These are a couple of carvings I did for fellow Scouters. These are “Stave Toppers”. They go on top of a walking stave, or long hiking stick.
Thanks for looking!
Wow cool nice work!
I love the moose! is the other for a Wood Badger?
“IS THERE A BEAVER IN THE HOUSE?!?!?!?!” 
Yes, it is! It is for the Scoutmaster/Course Director of a course coming up this month. This woman is, like me, a Bear. You never see her in uniform in anything other than shorts. That is why the bear is in shorts. I usually do them like the Moose in long pants. I was asked to staff this course but was not able to commit due to life.
Kevin,
Kool karvings!! Got a kick out of them! Did you make them with a chainsaw? LOL!!!
Best regards, Dave S.
ah yes a fellow Ursa Major.
Nice work Kevin.
Many of you know I have taught wood carving for many years. I know there are several carvers that are FAOL members.
Will add a couple photos.
Canvasback Drake, 3/4 size
Denny
Those are neat, I like to make sawdust but you do it real slow. I know basswood id s favorite of carvers, what did you use for the staff toppers?
Basswood. Nice tight grain that doesn’t grab the blade and take it places you don’t want it to go.
Awesome guys! Wish I were that talented!
Kevin how did you get Ohiotuber to stand still long enough for that first pose?
Must have been some bribe!
That is a self portrait. :lol:
Like Kevin says, the Basswood is tight grained and works well for chip carvings such as he has done. I too have used the Basswood but find Tupelo is a much tighter grained wood and accepts the wood burning we do on ducks much better. Almost all competition waterfowl carvers use Tupelo. No mater which wood you might choose it all comes down to the sharpness of your knife and chisels.
I’m supposed to sharpen my knives? They haven’t seen a stone in months!
Painted this one today. Still needs the scales tipped and a base to mount it. Wood is Northern Basswood. Fins are poplar.
I like that!
As a former taxidermist,very very nice.
Have any finished browns or brookies?
Way cool.
this post makes me want to go out grab some basewood and make some chips.
Eric
Very nice guys! - does gnawing on a toothpick count as carving/whittling? If so, I consider myself a master carver- but you don’t want to see my work! LOL!!
Best regards, Dave
I have tried butternut, which is highly recommended, too, but just don’t like it. I haven’t tried tupelo. Aspen works pretty well. I do wood spirits in the staves for folks, too.