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...after speaking with Mean Gene, Baysider and RickC, I've decided to try my hand at carving a few decoys. Most specifically Brant, since they're damn near impossible to find unless you wanna drop big money.

RickC even turned me onto a decoy craving forum. Seems like a lot of knowledge floating around there.

Anyhow Jgun, or anyone else out there with advice or criticism, I'd appreciate it.

Don't do it

DeadEye_Dan wrote:Don't do it

Ha! Wanna follow that up with any info???

Where in the world would you get the time to carve?

sent from a phancy fone

Goldfish wrote:Where in the world would you get the time to carve?

sent from a phancy fone

I just buy time

I work three 12's my red chinned friend. Time is not an issue

Redbeard wrote:

DeadEye_Dan wrote:Don't do it

Ha! Wanna follow that up with any info???

More power to those that have the patience for such. I've just never been able to enjoy carving.

DeadEye_Dan wrote:

Redbeard wrote:

DeadEye_Dan wrote:Don't do it

Ha! Wanna follow that up with any info???

More power to those that have the patience for such. I've just never been able to enjoy carving.

well I figured I'd give it a shot. Hopefully be able to produce a dozen or two brant and see how I feel about it from there

Redbeard wrote:I work three 12's my red chinned friend. Time is not an issue

I love that shift. And honestly, I've given the same thought about carving with my time. Although, I would love to find out how to make plastic decoys because I've got an idea I'd like to try

sent from a phancy fone

Goldfish wrote:

Redbeard wrote:I work three 12's my red chinned friend. Time is not an issue

I love that shift. And honestly, I've given the same thought about carving with my time. Although, I would love to find out how to make plastic decoys because I've got an idea I'd like to try

sent from a phancy fone

patent that shit...quick. Wait... run it by me first, then try and patent it.





Yea I have no aspirations to carve giant spreads. Was just thinking bout doing a couple dozen brant and see how I like it. My BIL here in WA is big into woodworking so he's been kind of squaring me away on simple carving techniques and the tools

Goldfish wrote:And honestly, I've given the same thought about carving with my time.

It's crossed my mind a buncha times in the past, but after the inability to find used brant decoys anyeffingwhere and the high cost of new ones I thought what the hell, let's give it a try. Have already picked up a few things and priced and located materials back home

I picked up a knock off dremel tool from harbor freight for like $20 to help with quickly carving. Hand tools are expensive

sent from a phancy fone

Goldfish wrote:I picked up a knock off dremel tool from harbor freight for like $20 to help with quickly carving. Hand tools are expensive

sent from a phancy fone

yea my BIL gave me this catalog and said everything I need I'll find in it...everything but a reasonable price

I bet if you posted a picture of a page showing prices, you could hear the scream from the east coast all the way over there

sent from a phancy fone

Goldfish wrote:I bet if you posted a picture of a page showing prices, you could hear the scream from the east coast all the way over there

sent from a phancy fone

I just got a little woozy seeing the picture of the cover. Anything with Latin on it is bound to be insanely expensive.

Lee Valley, good stuff but definitely pricey. Got a spokeshave from the bad my carving budget was done for awhile.

Redbeard wrote:

Goldfish wrote:I picked up a knock off dremel tool from harbor freight for like $20 to help with quickly carving. Hand tools are expensive

sent from a phancy fone

yea my BIL gave me this catalog and said everything I need I'll find in it...everything but a reasonable price

ImageUploadedByTapatalk1373130677.406352.jpg

Start with the good tools and save yourself the ER trips and headaches. If you stick with it you'll be buying them later on anyway....trust me. I own man Lee Valley and Lie Nielson tools. They make the carving process easier, safer, and faster. Nothing is more dangerous than a dull carving knife or chisel.
If you go power carving.....then there is no hope for you.

Baysider wrote:

Redbeard wrote:

Goldfish wrote:I picked up a knock off dremel tool from harbor freight for like $20 to help with quickly carving. Hand tools are expensive

sent from a phancy fone

yea my BIL gave me this catalog and said everything I need I'll find in it...everything but a reasonable price

ImageUploadedByTapatalk1373130677.406352.jpg

Start with the good tools and save yourself the ER trips and headaches. If you stick with it you'll be buying them later on anyway....trust me. I own man Lee Valley and Lie Nielson tools. They make the carving process easier, safer, and faster. Nothing is more dangerous than a dull carving knife or chisel.
If you go power carving.....then there is no hope for you.

X2 Doing wire and canvas the main power tool I use is a bandsaw, now and again a dremel. A good knife, I use a Bob Barts T1 and a spoke shave good but more for bodies. One of Bobs draw knives is next then some rasps from Lie Nielson.

Good rasps are a must. The cheap ones dont lend as much of a random pattern in the teeth and will elave groove in your work. A paint to sand out.
Red when you're looking to buy tools you only want to buy it once. Stick to A1 and A2 tool still. Preferably crogenically hardened. They will hold a finer, sharper edge far longer. A1 is easier to sharpen and polish but the A2, once its flattened and sharp you can use it a good while before it needs a good sharpening again. Especially if you get a good strop and paste to hit it with about each hour of carving.

I have been happy with these too.
http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_ss_i_ ... aps%2C1067

I think they are A1 steel. They were a pain to get the backs flat on but seem to hold an edge very well. Also look on Woodcraft's website. The Swiss Made fishtail chisels in 5 and 7 sweep are a must for any raised feather details. They also come very sharp and finely polished. They will shave the hair off you arm from the store and require no sharpening for a good while. Especially if you stay with the softer cedar.
(This is almost not fair....I had to learn all this crap on my own. )

Gotcha thanks boys