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I am about to complete a crossbow stock built from pretty knotty mulberry. How would you finish it? I am not set up for spraying, so brushed or rubbed finishes please.

You are probably cutting too deep, take the wood off in skims, many cuts taken quickly is far better than big chunks that chip the cutting edge or worse

Just checked, my bench is 37 inches high, standard bench seems to be 34? I'm 5'7 in my work shoes. When I work on a standard bench I always get back ache from leaning forward

I have a chest high 4x4 bolted to the corner of my bench to fix face plates, jigs , vices to, or just lean work against. My bench height I found by standing elbow loosely by my side and forarm extended at 90 degrees. Sounds wierd but actually does give you the correct work height

I tried a variety of ways to grind chisels using bench grinders and the best way I found was to reverse the direction of the wheels by taking the whole of the top (motor and wheels) off the switch box/stand and turning it around. This sends the sparks upwards so you need extra care and face...

Sharpening is an essential skill that opens the door to pre World War 2 gouges. Less than a tenner, usually, often with handles stamped by several prior owners, I get a kick out of picking up every one of my 100+ year old carving tools. Of my modern gouges, I rate Sorby the highest, then...

Photos would help. For this I usually use a drill to take out as much waste as I can then crumble the edges of the carving into the drilled out areas

How would you finish a sawn log reindeer, pretty wet green sycamore, to go in a sheltered outside location?

Not taking the micky, I fletch arrows from hazel and use a knife blade as a scraper to strip the bark, when I make hazel bows, though, that's different, I use a shave horse and draw knife, my draw knife is about 100 years old, garage clearence freebie, 14inch long blade

Hold a knife blade vertically and use it like a scraper

Had a large piece of nasty-looking apple wood, about 3-foot long, bent at a big knot, heavily splintered from when it was cleaved, but with a lovely streak of red heartwood and every time I tried to put it out for the neighbour’s log-burner, I just couldn’t bring myself to do it, a few hours...

Its the best wood-carving wood of all, just thought I'd mention it. Makes the most amazing flat-bows and long-bows. If you were closer I'd be round there quick-sharp...........

I found that all the time I saved on carving I lost on getting it to an acceptable level of finish, the piece was just too soft

I thought so too, and so did the books I read but last year I was given a piece of basswood by a carver frustrated by my disbelieving attitude. Basswood is incredibly soft

Nope, just checked, nothing in my inbox

Basswood is very much softer than lime but lime gives more detail and a better quality of finish. Lime is plenty soft enough for whittling but does need more strength in the cutting stroke meaning control can be more difficult

The video is actually pretty good, though my knife technique is different from hers, but that is no surprise as no carver uses the same technique as any other, we all have our own quirks. I would suggest its a difficult project as a first carving. A paper knife or spoon is the traditional...

Regarding your particular problem, I will assume no knowledge, please ignore the bits you already know. Your knife is not acting as a knife in the cut you are making, it is a splitting wedge, a very sharp splitting wedge. You are seeking to control the split-out with a cut across the split...

Without watching the video I cant really comment, and figure carving is an intermediate or advanced skill, so perhaps the instructor had covered grain direction elsewhere. Joining a local group will speed up the learning process immeasurably, the British Woodcarving Association website should...

As Yoda says, control, learn control you must. Whittling is all about very small chips and tight control of the knife, large expansive strokes are only used for sharpening stakes, perhaps you are using too much energy in the cut and powering through the stop, also, how have you aligned the...