Customer Reviews

Old time whittling: An introductory text

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The author showed each step in simple pictures that assured me that I was performing each operation correctly. I completed the first three projects in the book my first weekend. I've moved on to bigger and better projects, but I know I couldn't have done it without the confidence I gained using this text.

First, be prepared for a very SMALL book, a pamphlet really, when this arrives. I was upset upon opening the package to see a $12 brochure.
However, The writing style is easy to read, encouraging, with clear instructions on performing the projects. I felt like I was in the room with the author as he guided me through the projects. The pictures are excellent but some important "transition" pictures were missing; I am able to follow along but a few extra shots would have helped quite a bit. Also, in the beginning of the book it says you can do all the projects with a single knife but as you advance additional tools are recommended. A list at the beginning of the project would help here. As a complete newcomer to whittling, I am happy with the level of instruction and the "you can do it" feel of the book but for $12 more photos and a little better editing is expected.

Mr. Randich has a good sense of humor and it makes it easier for a beginning whittler to make some small wooden objects that match the photos on the cover and the diagrams inside the booklet.
The sequence of steps he has selected show he uses the same types of projects in his carving classes.
The book is easy to read and use as a resource while making the first few projects. Once you get through the first three or four items in the book you will want to get on to more involved carving projects, but stick with the book so you can learn all of the ski;ls he is trying to work through so you can go on to more involved carving.
I would recommend this book to anyone who wants to learn wood carving.Old Time Whittling: An Introductory Text
I would recommend the Butz knife set to go with the book.Butz Knives - Carving Knife and Detail Knife

This is a small book, not an encyclopedia. However the combination of writing style and illustrations left gaps. The writing style was fine, if there had been more pictures and the limited number of pictures would have been fine if the writing had been more descriptive. I did all the projects just to say I did and I found myself frequently going, so now what. No big deal, it is $.10 worth of wood and this is not the basis of my income. But I would have enjoyed the book more if more detail or more pictures had been available.

this booklet is highly disapointing. It is not worth the paper it was poorly printed on. If you are looking for something to learn from, or as a gift there are other books that are much better. This pamphlet is an embarising example of learning how to carve wood. More information can be gleamed from a tool catalogue then what was provided within, and as for projects, any tool web site will have more and comprehensive details then this provided.

The book, as shown by the cover, has some ambitious projects. But there's just the simple basics in it of how to actually do them making a rank novice like me very nervous.