Holiday Sale ! ! !

This is, bar none, the biggest sale of my custom tools that I have ever offered.  The cost of every tool has been significantly reduced, some as much as $10.00.  There has never been a better time to add more tools to your collection, after all, one can never have too many tools!  My tools are offered on three separate pages here on the Old Stump Blog: "Available Tools", "Custom Knives", and "Custom Palm Tools" which are accessed from the tabs at the top of this page.  All of the tools that I have already made are found on the "Available Tools" page, and to place an order for a custom knife or palm tool, just click the appropriate tab to take you there.  If you have any questions about my tools or how to place your order, just drop me a note at theoldstump@live.com .  Happy carving, and have a great holiday season.

New Tools Available

It's been awhile since I've made a big run of my custom knives and palm tools.  For the last couple of weeks, I've been putting the finishing touches on these beauties that you see in the photos below.

The knives are an assortment of all-purpose and detail knives with some very beautiful handles.  The gouges are mostly 1/2" size gouges of all of my offered sweeps.  Each tool is unique and gorgeous to look at, not to mention sharp and ready to make some serious chips.  You'll find each tool available for purchase on my "Available Tools" page.  Just click the tab at the top of this page.  I hope you like them.

Mug Shots

I hope everyone had a wonderful Independence day and that you and yours took time to ponder and give thanks to all those who have fought and continue to fight to make us free.  It's been some time since I've made a new post here on The Old Stump, so I thought I would leave a little note to let you know that I'm still alive and kicking.

I've been busy with summer things as of late and have had very little time to carve.  It's too bad that work and honey-do projects tend to infringe on one's carving time.  I haven't completed a carving since I finished up "The Perfect Hand", but I have been playing around with carving a few faces.  Here are the fruits of my labors.

I think I've said this before, but I truly love carving faces.  I like playing around with different expressions and facial features.  I hope you like this little guys.  I'd love to know what you think, so leave a comment, or drop me an email.

The Perfect Hand - Riverboat Gambler Complete

Well, it's been a long ride, but we've finally come to the end of this carving adventure.  I sure am pleased the we stuck it out to the end to create a nice piece of art instead of ending with a simple caricature head.  I think he turned out to be quite a charming piece.  I know he brings a smile to my face when I see him sitting on my shelf.  I hope you have enjoyed following along, and maybe even carving along, with me.  The final part of this tutorial is now available on the Tutorials Page of The Old Stump Blog.  Just click the tab above, scroll to the bottom of the page, and click the link.

I'd love to hear what you all think about this little Gambler.  Just drop a comment below, or send me an email.  I'd also love to see a photo or two of your finished pieces if you've been carving along too.  I will not post them publicly without your consent to do so. 

I have also made this fellow available for purchase if you're interested.  Just click the Carvings Gallery link above.

Happy carving.

 

Attaching Arms and Carving Wrinkles

The next part of the "Carving the Caricature Bust" tutorial is now available on The Old Stump Blog.  Click the "Tutorials" tab above and scroll to the bottom of the page to access the tutorial.  In this part we learn how to attach arms and carve wrinkles in clothing.  It's kind of a long tutorial, but in it we finish up with the carving portion of the series.  I hope you find it educational and fun. 

In the next segment of the tutorial, we will make a nice base and produce some non-wood addons to make him look really classy.  Thanks for following along with me on this carving adventure.

SPRING CLEANING SALE ! ! !

Well, it's finally spring time in the Rockies and it's time to do some home and shop cleaning.  My sweet wife told me I need to clear out some of my caricature carvings that have been taking up space for far to long.  Therefore, I have drastically reduced my prices for all my finished pieces, making it the perfect time for you to acquire a favorite or two for your private collection and for me to reclaim some shelf space for new additions.  Just click on the "Carvings Gallery" Tab above to take a look at the selection.  Just send me an email at theoldstump@live.com for inquires regarding my carvings.  All sales are based on a first come, first serve basis.  Shipping fees for my carvings are actually shipping costs charged by your preferred parcel service and will be calculated at the time of the sale.

You will also note that I have put all of my tools on sale as well.  The "Custom Knives" and "Custom Palm Tools" Tabs above will take you to respective pages where custom orders may be placed for knives and palm tools.  You will see that my prices have been reduced significantly, making this the perfect time to purchase those tools that you have been hoping to acquire to fill out your tool box.  The "Available Tools" Tab above will take you to my inventory of finished knives for even more savings.

I hope you will take advantage of these offers and help me make some much needed space in my shop and in my home.  Thank you for all the support that you give to me and my little blog.

Happy carving,

Brandant Robinson

Carving the Torso

The next part of the cowboy tutorial is now available on the "Tutorials" page of The Old Stump Blog.  Just click the link above and scroll to the bottom of the page.  In this installment we carve a torso for the cowboy's head to rest in.  I think it turned out to be quite attractive. 

I hope you enjoy the tutorial and find it educational.  In the next part we will add some arms to this old gambler.

Been Stuck in a Rut

It has been some time since I have made a posting here on the Old Stump Blog.  I have been shocked at the number of visits I have still been getting, even though there has been no new information posted for some time.  I thank you for your patience and for your encouragement.  I have been performing some deep introspection as of late and I have come to some important realizations.

I guess you could say that I began my adventures in carving way back in my youth, back when I was a boy scout.  I remember vividly the dull blades and the many bandages as I began to whittle.  I had a few corners of my “Tote and Chip” card torn off for improper use of a knife before I got a real hang of how to wield it properly against an unsuspecting block of wood.  I spent countless hours whittling thick sticks into skinny ones, blunt sticks into pointy ones, and chunks of wood into unrecognizable figures of my own imagination.  Needless to say, I wasn’t very good.  But, as I look back, I realize that at that very young age I began my love for sharp knives and the smell and feel of wood.

After adolescence, I laid my pocket knife down to pursue the American dream of family and fortune.  Now, approaching middle age, I have found true joy in family.  My sweet wife of eighteen years and I are expecting our eleventh child next month.  I don’t know what we have done to deserve so many wonderful children.  We have been deeply and richly blessed by a loving Father in Heaven.  I have truly found the American dream.

Back in 2006 I was finishing my bachelor’s degree in engineering and recognized that I was lacking something positive to do in my spare time.  I wanted to find a hobby that I could participate in at home while still surrounded by my beautiful wife and wonderful children that would produce something of personal value for my time spent.  I remembered back to my childhood and the fun I had as a pocketknife-toting boy scout.  I recalled the relaxing feeling that came as each wood shaving curled up and floated gently to the ground at my feet.  After spending many hours searching the internet, I came across several online tutorials that inspired me to take the plunge back into the world of woodcarving.

Armed with new-found knowledge and a resolute determination, I drove to my local craft store and purchased the only carving set they had available.  The tools were of terrible quality and so dull that my muscles strained with every stroke.  But, not knowing any better, they felt so right in my hand; I had found my carving home again.

That was the ledge from which I launched myself onto my more serious adventures in woodcarving.  I proceeded to follow how-to books and online tutorials until I was confident enough to venture off on my own carving paths.  My style may have some resemblance to those carvers who had and early influence over my directions, but I believe I can truly say that I have developed my own, unique style.

I hope you will forgive me this moment of personal reflection.  I have been stuck in the middle of a carving slump for the past few months from which I have been struggling free myself.  I was offended recently by a fellow carver where unwarranted accusations were made.  Although these statements were baseless, I took it rather hard.  It has taken me some time to work through these feelings.  But now, with the help of my loving Savior, I can honestly say that I am past this and hold no ill will toward any individual.  What a blessing it is to have the help of the Lord in overcoming a difficult trial.

Now that I have let you all into my life and given you a glimpse into my heart, it’s time to move on to the next adventure in woodcarving.  After many requests, I have decided to push forward with the cowboy tutorial and give this old cowpoke a place to rest his weary head.  I am currently in the process of putting together the next installment where we will carve a suitable torso for this fellow and turn the carving into a presentable bust that will look great on any mantel.  I have completed the carving of the bust and am endeavoring to gather the photos and descriptions into a logical and hopefully instructive collection.  Look for the tutorial to be posted within the next few days.

Thank you so much for reading my reminiscent ramblings.  It’s nice to be out of the slump and making chips again.  Once again, I truly appreciate your support and hope that this next section of my tutorial will not let you down.

Happy carving to all,

Brandant Robinson

The Caricature Gets a Hat

Part five of the "Carving the Caricature Face" tutorial is now up and ready. Follow the link above to the Tutorials Page and scroll to the bottom. In this segment, we will put a cowboy hat on our ruggedly handsome fella' as we take the caricature head and turn it into a full bust.  I hope you all find it useful and, as always, if you have any questions, just ask.

Inventory Reduction Sale

My currently available inventory of knives and gouges has been building up over the last few months to a fairly wide selection.  As good as it is to have some tools readily available, it's time that these great knives and gouges found a new home in someone's tool box instead of sitting fallow in my drawer dieing of boredom.  To this end, I have significantly reduced the price on each one of these tools to hopefully entice one of my carving friends into adopting one (or two, or three, . . . ) of these wayward guys into their own tool family.

On another note, I am in the process of finishing up the next installment of my tutorial where we will put a nice cowboy hat on the caricature head that we finished up in the last tutorial.  Check back soon.

Fully Customizable Knives

I have upgraded my Custom Knives page on The Old Stump Blog.  I have now made it possible for you to choose the exact handle material for your knife from many woods and laminates.  Just scroll down through the page for a guide through the selection process.  After choosing the handle material of your liking, select the knife specifications and click the "Add to Cart" button to add your new knife to your cart.  Multiple tools can be ordered at the same time to save on shipping costs.  This new addition will allow you to choose every aspect of your new custom knife.  If you have any questions regarding the order process, just drop me a note at theoldstump@live.com and I'll get back to you.

Lower Prices on Palm Tools

I have finally streamlined the process for making my custom palm tools enough that I can reduce the prices of the tools quite significantly.  I have also streamlined the order process even further to allow you to choose your handle material, the patina on the copper ferrule, and fit the handle with the tool size and sweep that you want for a unique custom palm tool that fits your needs as well as your artistic taste.  Just click on the "Custom Palm Tool" tab above to go to the order page and follow the instructions posted there.

Part Four of Carving the Caricature Face

The long awaited conclusion of the Carving the Caricature Face Tutorial is now up and ready for your use.  In Part Four we finish carving the head by detailing the ears, the hair, and applying some finishing touches to produce a completed caricature face.  I hope that you will follow along and carve your own caricature head.  I would love to see what you come up with.  Just send me your story and a photo or two of your carvings at theoldstump@live.com .  I will not post any photos or stories without your expressed permission, so don't worry about going public if you are not ready for it.

You will find a link to the tutorial by clicking the "Tutorials Page" tab found at the top of this page and scrolling down to the bottom.  The link will then take you to a PDF document.  I suggest that you download the PDF as viewing it from the Google Docs page where the document is stored causes the images to distort for some odd reason.  Have fun and Happy Carving!!!

Part Three of My Tutorial

Part three of my "Carving the Caricature Face" tutorial is now available for use and download.  Please make sure that you download the PDF file as viewing it online tends distorts the photos.  You can access it by going to the top of this page and clicking on the Tutorials Page Tab or by clicking this link:  Part 3 - The Eyes

In Part 3 we spend the majority of our time focusing on the eyes.  Many cavers find the eyes the most difficult of facial features to carve.  The goal of this tutorial is to shed some light on this difficult subject.

I know that many of you out there are following along with this tutorial.  I hope that you are enjoying it and finding it useful.  I'm sorry that each part is slow in coming, but I do this as a hobby and not a business and it simply takes a lot of time to put something like this together.  Of course, if my carving friends find it useful, it is well worth the time spent.  In the next part, we will finish carving the head. 

I am considering going on with this piece if there is enough interest and continuing the tutorial.  We could possible make this fellow into a bust or even a full figure.  I think he would look great as a cowboy, a construction worker, or even a medieval blacksmith.  Please leave a comment on this post or send me an email at theoldstump@live.com if you would be interest in continuing on and what type of carving (bust or figure) and the subject.  I would love to hear from you and good luck with all of your carving adventures.