Try this: woodcarving projects and patterns

1. Pick a couple of nicely shaped ivy leaves to use as templates, arrange and fasten them on to the wood using small pieces of masking tape and draw round them using a soft pencil. Rest the wood on a non slip mat or in a vice so it cannot move as you cut.

2. Cut round the drawn outline with a 60 degree V tool using the tool with a mallet so you can control the cuts accurately. Cut in the direction so that the leaf edge is clean - you might find it helpful to practice on scrap wood first. Do not cut the stalk lines yet.

3. Use the no 3 gouge of appropriate width, turning it so that its curvature corresponds with the leaf shape. Lean the tool against the slope of the V channel and cut down and outwards, away from the leaf edge. When you have been all round, use the widest gouge with its bevel down and cut towards the leaf so these cuts now meet the previous ones cleanly and form a deeper and wider V channel than that cut by the V tool. Repeat the sets of cuts two or three times to widen and deepen the channel.

4. Now remove the background adjacent to the leaf edge, starting the first cut into the V channel then gradually lengthening and overlapping these cuts from the leaf. You should always cut towards the leaf itself when removing the background. Do not start too far back or you may split the wood ahead of the cutting edge of the gouge, and spoil the leaf.

5. Where leaves overlap, use the same channelling techniques and reduce the adjacent surface of the leaf so it is lower than the edge of the upper leaf. Pare the surfaces of both leaves so that they undulate, then mark in the veins and stalks with the V tool. Finish the carving with a coat of clear wax polish. Do not sand it because you will lose the crispness of the carving.

Project 2. Starting a Carving in the Round

Carving a Tortoise.

For the initial shaping you will need a deep gouge such as a 3/8in no 9 followed by two or three no 3 gouges of widths such as 3/4in, 1/2in and 1/4in, and a 1/4in 60° V tool, a wooden mallet, and a scraper for finishing. A Surform or other rasp, or plane will be useful. The carving will need to be held securely in a wood vice whilst you are carving. To make a larger version than the example, use wider gouges with the same sweep/numbers.

1. Use an axe to split a log lengthwise and flatten the base of the tortoise. This can be done using a plane, Surform, Shinto rasp or microplane tool, or wide no 3 gouge and mallet. My tortoise is about 2in long from a branch of Laburnum, chosen so that the contrasting colours of the heart and sapwood will contrast between the shell and the body of the tortoise when finished. You could use Yew wood to similar effect, or any log from the firewood pile if is sound and straight grained.

2. Using your deepest gouge with a mallet, round off both ends of the log, cutting away from it and lifting your gouge hand as you cut. When rounded over, smooth off the convex surfaces with your widest no 3 gouge, alternatively you could use the Surform, microplane or Shinto rasp for this.

3. In the middle of the underneath scoop out a gentle hollow so that the belly is raised up from the outer edge. Then avoiding the corners, remove the surface between the front and back legs so that it stands on 4 small areas, the feet, one at each corner.

4. Reduce the shell surface behind the head, tail and legs so they project from the shell. Shape the head and tail with the no 3 gouges. Your tortoise should now be standing on all 4 feet and have a pointed tail and blunt head .

5. Draw and cut with a V tool the edge of the shell round the tortoise and above the head and the tail. Work from the middle of each side towards the top of the head / tail so you are working with the grain. Reduce the surface of the head, tail and legs adjacent to the V line so the shell rests upon these. You can see the colour contrast between the lighter shell and darker body, ie the heart and the sapwood of the branch.

6. Cut indents along the edge of the shell to make it scalloped and mark the features on the head with the V tool. The claws on the feet are also marked using the V tool.

7. Using a scraper, clean up the surface of the shell so it is really smooth, taking care to scrape with the grain as you do this. Finish the carving with a coat of wax polish and buff to a nice sheen with a duster.

Copyright Zoe Gertner

3. Sharpening a V Tool.

V tools are very useful carving tools, and are used for outlining a relief carving (see above), marking details and texturing. The width of the tool is measured across its blades, and the angle between the blades is usually either 45, 60 or 90 degrees. A 1/4in 60 degree V tool with a straight blade, (also known as a no 39) is a good 'all rounder' and cuts the correct angle around the design when used to outline a relief carving.

For sharpening carving tools I recommend a fine ceramic sharpening stone (in blue box) which is used dry, together with a sharp edged slipstone of the same grade, (seen behind the stone) and a piece of leather as a strop. The leather is mounted in the lid of the box for convenience but can be glued on to a flat piece of wood instead. An 8000 grit Japanese waterstone (top) is also suitable, but it must be soaked in water before using, and you must dry your tools carefully so they do not rust.

Using the stone longwise, place the cutting edge so it is at rightangles to the stone, raise the tool handle a little and abrade the edge by running it up and down the surface to create a burr across the cutting edge. (left) This is called 'honing'. Work across the stone at the same time so that it wears evenly, especially if you are using a Japanese stone.

Use your thumbnail and stroke outwards across the cutting edge to detect the burr. If you do not have this, repeat the honing but holding the tool handle a little higher and you should obtain it very quickly. Repeat the procedure for the other blade. Then with the sharp edged slipstone, (right) rub outwards at the same time press it firmly flat against the inside surface of each blade to remove the burrs along the cutting edges.

Strop both cutting edges of the V tool by drawing each firmly along the leather, this removes any traces of the burr which may remain.

If your V tool does not cut easily it may need its outside bevel extending where the blades meet underneath. (This is done using a grindstone).
The cutting edges should be at rightangles to the blade length and not lean forward or backwards.
The 'nose' or 'beak' which may develop at the inside angle of the blades can be useful, especially when cutting in end grain because it acts like a plough share and cuts slightly in advance of the blades. If you wish to remove it, hone it away in a figure of eight on the stone and remove the resultant burr at the junction of the blades using the sharp edged slipstone.
Using a mallet with a V tool is quicker and more controlled than than pushing it by hand.

For more about V tools see:

'Victory over the V', Parts 1 & 2, Woodcarving Magazine issues 24 & 25

''Sharpening and Maintaining Woodcarving Tools' 'Traditional Woodworking Magazine Jan '05

You can find more projects and sharpening techniques in my book

'Woodcarving - A Foundation Course' details...

and also

'Projects for Woodcarvers' on CD details

Woodcarving CDs now available: £12 each incl p & p

How to Carve lettering and Lay Out an Inscription	How to Sharpen and Restore Carving Tools	Carve a Green Man, Face and Foliage

I hope you have enjoyed this page. If you would like to suggest any other aspects of woodcarving on this page, please contact me via the feedback page. The instructions above are very basic, but for tuition in greater depth, why not consider coming on a wood carving course? Or if you are a member of a group perhaps a workshop in Devon as part of your club calendar?