Carving Advice

k folkman

k folkman

Well-known member
I plan on attempting to carve my first decoy this year in the off season and am in need of some advice. What is the suggested reading/reference material on the subject? I see plenty of books on the subject but am sure that with the carving expertise that some of you have there will be a few favorites. Thanks, Kevin
 
I would recommend finding a group of guys in your area that you can sit in with and watch and get some tutelidge. The first thing you will need is some patterns and there are two very good " how to's" on line. One is "Duckblind University at www.theduckblind.com and the other is at www.mightlayoutboys.com . Willy McDonald at the Duckblind shows how to cut out a pattern and carve a bird..MLBOB (Bob Furia here) has a tutorial at the Mighty Layout Boys site in the reference section that takes you step by step too. There are some very good patterns free for downloading there also.
 
i agree with lee, find some one to take you in. if i might suggest a book that helped me out quite a bit its by mark costilow and its a workbench projects book from wildfowl carver mag. its a step by step from carving to painting book that showcases canvasbacks bluebills and redheads he carves and paints a drake and hen of each. there are patterns included and a list of the needed tools and painting supplies.

im not sure where you could get it but i would try wildfowl carving magazine .com or something like that. i think it cost me 30 bucks or so.

good luck

eddie
 
Thanks for the help guys. I will order the Costillo book. I will also try and visit Jode Hillman over the spring as he is close to me.
 
OHHHHH Gawd NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO! Anyone but that Hillman dude!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I'm tellin' ya.... not to be trusted.....yep! Squirley guy, lots of energy, he might even know about decoys. Bwahahahahahahaha

Lee and Ed gave excellent advice! But if you can spend time with Jode, I'd say not to buy ANYTHING until after you've visited him. He can steer you in the right direction and you'll save by only buying the tools that you'll need in the near future. There's plenty of time to buy all of the accessories and "must haves" that go along with this hobby.

Good luck!!
 
Anytime Kev........Doors always open..........well as for Terry, I'll deal with his Woodchuck drinking self in Ohio.......LOL!
 
I was thinking over the weekend and you can get a good book by Bruce Burke off ebay that used to be the Bible on carving. I've bought a couple for gifts and for myself for less than 10 bucks. It's a hardcover book and is very detailed. Hell of a book for the money. Also, the pattern books by Anthony Hillman are easy for a beginer to use and make nice dekes out of.
 
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Kevin - Welcome to the wonderful brotherhood of decoy carvers. There has been alot of great advice here. Many good books and references. I'll throw in my two cents. Two directions I would send you on references, one is a good waterfowl reference book. The main intent of this is to study waterfowl, poses, colors, attitudes etc. I like Great Gallery of Ducks by Dick LeMaster. Being a good carver, you can't study waterfowl too much. Second recommendation is study the old masters. There are many great books on our forefathers who carved generations before us. If you have a regional style you want to copy, study the styles of your region. Books on carvers like the Ward Brothers, Joe Lincoln, Elmer Crowell, Nathan Cobb, Charlie Perdew and Ben Schmidt to name a few are plentiful. I study the masters intensely. Keep in mind, they had to work through every decoy carving hardship you will go through. Study the masters... Good luck brother. If you're every in Illinois and would like to visit my shop, let me know. God bless!

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I WOULD LIKE TO THANK ALL OF THOSE WHO REPLIED TO MY POST. I KNEW THAT I WAS IN THE RIGHT PLACE. PAT, YOUR BIRDS ARE AWESOME AND I LOVE THE CLEAN STYLE. JODE, I WILL BE VISITING YOU SOON FOR ADVISE. THE DELEWARE RIVER STYLE IS MY FAVORITE AND A STYLE THAT I WOULD LIKE TO EMULATE. YOU GUYS ARE GREAT. IT IS THIS SITE WHICH HAS GIVIN ME THE CARVING BUG. WHAT AN AWESOME HOBBY FOR ME! MY WIFE THINKS THAT I WILL BE GOOD AT IT BECAUSE OF MY PATIENCE AND ARTISTIC ABILITY. THAT REMAINS TO BE SEEN.............THANKS AGAIN TO ALL.........KEVIN
 
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