Whimsicalwood-Carving

Most of my carving work consists of carving of Welsh lovespoons using straight and bent knives, but mainly palm tools. Palm tools are carving chisels and gouges, smaller in handle length than regular bench carving tools, but otherwise similar to them at the cutting edge.

The use of palm tools however is different than the manner in which bench tools are generally used as they are mostly used in one hand while the non-carving hand grips the work. They are never used with a mallet.

Various grips designed to accurately and finely control the working action of the cutting edge of the tool, when  learned, provide a repetoire of cutting actions ranging from great force to great delicacy, together with perfect safety, when perfect attention is given.

The inevitable want of perfect attention, can be backed up, and should be backed up, by wearing a protective glove on the work holding hand.

Some of my carving is wall art, heraldic family crests and decorative carving on furniture parts. Carving also plays a major part in toy making, automata construction and the shaping of sculptural boxes, clock cases, decorative frames, brackets and corbels.

Wood Carving