, 07:39:13 PM »

Home depot and Lowes have Maple 1x6 in the hardwood section. I use that.

RedRiverII · « **Reply #3 on:** June 18, 2021, 10:26:02 PM »

Thank you for the replies.

Dennis Glazener · « **Reply #4 on:** June 18, 2021, 10:49:49 PM »

If you know someone in your area that carves longrifle stocks from blanks you probably could get all the thin pieces you want for little or nothing. Fred Miller gave me 3 or 4 bundles years ago (he used them for kindling) I still have some left. Made a dulcimer box out of strips of curly maple and walnut. They also come in handy when you make a slip and need something to match your "slip chip"

.
Dennis

577SXS · « **Reply #5 on:** June 19, 2021, 12:25:47 AM »

I bought all sorts of wood off of Ebay for making turkey calls. I have some birch slabs I'll send you if you give me your address.

Sam

David Rase · « **Reply #6 on:** June 19, 2021, 02:16:42 AM »

Maybe Jim can throw few pieces of wood in the box when he ships your rifle. I am sure he has more scraps then he knows what to do with. I give away left over wood scrapes from my barrel inletting business every week. Most go for firewood.
David

smylee grouch · « **Reply #7 on:** June 19, 2021, 02:44:14 AM »

You could go to the dumpster at a construction site. Sometimes there are broken wood pallets made from hard wood.

RedRiverII · « **Reply #8 on:** June 19, 2021, 10:23:26 AM »

Thank you all once again, Are you saying that any hard wood is suitable for practice? I mentioned maple because that'll be the serious endeavor or something I wouldn't want to mess up. Sam I sent a PM. Dennis a 'slip chip' and how. Smylee great idea, they have some sites nearby. David I did ask Jim that very thing and he replied in the affirmative, I just wanted to get going now while I wait on delivery. I recall my local Home Depot has a trash bin with scraps available. Now if I could only sneak on over to Home Depot without the Honey-Do list.

JohnnyFM · « **Reply #9 on:** June 19, 2021, 03:22:50 PM »

Jim Kinler sells practice stocks for a reasonable price

Mike Brooks · « **Reply #10 on:** June 19, 2021, 03:59:31 PM »

Quote from: JohnnyFM on June 19, 2021, 03:22:50 PM

Jim Kinler sells practice stocks for a reasonable price

That's your best option. You can't learn how to carve guns on a flat piece of wood.

lawrencea · « **Reply #11 on:** June 20, 2021, 11:10:49 AM »

No maple here.
Beech stocks on the other hand are easy to find.
I am currently learning on one of these myself.

RedRiverII · « **Reply #12 on:** June 20, 2021, 03:41:42 PM »

I expect some wood soon. I did buy a couple of flat boards to practice on. I need to get the 'feel' of what these tools can accomplish. I do not have any experience unless you want to count on the engraving I did in The Boy's Club 1962 or so. We traced a dog's picture on a piece of pine, tapped the outline with a screwdriver and shaded it in with a pencil. I was chastised for heavy handedness back then.

I did watch a few videos and even bought one. Practice, practice, and more practice is called for. I expect viewing others helps, but hands on doing is more likely to enable me to improve. Thank you all.

Mike Brooks · « **Reply #13 on:** June 20, 2021, 04:05:30 PM »

You should consider a carving class.

D. Taylor Sapergia · « **Reply #14 on:** June 20, 2021, 11:25:40 PM »

I agree with Mike. You cannot learn to carve a gunstock by carving a flat piece of wood. And carving anything other than hard maple will be an exercise in frustration. Find a design that you like, transfer it to the stock, stab it in with a1/16" - 3/32" wide lens shaped chisel, or cut it with a fine sharp parting tool, and learn how to remove the ground and do the modelling, right on the stock. Don't worry if it isn't perfe4ct right off the get go...this is where the practice and experience starts...not on a flat board of balsa wood.

dogcatcher · « **Reply #15 on:** June 21, 2021, 01:08:05 AM »

Once you teach yourself to draw teach yourself how to "properly" sharpen your tools. When you master these 2 steps the rest will fall in place. Without learning the proper sharpening techniques, you will be just frustrating yourself.

RedRiverII · « **Reply #16 on:** June 21, 2021, 07:24:50 AM »

Thank you all once again. There aren't any carving classes near me as far as I know, I've checked. I'll continue to search for one or several. All good ideas. I always respected knife handling and having a good edge. After an offshore fishing trip, the best guy with a knife got it. i.e. the fellow with the best ability cleaned the fish. There's nothing like gibbering up a good piece of filet. One of the tricks to good knife skills was having a keen edge at all times. I look forward to sharpening my tools. I was lucky enough to be the high bidder on a few auctions containing Pfeil chisels and gouges. They were in better shape than I had hoped and they will see the stone soon. BTW if anyone knows of any good carving classes in Central Fla. let me know.

RedRiverII · « **Reply #17 on:** June 21, 2021, 07:51:01 AM »

I have contacted a studio near me and may be able to take lessons.

Mike Brooks · « **Reply #18 on:** June 21, 2021, 04:02:39 PM »

Quote from: REDRIVERII on June 21, 2021, 07:51:01 AM

I have contacted a studio near me and may be able to take lessons.

I'd want to learn from a guy that makes 18th century guns.

BOB HILL · « **Reply #19 on:** June 21, 2021, 04:24:38 PM »

What Mike said!!!
Bob

RedRiverII · « **Reply #20 on:** June 21, 2021, 04:48:02 PM »

I received my answer to lessons. " NO lessons for you." The guy is some famous world beater when it comes to carving. Back to the drawing board. I can't travel across several states for lessons. I need a different approach. I must do it myself for a while and see what develops.

Ron Scott · « **Reply #21 on:** June 21, 2021, 05:11:54 PM »

There are a few individuals who conduct workshops. What region do you live?

moleeyes36 · « **Reply #22 on:** June 22, 2021, 12:20:27 AM »

Quote from: REDRIVERII on June 21, 2021, 04:48:02 PM

I received my answer to lessons. " NO lessons for you." The guy is some famous world beater when it comes to carving. Back to the drawing board. I can't travel across several states for lessons. I need a different approach. I must do it myself for a while and see what develops.

I realize they say every squirrel finds an acorn occasionally, but before you develop bad practices trying to learn carving via the school of hard knocks, you might want to investigate this https://kiblerslongrifles.com/products/carving-kit?variant=773873463

Don Richards

RedRiverII · « **Reply #23 on:** June 22, 2021, 08:47:24 AM »

Thanks Don, they've been out of stock for some time. Glad to see more available.

dogcatcher · « **Reply #24 on:** June 22, 2021, 09:07:00 AM »

Ask around locally if there are any local carving clubs. Or even another local woodcarver, anyone with some experience will help. Also check in on the Woodcarving Illustrated Forum. https://forum.woodcarvingillustrated.com/forum

My 2 cents, start with some flat relief carving, the experience will help once you go to the rounded odd shaped gunstocks. There are a LOT OF GREAT tutorials on this forum on how to carve gunstocks. But a little experience will go a long way in understanding what the author is explaining. It is better to learn how to drive before trying to enter a race without any driving experience.

Also check out YouTube.

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Author Topic: Practice carvings... (Read 3251 times)

lawrencea