Knife Skills

Whether you are new to the the art of carving or have been practicing your knife skills for years, it's always good to review safety, come back to the basics, and practice using your knife mindfully. Any participant starting carving should anticipate watching Wild Whatcom’s Knife Skills video (see below) before their first carving outing. 

Let's begin!

Using knives safely allows us to create many important outdoor tools, such as spindles and fireboards for bow drills, spoons and chopsticks for our mess kits, tent stakes, and many other handy items. Learning the skills to safely use and care for a knife is the first part of this journey and to do so you need an appropriate knife!

CHOOSING A KNIFE

Note: carving knives are provided for summer camp participants.

Choosing a knife can be difficult as there are nearly endless choices. We have a couple of recommendations to aid you in making a good decision. A great choice is a small fixed blade (non-folding) knife made by Mora. They are inexpensive ($20 or less) robust, easy to sharpen, and safer than a folding knife. These Mora knives follow the traditional pattern of Scandinavian knives and excel in working with wood.

Since an Internet search will yield a multitude of different Mora knives, here are some specific models we recommend:

Note: Carbon steel and stainless steel are equally matched in pros and cons. Both are great choices and it ultimately comes down to personal preference. Here is a quick breakdown:

  • Stainless Steel:

    • More resistant to rust, corrosion, staining, and chipping

    • More recyclable

    • Easier to sharpen

    • Loses its edge faster

  • Carbon Steel:

    • Sharper - good for precision cuts and safety

    • Retains its sharp edge for longer

    • Not as resistant to rust, corrosion, stains, or chips - requires regular cleaning and oiling

    • Generally slightly more affordable

Many fixed blade knives available at sporting goods stores are either molded after military knives or skinning knives. Neither of these is ideal as we learn to carve in wood. Avoid knives with serrated sections on the blade. These serrated knives are difficult to sharpen and are poor woodworking tools.

If you prefer a folding knife, then a locking blade is essential. Opinel makes an inexpensive locking blade knife with a quality blade ($12-$15). It is an excellent pocket knife. Other folding knives can work well also, as long as they have a locking mechanism for the blade.

Carving with your knife

On your first day of carving, mentors will bring extra Mora knives to share (knives provided for summer camp participants). Additionally, mentors will do a safety check to make sure that the knives operate well and are suited for the kind of wood carving that we will be doing.

Finally, please watch the video below before your first carving outing - it is required viewing. We look forward to showing you how to use these amazing tools safely and effectively!