Australian Wood Review – September 2019

74 Australian Wood Review

WOODCARVING

The tools

I made my first puppet using an axe

and a knife; this wasn’t an attempt at

historical correctness, instead it was

because I often carve spoons and I

used the tools at hand. They did a

fine job and I unwittingly managed to

replicate old Geppetto’s techniques.

Since then I have made every puppet

the same way, exploring new ways to

use the tools I have and in some cases

how to adapt them to puppet carving.

This is my current set up:

• A small carving axe. I use a
  Gränsfors Bruk Wildlife Hatchet


• A shortish carving knife. A
  Morakniv 120 is perfect for the job


• A cordless drill. Yep, I know
  Master Geppetto didn’t have a 14 volt
  Bosch drill in his kit, but hand drills
  and small pieces of wood aren’t the
  best of friends!
  
  
  • A cobbled together ‘stock knife’.
    Rare as handcarved hen’s teeth, a real
    stock knife, traditionally used to carve
    clogs, is an expensive investment.
    Or you could make one in five
    minutes from a Morakniv push knife
    and a mug hook. Screw the hook into
    a bench top, insert one of the knife
    handles and you have yourself
    a powerful cutting tool. Sure it’ll
    never carve clogs, but we wear
    thongs in this neck of the woods.
  
  
  • Detail carving knives. Great for
    carving faces and adding details like
    clothing to your puppets. They’re
    generally inexpensive so get the best
    you can.
  
  
  • Hook knives. These come in
    handy for all sorts of things, from
    leg joint sockets to hollowing the
    inside of rabbit ears. I use Ben
    Orford knives and the fantastic new
    Australian hooks made by Pete Trott
    from Kyneton.
  
  
  
  

3. Using the cobbled
   together stock knife.


4. The top of head has
   been axed out.


5. The head and shoulders
   are now roughed out.


6. Showing the head and
   body carved.


7. Next, cut out the
   hip joints.


8. The axe comes out
   again to split out stock
   for the limbs.


9. Lay the pieces out to
   check proportions.


10. One arm is carved.


11. These two parts will
    form a complete leg.

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