Beginners Wood Carving

This is a beginners wood carving course that will instill the basics of carving using hand tools.  Learn how to carve a butter knife!  This is a two day course that focuses on learning basic hand carving techniques using a carving axe and carving knife.  

Day 1:  Fundamentals of using a carving axe to create the form of our butter knives.  We will also cover wood selection. Tools used: Carving axe, mallet, saw.  At the end of class, you’ll have created Knife Blanks that will be used next class to create two Butter Knives.

Day 2:  Learn carving knife grips & carving techniques and transform our butter knife blanks into refined and finished Butter Knives.  We will also focus on different finishing techniques, such as sanding, burnishing, and oil selection.  Tools used:  Carving knife (slöjd knife), sandpaper, burnishing stone, oil.

What You Will Learn:

• Introduction to carving tools and their uses
• Basic axe handling techniques and safety protocols
• How to select and prepare a wood round for carving
• Techniques for shaping knife blanks using an axe
• Best practices for maintaining tools
• Tips for transitioning to knife carving for finishing touches
• Techniques for safely and effectively using a carving knife
• Wood selection and preparation for carving
• Understanding wood grain and its impact on carving
• Step-by-step process of transforming a blank into a knife
• Tips for finishing and polishing

Please Note:

• No experience necessary
• This course is the prerequisite for an Intermediate course carving a spoon using the axe and knife techniques learned in this beginners course, while also introducing the hook knife and introducing its basics.  

Workshop Attire & Requirements:

• Closed-toed shoes
• Long pants preferred
• A way to secure long hair
• If the weather permits, we’ll be outside—dress in layers.
• Students must be at least 16 years of age. Minors must have parental permission and a signed waiver (ask us).