The lost art of outdoor whittling

By Allen Macartney

The sweetness of doing nothing.

That’s one of the chief attractions the outdoors has held for generations of campers. And for some of them, “nothing” has involved whittling. But both doing nothing, and whittling, have fallen out of favour amidst today’s frantic multi-tasking.

Perhaps outdoorsy overachievers could benefit by living in the moment. One of the best ways – for me at least – of doing that, is whittling around a campfire.

How can you start, and what can you whittle?

Old timers just picked up a stick and started carving with a cheap but cherished pocket knife. No plan. Just simple pleasure. They whittled aimlessly while chatting with friends and listening to the crackling fire. Can you picture it?

OK, that was then, and this is now, so let’s get a bit more practical and start achieving something.

What sort of knife do you need? Probably the thin-bladed pocket knife you already own. Sharpen it to a keen edge and you’re ready to go.

There’s lots of wood in the forest of course, so start with any random branch you find along the trail. Pine makes for great whittling because it’s soft, cuts easily and it’s

everywhere. Look for wood with a straight grain and no knots.

An easy first whittling project could be a letter-opener knife, and should take about 10 minutes. Design your own – a long, thin wooden blade with a handle. At home, treat it

with tongue oil or apply a thin coat of varathane.

Teens might want to start their whittling career by making a “fid.” That’s a wooden tool fishermen have used for centuries to untangle knots. It looks a lot like a letter opener. Simply push its thin pointed end into the knotted rope or string and gently work the knot out.

Teens can also make a fire-sticks – firestarters with shavings sticking out at all angles, looking sort of like a porcupine.

Younger kids can start whittling metre-long branches with a fork at the tip. Then they can strip off the bark with their knife and sharpen the two forks, making – you guessed it – a hot dog roaster. Have those wieners ready. You’ll find everyone will be suddenly hungry!

If your project needs something beyond a forked branch, craft shops have balsa or basswood blocks. Cedar shingles (excellent for spoons, salad forks and chopsticks) are cheap at any lumberyard. Trace the carving pattern on the wood, cut off what you don’t need with an axe or hatchet, then start shaping your spoon or fork.

When you’re ready for more advanced projects, try whittling an egg, loon or duck. This might sound simple, but you’ll learn all about the joys and frustration of wood grain, and how essential a sharp knife is.

Whittling forces you to be in the moment with your friends. It focuses attention creatively and encourages conversation that lingers as a good outdoor memory. There’s nothing quite like it. 