UPDATED JAN 2017
I suppose collectively the images here represent a pod of whales.
My whittling is done using a pocket knife, and sandpaper. I sometimes use a round file on tails where there is risk of the wood breaking. In desperate situations, such as the first whale on this page, I had to resort to using a tomahawk to remove some of the excess timber, such was the hardness of the wood, but these measures are a rarity.
I like the lines of the Sperm Whale, plus unlike many other whales, they do not have long flippers so this suits the smaller wood pieces to which I have easy access – including old branches from trees in parks.
click to enlarge
The whale above was made for my youngest daughter’s 16th birthday. Sperm Whale from hardwood. 30+ hours work. 17cm long. I like the grain pattern and the opportunistically placed knot for the eye. Made use of a natural borer hole and sandstone pebble from local park to mount it.
This was a quicky little sperm whale. Only 5cm long. Again a fortunate knot allows him to see. From a bit of stick from the park…
Sperm Whale from willow found in park. 13cm long. A much easier whittling task. Permanently mounted on the stone.
Two sperm whales, Cyprus pine and willow wood. About 13cm long.
My take on a baby blue whale carved from Willow wood. Pectoral fins are a bit small. Just resting on wood for photographic purposes.
A smiling blue whale – interpretive piece. Carved from Olive wood. Took 30 hours.