Make It Yourself Hand-Carved Basswood Birds Kit

Carving in the round is a subtractive process; you make something by removing material to create a three-dimensional representation of an object. The challenge is to carve to the correct proportions without removing too much material. Small birds are great subjects for trying your hand at carving in the round.

To get you started, we provide two precut basswood blanks: a basic small songbird, such as a chickadee, and a basic cardinal/blue jay. You will learn the techniques for shaping and refining each bird’s form with just three tools: a 2" Frost knife, a 1/4" 70° parting tool and a 3/8" #3 gouge.

Since keeping your tools sharp is key to carving, the instructions will also explain how to do it with honing compound and a leather strop.

Each bird carving can take 5 to 9 hours to complete. This project is suitable for skill levels from beginner to intermediate, for ages 14 years and up.

The well-thought-out kit includes everything you need to make it yourself, including over $100 of hand tools and reusable supplies.

Components of the kit are listed under the Specifications tab.

You will also have access to the step-by-step video and a downloadable copy of the written instructions.