Hi everyone! About a year ago, I started carving a bird using wood from a beginner's kit. Unfortunately, I had to put the project on hold for a while. Now that I'm ready to dive back in, I sharpened my tools, but the wood feels really 'off.' It was much easier to carve before, but now it seems tougher to work with—like I can't take out significant chunks and it's hard to follow the pattern lines. Any tips on how I might treat the wood to get back to carving easily?
2 Answers
Sounds like your wood might have dried out a bit too much. It’s not uncommon, especially if it’s been sitting around for a year. A lot of woodworkers suggest using a spray of cleaning or medical alcohol, not drinking alcohol, to help soften it up while you're carving. Just mist it lightly and see if that makes it easier to work with! Let me know how it goes!
When you say it feels 'off,' are you noticing it feels spongy or just harder to carve? If it hasn’t been exposed to water, it should still be workable with a sharp tool, but drying out is a common issue. Maybe try some moisture or just experiment a little when you’re back at it!