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Thank you so much for watching along 🙏🙏

Thank you for watching along. I am happy that you feel at peace watching these videos. Carver or not 🙏🫶

They names of the tools are in the video and also in the description 🫶

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Thank you so much

Thank you so much. There is definitely a wonderful transitional feeling that happens when I shift states. It is similar the the feeling of meditation or yoga practices or even some breath works. Thank you for watching along and take care. 🙏🙏

Thank you! This just needed a little bit of walnut oil.

@ awesome! Looks great!

Glad you enjoyed it. Thank you 🙏

Thank you! 😊

Thank you so much. Sorry to hear about the hurricanes. Sending strength 🙏

Of course! My approach to carving is to do it little and often! This grit is 1500 and then I tend to repeat again at 3000, stropping in between on the back. If the knife took a nic from something, I’d drop down to 600 and work up gradually. Hope this helps!!

Heya pal. Thanks for sharing! I am pleased that you added this style of carving to the whittling too! I think that the feeling of either is very similar and just as tactile. I like how accessible it is and how much people can be absorbed by just three tools and a little space. Nice job on the re-profiling of the camping hatchet too! I like how you say that your grandfather taught you this, isn’t it just wonderful how pivotal these teachings are? I feel like passing skills really helps someone to shape and sculpt the way they see the world. Completely agree with your statement on Mora too. The number one in my mind. So well developed and so much history. Take care friend.

Yes, European walnuts are a lot easier to open! I’ve been enjoying them through the winter along with the birds. I think I’ve reached the end of the good ones now though. Have you ever made a liquor from them? Thank you so much for watching along!!

Thank you for the encouragement and for watching along Fred! Take care, pal 🙏

Heya Jim! Thanks for watching and for your comment. The wood is European Walnut. It’s Spalted lightly as it was sat on the ground for a while over winter. It is green, a very workable moisture content compared to seasoned woods. Thanks again! 🙏

@@samuelalexandershapes Awesome, thank you again for the quick response and the inspiration! Be well!

Thank you! This is European Walnut :)

Thank you so much! The tools are capable of just as much expression and enjoyment as any other. Thank for you watching along and for subscribing! Your support and your encouragement and kind words mean a lot! Take care, friend 🫶

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Thank you so much for the time spent creating these kind and moving thoughts. The notion of nothing matters is really felt when carving. Everything disperses into the background and creates a quiet space for the carving to take place. I’m really happy that I am able to translate this through video for you and all to enjoy. Thanks for watching along and for your support. Take care.

Many thanks!

I agree completely. Once one gains a better understanding of their personal style and their relationship with tools, they do pile up! I think it took me those two years to really figure out what it was that I was looking for in tools. With this knowledge, I then went on the not only gain a tailored kit for me, but also develop tools with smiths to help push the craft forward. Great suggestion! I have many tools without a proper sheath that I can make for a TLC project. Thank you! I will make something for March I expect. Take care, friend.

Hello! I have carved dry wood in the past, but it isn’t a very fun experience for tool or body! Fresh wood is such a contrasting texture and can be like butter to carve. Drying doesn’t need to be complicated. When wood dries, it is trying to reach the same moisture content as it’s environment. If this is a big contrast and it’s hot, this happens too quickly and the wood grin opens up to match the speed. Your aim is to dry the project SLOWLY. To do so, I have an old tote bag (you can use a paper bag, an old T-shirt or something else of a breathable membrane) full of wood chips and once carved, I pace the finished project in there. I then bundle it up and put it in another tote. This will draw the moisture out of the pours slowly. I then place the bundle in a cupboard, away from heat, sun or outside draft in the garage, or basement, or under the sink. Those cold, mildly damp places around the home. Eventually the wood will release and begin to match its environment and will be dry. Shapes like these and spoon shapes will dry white reliably... I’ll be honest, I got home and I put this item straight on the counter and forgot about it and the next day, it was completely fine! Bigger bowls and cups and anything where the thickness of the project changes quite a lot, will be more at risk of cracking and they can’t easily dry at an even rate. Sometimes, the wood will just crack if it wants. Beech likes to crack, some fruit woods too! Don’t be discouraged, it’s all a part of working with a beautiful but wild material. I hope this helps!!

@samuelalexandershapes it does! Thank you! I have some cherry and apple wood waiting for me green so this motivates me! I love your channel and what you do, and the calm of how you do it. Well done.

Thanks again Sam for another great video! It seems like you had one idea for the handles but then changed your mind. How does that process work for you? Is it more the look or feel of the piece, or something else?

@ fantastic! This is great to hear. I really hope you enjoy working with the apple and cherry! Let me know how you get on please. Thank you for the complements. I really really appreciate it.

@ heya Patrick! How are you pal? Thank you. I’m glad you enjoyed watching. Exactly this… I intended to make the handles longer, but then after seeing the hollow and the relationship between the length and width, I reduced it. It’s how I usually work, leave it long and then trim it if I feel like the piece needs it. I also like to leave the length decisions towards the end, because it makes the piece easy to hold onto when axe, carving and refining with knives. It’s somewhat calculated but allows room for instinctive decisions.

Hello you! Thank you so much. I’m glad you like the video and the bowl. Gah I’m sorry to hear that you’ve been sick! I hope that you are okay and that you begin to feel better soon. I’m happy to provide you with some calm carving energy. Rest well! Sending strength your way. 🤗

@samuelalexandershapes I sent you a reply but it didn't take. Perhaps it will show up in a little while? 😊

@ I hope so! I don’t think I received a notification

Heya pal! Thank for you taking the time to comment. I am so pleased that you’re enjoying watching along. This is great to hear! I’m so pleased that you have started making and that you see this as a create way of reconnecting with your grandad and also finding a beautiful craft that you can enjoy and express yourself within. One day, I think I will move to furniture if I can find some formal training, but for now, I am still hooked on this modern style of green wood working, even after 10 years!! Thank you for sharing your story and I hope to see some of your creations soon. Take care, friend 🙏

I’m so glad that you said this! A perfect reference for the inspiration of this style of bowl. It was his late father that first inspired me to carve through his knowledge sharing. I love the flowing bowl and have seen some larger ones that have such a beautiful curve to them. I have a book called Hungarian Folk Art where I saw the inspiration for the triangle patter many years ago before I started carving but have seen it as a staple in may Swedish folk carving pieces. It really illuminated to me that all chip carving is a form of triangle, in different shapes or patterns. Thank you for taking the time to comment. Take care friend

This is so kind. Thank you very much. I am really glad that you have enjoyed watching. Have a lovely day

You’re so welcome! Thanks for watching along Aaron! 🫶

Thank you very much my friend. Have a beautiful day.

It is indeed such a wonderful an accessible craft. I am happy that you are excited to get started. Well done on making the tools! This is always something that I have wanted to learn. How do you find tool making? It was 1500 for a quick hewn before returning to the bowl. My approach to sharpening is to do it little and often to keep the tools happy on the go. If a knife is dropped or encounters something nasty in the wood, I re-profile it using a tormek and then work up the grits to 3000. Thank you so much for watching along pal! I’m glad I can be of inspiration. Happy carving to you.

Hey Eden! This has been requested quite a lot. I have started a TLC monthly video series to show these methods. This month, I take a look at my straight knives (coming soon) and then next month, upon your request, I’ll show you how I maintain these hook knives and also the different styles of hook knife bevels. Would that be okay? A small wait until Feb, but I imagine it’s worth it. Is there anything else within the hook knife sharpening theme that you would like me to cover?

Great! I have a couple of "crooked knives" based on North American First People's tool made from ( originally) a beaver's incisor. They are a bear to sharpen!

@ oh wow! I’d love to see these. They sound incredibly interesting. Where ever did you get them?

High Samuel, another very interesting video. I also have Wood carving axe ( Robin Woods) it's beautiful and honed it's razor sharp as one of my fingers would tell you, barely touched it and my finger was open, ( on blood thinners so not good ) I also have one of his spoon knives not the full hook shape but very very good. My hook knife is a Beavercraft one, and try as I might I have never been happy with the edge 😢 seems to be a lot of chatter ?? I've tried rounding the back of the blade so it's one continuous sweep and not two planes, but even that has not made a lot of difference. Any more ideas ?? Or should I purchase a hook knife from a different supplier ?? Many thanks 😊 Les.

@ heya Les! Great to hear from you. How are you? Sorry to hear that you cut your thumb on the axe! They do come amazingly sharp. It’s interesting how consistent they can be with the great quality, considering that they make so many of them! I don’t think I’ve seen a bad one. I have heard mixed things about the Beaver craft hook knives… I must admit that I haven’t really used many but from the images I see online from the people that have them, it looks as if the geometry of the blade could use a bit of development perhaps. I think that every knife could be sharpened to a respectable level but hook knives are quite specific in the overall width and bite point.. sometimes one might feel as though they are flattening the inner bevel, but actually it could be being inadvertently rounded, increasing the angle slightly of the knives bite from the other side of the back bevel, causing chatter.. try a coarse abrasive and see if it needs to be re-flattened on the inner and if you’re still feeling deflated, it might be worth trying some different knives perhaps.

Thank you I much! I love Morakniv! I couldn’t believe that they have been going for over 400 years! I really want to add an original red handle knife to my tool collection. I think that some market places in Sweden have old tools an old red tools for sale. Maybe if I visit soon, I’ll be able to find one. Do you have any left? You might have noticed on the Morakniv website that they have actually just released a new red collection of knives!!! They look stunning. I am really really happy and taken that watching these processes can evoke such times. I am really happy that I can bring you back into that space. Thank you for your encouragement and support. Take care friend.

A beautiful piece of art. Great detail and I love the little chip carve accents. Samuel, you are a true artist. ❤

Wow thank you so much! I’m so happy you like this little bowl. Take care, Stacy 🫶🫶

Ah thank you so much! I’m so pleased that they can transport you to a place of working with your hands. Thanks for your encouragement and kind words. Happy making to you! 🙏🙏

Sad you think it’s a waste! The pith side had a patch that wasn’t useable. A waste would have been to not use the wood and for it to each someone’s wood burner. ✌️

Thank you! And you 🤗

Hello, Thank you so much for the kind words. This really means a lot. I am happy that I am able to give you a true, honest experience through the screen. It is possible, but I tend to use some wet and dry sand paper, taped to a flat surface and then I start at about 600grit and then work gradually to 3000. I find that stones tend to warp over time unless they are really really jazzy ones. I will think about a video for this.

Hello! Thank you for your message. I really couldn’t get two out of this piece. With a handle on each, the wood wouldn’t allow it as the diameter of the hollow is too big. I am happy with one cup and I don’t see it as a waste of wood. It would be a waste to see this lovely beech burning in someone’s stove!

@ - I get it.

Thank you so much!

😂 it’s an old LL. Bean Jacket. Found in a charity shop in London