I just read and article by Brein Posey posted on TechRepublic that talks about the 10 things IT folk need to do to avoid burnout.

I think the advice in this article can be applied to any occupation. Item number 4-Blow off some steam really got me thinking about my own hobbies and more specifically about woodcarving. Mr. Posey states that a good stress reliever is a hobby that takes total concentration to remove all thoughts about work or whatever stressor you have. This is what woodcarving does for me.

One of the great things about woodcarving is that it is portable. I am writing this posting setting in Swansboro NC, waiting on my ride to get out of the path or hurricane Irene, which is to make land fall just a few miles to the east. When I finish typing this I will pickup my little snowman project and my Flexcut Carving Jack until I am taken away. When I get to my safe location, I will still have my project to keep me busy while riding this storm out. Very few hobbies allow this type flexibility.

Back to the stress topic, after I finish a carving session, I do feel more relaxed and often times puts the events of a hard day into perspective. Now obviously woodcarving is not the only thing you need to in a stress relief program. You still need to eat right, exercise, socialize (and not with facebook), enjoy a hobby and spend time with the ones you love.

So today, have a healthy dinner with the one you love, go for a walk together, and do a little woodcarving. You will see your stress level start to decrease.

Jerry

This event is an annual event that happens every year in the month of August and is located in Bremen Indiana. Bremen is a small town located in northern Indiana and has a population of just under 5,000.

Here are the details for the WoodCarvers Summer Camp.

When:  AUGUST 17-20, 2011
Where:  Pla-Mor Campground

2162 U.S. 6 East, Bremen, IN 46506

Hours for Carving Classes: 9:00AM to 5:00 PM

For all those non-campers (like me), there are logging accommodations close by for us. To find logging and other useful information, please visit the Summer Camp Website at http://www.iwcsc.org/

I hope to see you there.

Happy Carving!
Jerry

Hope you enjoyed!

Woodcarvers are on a constant search for the perfect carving knife. In that search, they sometimes ask me which is better, a forged knife or a ground stock removal knife?

First, some definitions:
Forged: heated and shaped from one shape to another with a hammer and anvil or power hammer close to final shape and then heat treated.
Stock removal: ground to shape from a flat piece of steel and then heat treated.

My answer may sound diplomatic and even evading a clear answer but here goes.

Metalurgically, neither is better than the other.

There are bad handforged knives and terrible stock removal knives that would not even make a good butter knife.

For the rest of this article, visit http://deepwoodsventures.com/shoptalk7.html

Chip carving is a simple process but gives a complex yet elegant look to your project. I have always been intrigued how chip carvers maintain that constant uniformity in their designs. In searching the internet I ran across the website my chip carving where I discovered a down to earth teaching video on how to hold the chip carving knifes and more.
So if you are intrested in learning how to chip carving I recommend going to www.mychipcarving.com

Deepwoods Venture hand forges the best carving knifes I have used.

The best and most affordable carving tool is one that will be around for years to come. That is what you get when you order a carving knife from Deepwoods Ventures. These hand forged tools and unique maple burl handles are build to last a lifetime and then possibly the lifetime of your grandchildren as well.
The Deepwoods carving tools are individually forged from 1095 high carbon steel round stock, the benefit of this kind of steel is that it produces a nice hardness that can be easily sharpened and stay sharp for a long time. The steel is first pounded flat with a hammer and anvil. Next the blades go to the grinder/sander, where they are smoothed down and given their rough shape. Then they are quenched and triple tempered. Finally, the knife will go through a series of finish grinds, to give it the exact shape. Then onto buffing, to make it shiny, and last it is sharpened and tested before going to the customer.
Visit their wesbsite at www.deepwoodsventures.com

So what brand of carving knife or knives do you use? Use the simple comment section below to let us know.

Happy Carving,
Jerry

Christmas Tree Topper Carving

Christmas Tree Topper

Carved for Indiana grown basswood, this tree topper took two weeks to carve and two days to paint.
This project was carved from 2″ stock and measures 12″ in height. The stand is fashioned from #10 copper ground wire.
This project came from WoodCarving Illustrated.