The right blades

[TM]

OK ya'll - how about some opinions.....

Any knife can be used to whittle and carve with, but what do you prefer?

I have found that a coping and sheepsfoot don't really do much for me. I seem to work better with a clip, drop point and spear. A spey works good too, especially for detail work.

[keithlong]

As for me, I like a sheepsfoot blade for whittling, just now getting into carving a little. I have started carving out a ball in a cage, and have used a sheepsfoot blade to carve out the basic squares and now I am working on the ball itself and have gotten out the old faithful Hen and Rooster congress with two smaller pen blades to make the ball round because i have to get into the cage to make the ball and have to use smaller blades. I guess it depends on what you are carving or whittling on. Just my opinion and what is working for me on this project.

[carvin don]

For whittlin' I prefer nice narrow blades. I find the coping blade (modified to a point) and a modified clip blade very useful. Pen blades are also nice for whittlin'. I would say you can do alot with any shaped blade as long as it is SHARP. But the more different shaped blades you have the more uses you will find for them and the easier it will be to get into those hard to reach places. Most of all, keep your blades SHARP. Nothing will discourage a novice more, than carvin' with a dull blade.

The first pic is of the blades I like to "whittle" with.
The bottom pic is of a few carving knives I have.