Shaping Eyes, Nose and Mouth with Flexcut Roughing Knife

[@Phantom6722]

Hi Kevin, I’m 71 years old just got into carving/ whittling and man your work is awesome. Can you please attach to this video written insert on what you are doing and thinking about. I don’t like guess work.

[@anthonywilliams7182]

Sir you are no doubt one of the best, if not the best carver I've ever watched. You have total command of the project. The larger knife you use looks to me as if it's home made. I have sufficient knives for a beginner, but for the life of me, I cannot seem to get my knives nor gouges as sharpe as what yours appears to be. I have diamond sharpeners, leather strops, even a 6" leather wheel with dressing, and I get my tools fairly sharpe, but etc. I'm amazed that you do not even use basswood. Looks like pine to me. So your knife has to be razor sharpe. I'll continue to watch and try to learn from you. Thanks for sharing your giftedness with all who are interested. I'm going to get my oldest grandson to watch with me. He's 10 and I'm 72. My tools do come from Flex Cut. Thanks again. Anthony Williams and grandson.

[@KevinCoates98]

Thank you Anthony. It’s a repurposed fish knife I use. Pine is my wood of choice. Actually it’s the only wood available to me but I really enjoy carving it. I’m not the greatest at sharpening knives by no means. Just keep doing it and you will get better at it. Much like with carving. Glad you enjoy the videos

[@anthonywilliams7182]

You mentioned that pine is the only wood available to you. If you're living in the states, and can get your mailing address to me, I'll mail you some basswood, if you think you might like to use it. I mailed a book to a friend in Canada once, and I was shocked at the shipping, but I paid it anyway. That's why I said, "if you live in the states." Maybe you can let me know. Thanks again for sharing with who so ever will. Anthony and Grandson.

[@anthonywilliams7182]

Kevin let me add a note to what I just said about mailing some basswood to you. I would like also to give to you some cherry, walnut, basswood, and one more wood that I have in my wood shop, but I do not even know what it is. Maybe you would know. It's very soft and very dark. This will be my gift to you. Just email to me your mailing address, and just call this Merry Christmas. Here's my address. [e-mail]. I hope you will allow me to do this for you. Blessings, Anthony

[@KevinCoates98]

Thank you Anthony for your offer. The thing is I live on the island of Newfoundland off the east coast of Canada. Shipping charges would be way too expensive. No worries. I really do appreciate the offer though.

[@anthonywilliams7182]

Don't worry. This will be my last reply. I realize this is not an email forum. But there's something a little interesting here. For four years I actually lived about 500 miles from you. Limestone, Maine. That's where Loring AFB was. I was there 1965 - 1969. The base is now closed. But now I understand why pine is about all that's available to you. Just keep on carving. Thanks---Anthony @@KevinCoates98

[@bogopuar7463]

Thank you so much for this video. I am still trying to discover my own style and you helped a ton with the face problems I have been having. I have watched nearly all of your KZbin videos. Please keep em coming.

[@KevinCoates98]

Good to know the videos are helpful

[@wellspringer]

Thank you for this quiet, beautiful demonstration. I've carried a dream seed inside me for many years, of carving wooden figurines. am eager to try my hand, and wonder if you can advise as to the types of wood that you'd recommend, especially for beginners. I'm hoping to use native wood from trees that grow around me - cottonwood, spruce, fir and pine, river birch and maple, perhaps chokecherry, and occasional juniper. Many thanks again. At 73, I don't have a lot of time for the sprouting of this dream seed, and developing some skill!

[@KevinCoates98]

It never to late. I use white pine, balsam fir and have used Aspen a fair bit over the years. Either is good. I’m not familiar with cottonwood but I think it’s used for carving. The bark in particular if I remember correctly. Enjoy the carving

[@tombryan720]

Great demonstration, thank you! I'm getting back to carving after a few years away from it. The eyes are something I've always struggled to understand how to do, mainly because everytime I watched a tutorial on it , I could never see what the hell they were doing. As for as using anymore cotton wood bark, I'm done with that aswell, way too flakey. Much appreciated

[@KevinCoates98]

👍🏻

[@lynnbraswell2936]

It took me awhile to realize you were left handed, I am too. I had yo go back and rewatch and pay more attention to your southpaw technique. I just ordered a BeaverCraft knife set so I hope to be carving in the near future. Thanks for the detailed instructional video.

[@KevinCoates98]

Being left handed is ok. 👍🏻👍🏻

[@wheremylifego3790]

Wow your skills are on a different level ❤just wish you were explaining what your doing tho too🙈... 😉👍🏻

[@sloanIrrigation]

Another excellent tutorial for us shadetree carvers. If we keep watching and keep practicing, maybe one day, we'll be half as skilled. 😊 Thanks, Kevin for your donation of time and energy trying to assist us beginners. Your work is genuinely appreciated.

[@KevinCoates98]

Not a problem Brett. I’m sure with practice your skills will match mine or even better.

[@jerryb.9754]

White pine or also known as Sugar Pine is as easy to carve as basswood and, from the samples I have used, much more consistent since basswood quality varies with the temperature of the growth place. Northern basswood will hold detail far better than Southern basswood. Sugar pine also has no resin problem such as Southern pine varieties.

[@anthonywilliams7182]

Jerry thanks for your input. Where can a person purchase Sugar Pine? I've never heard of it. I'm Anthony up above your comments.

[@jerryb.9754]

@@anthonywilliams7182 Perhaps woodcrafters or ads in wood carving magazines. I've never deliberately purchased it but stumbled across it at Home Depot of all places. Some of their large dowels are sugar pine. I bought one to try carving on round wood and was surprised at how nicely it carved. From that I deduced it was the famous "Sugar Pine" AKA White Pine I had read about in carving magazines. I carved a couple of hiking sticks for friends and they worked nicely. Look for the ones about 1 1/2 dia. X 4 ft long that are whiter than others. They're not that expensive but start with one to see if you can spot the good ones. Good luck.

[@KevinCoates98]

Jerry, I’m not familiar with carving a lot of different woods. I have carved basswood once maybe. I didn’t like it. I’m quite happy 😃 carving pine. White pine anyway.

[@jerryb.9754]

@@KevinCoates98 Basswood varies greatly in quality. It's getting harder to find quality basswood at a reasonable price but every piece of White pine I've carved, maybe a dozen, was pretty consistent. If you have a good source of white pine then why not stick with it? Also, Honduran mahogany is a nice wood that takes detail better than either one and is not that hard to carve, fun in fact if you have a sharp knife because there are fewer chip outs. I've tried a lot of exotic woods but those are best left to power tools. I take it you live up North where the White pine touches the sky. I grew up in Mississippi and now live in Florida where carving wood comes from the craft stores. Nice video by the way but more for intermediate without voice explanations I would think.

[@richardshipman9296]

Love your videos where speech is not needed, just look and learn. What you achieve with just two knives is remarkable. Trouble is I always watch through squinty eyes as I imagine myself trying this and one of those knives slipping off the wood and through my fingers. Quite different to see what you can do with pine. People always say you need Basswood or Lime. You show that's not always the case 👍

[@KevinCoates98]

Thanks Richard. I sliced my fingers many times the first couple years I was carving. One thing with doing that, it teaches you how to be careful with a sharp knife. I use pine because it’s pretty much all that’s available to me. I guess you have to make do with what you have.

[@michaellionart3675]

@@KevinCoates98 pine??? Well I Never. Been struggling to get basswood or balsa but pine?, dead easy here in (UK) I'll have to give that a go. Thank You

[@davidl.babsonjr.3823]

Doug; do you have a vid on maching a stillus out of old drill?

[@ronworkman3168]

A brilliant demonstration and one which I shall be watching a number of times until I get somewhere close to yours. (Here's hoping)Thank you for a wonderful clip.

[@KevinCoates98]

Thanks Ron. Lots of practice is the key

[@nedcortemelia5285]

Like your style of doing it. Thanks!!

[@KevinCoates98]

Thank you

[@pixiewhittle505]

fantastic-im just starting out so a long road ahead! inspiring and great workmanship,cheers man

[@KevinCoates98]

Thanks. Keep chipping away. The more you do it the better you’ll get.👍🏻

[@robertrobison3480]

I really like this one because you can get close up how you do eyes, nose and mouth. Great practice stick. How big a block is this from?

[@KevinCoates98]

It’s impossible to get a good shot of every cut I make. Maybe with someone holding the camera would make a difference. It would be much easier to watch someone carving in person. The piece of wood is pine from a church pew. It’s roughly 115 yrs old. It was 1”3/4 x 1”3/4 before I round it

[@robertrobison3480]

Thanks. This video is perfect. It shows the detail very well. Thank you for the videos. Learning lots.

[@KevinCoates98]

The main thing is you get some good out of them

[@gregoryhare6550]

Kevin first nice shaping of the wood and can you give me the information of what kind of knife was the big one you used? And the small knife you used was that a part of the big knife you may have cut from your big kife?

[@KevinCoates98]

Thank you Gregory. The big one is a repurposed fish knife. The small one is a flexcut roughing knife

[@gregoryhare6550]

Thanks Kevin for the information and i like watching and I'm trying to get some carving knives so i can make from wood. And it's sogood to see what one can make from a pice of wood with the right tools. And thanks agai. PEACE

[@glenmckelvey5952]

These are great vids . Have you ever carved a pine knot . Thanks take care.

[@KevinCoates98]

Thanks Glen, tell the truth I’ve never had one big enough. When I buy my boards I look for the one with less knots

[@glenmckelvey5952]

Kevin Coates I meant the kind of pine knots that you get from pine tree's that are laying on the ground rotting in the woods . If you pull on the limbs some of them will break out . Not all of them are good to carve on . But some of them make great looking woodspirits .

[@KevinCoates98]

Ok Glen I get it. There’s no pine grows around here. Or at least this part of the island. The only local wood is balsam fir and spruce. Neither is much good for carving. What I use is imported from Nova Scotia

[@glenmckelvey5952]

We have a lot of white pine where I am in Quebec . But seems to me that for every 25 or 30 knots you pull out . You get one that is good enough to carve on.

[@KevinCoates98]

I carved balsam fir for yrs. I would go get the wind falls after a storm. Salvage what I could from it. As long as they were still a bit green they were half decent to carve. That was my only option for anything local.

[@stateniland]

I could use that larger knife.. what would one look for in that style? Or is it just an old knife you had lying around ;) I have a hard time removing a lot of Basswood when beginning a project with just a smaller 1 1/2" flex cut or similar type carving knife.. thank you Joe

[@KevinCoates98]

One of the fish knives I use is a Green River. They are 40 yrs old for sure. The two of them have some blade removed. Check Amazon. I gave someone the same information last week and they found them there.

[@stateniland]

ty Kevin! is there something similar knife in the 'woodcarving' world that would result in larger pieces removed easily?

[@kevinmurphy5200]

Thanks again Kevin for another excellent tutorial. This one really helped me alot. For a minute there I thought you were going to do the entire tutorial with "The Meat Clever". LOL

[@KevinCoates98]

Kevin you’re welcome. I mostly use that big knife for roughing out the bigger Santas

[@kevinmurphy5200]

I love watching you use that knife. You're darn near surgical with it.

[@KevinCoates98]

Just looks that way where I’m trying to avoid cutting myself

[@hraun2berg]

Tat was a great tutorial Kevin. I have ordered my first whittling knife to try for myself. Is it an inch by inch that you have to begin with or 1 1/2 × 1 1/2? Please ansver me, I'm a big fan at your wittling.😊 Júlíus

[@KevinCoates98]

Good for you. The flexcut I use has a 2” 1/2 blade. I find it decent to use. You can get them online for $25 or so.

[@bennettmyers719]

What was that first knife you were using

[@KevinCoates98]

It was a fish knife

[@mehmetberattas5657]

Are these knifes sharp as razor? Or should be?

[@KevinCoates98]

The sharper the better

[@semsem3917]

What kind of wood do u use?

[@pete2109]

Thank you 👌

[@CCGDude]

Every time I try my noses keep popping off. Any advice? Very tempting to give up. Feel like it will lead to arthritis

[@KevinCoates98]

Don’t give up. Try cutting very lightly. You will get the feel for doing it after a while. It takes practice but it will come easier

[@sundayaito2230]

Do you ever use a bandsaw in cutting out the shape of a bust before carving It?

[@KevinCoates98]

I use a bandsaw when I do more than one of the same character. Like when I do an order for a shop. I prefer to carve right from a block of wood otherwise

[@sundayaito2230]

Kevin Coates, thanks for your response.

[@momorach6158]

merci kevin

[@Squidiot]

Terrific video. I personally like the lack of dialogue because I can just focus on your cuts and technique. People talk too much anyway. :)

[@KevinCoates98]

Thanks. No worries about me talking too much

[@danielmilliken8903]

Finally somebody else sees it the way I do! Oh lawd I’m gonna faint. Well said couldn’t agree anymore

[@marcilioteixeira4522]

Nice job. Let me,ask you are you on instagram ? Also is that a steak knife? Let me know more about it. Thank you for your time doing videos for us...

[@KevinCoates98]

Thanks. Yes I’m on instagram. coates 6001. The knife in that video is a fish boning knife. I cut a little off the blade. It makes a great roughing knife.

[@liammtb1817]

What wood you using

[@KevinCoates98]

White pine

[@liammtb1817]

@@KevinCoates98 thanks where do you get it from

[@KevinCoates98]

I buy it at Home Depot

[@iblackbeard]

Hello, what kind of wood are you using here? THANKS!

[@KevinCoates98]

It’s eastern white pine

[@rickmeiresonne197]

what the heck kind of knife is that

[@KevinCoates98]

I could be wrong on the name but I think it’s a Green River boning knife for fish

[@rickmeiresonne197]

@@KevinCoates98 hey thanks ill check it never saw one ike that but you use it well

[@jeanguygagnon3137]

Bien

[@KevinCoates98]

Thank you

[@ravenhhca]

I don't know what it is, but everything seems backwards :-)

[@KevinCoates98]

Is it because I’m a lefty? Lol

[@ravenhhca]

@@KevinCoates98 .......By Jove you're right, that is what is causing it. Thanks for the instruction.

[@geraldguiver9732]

B

[@donniecapps2825]

Doesn’t look like a flexcut knife .

[@KevinCoates98]

Maybe because of the mess on the handle. It is a flexcut knife though