I carved a whale

[Welsh_Whittler]

Carving a whale. It's made of European Lime. It's going to be a gift for a new born in the family. Their first knick-knack.

Might finish it with Danish oil. What do you think?

 

[Cobbs]

Carving a whale. It's made of European Lime. It's going to be a gift for a new born in the family. Their first knick-knack.

Might finish it with Danish oil. What do you think?View attachment 194857

I think the short grain on the tail may become a problem, but show us when it's finished...

 

[Welsh_Whittler]

I think the short grain on the tail may become a problem, but show us when it's finished...

You make a good point. The point between the tail and the body does feel very weak. I am considering cutting it off and carving a separate tale and hiding the joint.
Its for a baby so I don't expect them to notice the mend or think they could have done it better.

 

[Phill05]

Carving a whale. It's made of European Lime. It's going to be a gift for a new born in the family. Their first knick-knack.

Might finish it with Danish oil. What do you think?

As it's for a baby be mindful how smooth and what finish you put on it as the first thing he/she will do is put it in it's mouth.

 

[Steliz]

Is this meant to be a joke?

 

[Welsh_Whittler]

Is this meant to be a joke?

Hi, im not sure what you are referring to sorry.

The projects not a joke, it's a cartoon style whale I carved. Its made of European Lime. I was considering finishing it with Danish oil but am now thinking Bees wax.

When i said in the previous post that I didn't think a baby would be able to spot the mend or say they could do better that was a joke though. Basically I was saying a baby wouldn't be able to tell what it was and that they wouldn't yet have the ability to speak.

I don't think Phill05 is joking saying to be careful of the edges.

Can I ask what you were questioning?

 

[Cobbs]

In fairness, I doubt Grinling Gibbons was born with the ability to carve - it's a learning curve and we're all at different points along that curve...

 

[Steliz]

A babies first reaction to anything is to put it in it's mouth so I'm questioning why you think giving a baby a rough piece of wood with splinters sticking out of it and coated in a non-food safe finish is a good idea.

 

[Welsh_Whittler]

Oh I see. That's a fair question.

The whale will be their first knick knack. Something to go on the shelf in their nursery and hopefully be an ornament they keep for a few years. Its not intended as a toy but I can see how you might of thought that's what I meant.

I was lead to believe Danish oil was food safe? Is this not true? I'm honestly asking since I have finished my spoons and spatulas with it and would hate to be accidentally poisoning people.

 

[Jake]

Danish oil (and BLO, so-called 'boiled' linseed oil, constituent part of a Danish oil) have drying additives in them to catalyse the hardening/polymerisation - these are heavy metal salts - generally cobalt compounds.

 

[stuckinthemud]

You’re not the only one who thought BLO is food safe, and I’ve been carving for very many years, so I wondered if way back when I started, BLO was considered food safe but things have moved on and I have not. A little digging shows this is not clear cut but depends on the manufacturer for the use of metals. However, once cured it is not an issue according to pretty much every post I could find. The internet picture is not entirely clear but on balance BLO seems to be non-toxic

 

[stuckinthemud]

Your little whale will be very cute, though I would tidy up the final knife cuts a little, and will be much appreciated. Well done

 

[Doris]

Sand, sand and sand again before you treat him with anything. You want to remove as much of the imperfections as you can. You have a bit of tearing of the grain here and there around the mouth which could be sanded out.

I've always felt lime has a very dull colour myself but does take paint very well. I tried beeswax on a carving and never again. Any bits you hard to reach areas with the sander will be brought out with the beewax. Linseed oil is far more forgiving for a beginner.

Having said that if its a babies toy then I would be even more inclined to paint it than oil it. I agree with other members who have said about the tail. If it's for a baby as a toy that will easily break away etc. If you mend it you need to make the mend look like a feature or simple paint over it with a child friendly paint. I think Axminster sell them.

Failing all that you could just finish it in whatever you wanted and give it to the parents so it could sit in the nursery on a shelf out of harms way of the child. I did that with a Puffin once.