New author whittles away his time

There is more to a piece of wood then what meets the eye, according to Bruce Totman.

The avid whittler and carver said he enjoys shaping wood into whatever he imagines is hidden within.

He has spent more than 20 years working with wood, while sitting on his porch or in his fishing boat. So when he sat down to write a book on the subject, he said it came relatively easily.

“I worked on the book on and off for almost two and a half years. I found I knew most of what I wanted to write so I did not have to do a lot of research for it.”

The life-long Espanola resident and power engineer will sign his book, A Beginner’s Guide To Whittling, at Chapters, on The Kingsway, May 16 from 1-4 p.m. The book is 50 pages in length and was published in New York by iUniverse in 2009.

“I will have copies of my book for sale and I will be demonstrating whittling for people,” he said.

Totman, 50, has been whittling and carving on and off for decades, he said. His experience with knives goes back to his youth, when he was in Boy Scouts, and from his dad.

While whittling involves just the use of a knife, carving can involve an additional set of tools, he explained.

While walking through the bush, he picks up the various pieces of wood he comes across. He also receives scrap wood from various family members or friends who are working on projects.

He advised beginners should start by creating a curved piece of work — a dolphin or fish — out of a piece of wood.
“There is not a lot of detail needed in making them.”

Over the years, he has crafted a small two and a half foot dugout canoe, which he now uses as a planter, a short totem pole he made for friends and figures of butterflies carved into the face of the wood.

Totman said he enjoys the hobby because it is simple and inexpensive. “It starts with a knife — preferably a pocket knife — that you feel comfortable with.”

A good pocket knife can cost up to $45, he said. “The best knife is one a person is already familiar with through previous use. For example, one used as a camping tool for cutting rope or making marshmallow or hot dog sticks.”

Keeping the knife sharp is equally important. He recommended a knife sharpening kit.

“You can get a good kit with a medium stone for about $20 in the tool sections at hardware stores.”

He prefers an oil or whetstone when sharpening his knife.

“This is not a wet stone as some may think. Whet is an old English word for stone. You put oil on the stone for lubrication. It helps to collect the bits of stone while the sharpening takes place.”

For safety sake, Totman recommended wearing a light leather glove when whittling or carving, in case the knife slips.

“It provides protection from slips and it doesn’t interfere with handling the wood. Gloves are available with a Kevlar coating on the face.”

Choosing the right wood can make a difference, he said. “I know that carvers in the Sudbury area will use basswood. It is softer and easier to work with and has an even grain.”

As for himself, he uses mostly pine.

“It has a definite grain. The grain is very nice to look at and is easy to sand down with sandpaper.”

On the other hand, cedar, while it smells great, is hard to work with, Totman noted.

“(The knife) tears out (chunks) very easily. You need your knife to be kept very sharp.” Cedar will crush if too much pressure is put on the piece.

Hardwood, while tougher to work with, can have a great finish, that is brought out by sanding.

Totman said people might be surprised to know how many individuals are interested in whittling and carving wood.

Totman’s book is available online through Amazon.com, at Chapters, and at IDA in the Espanola Mall. The book retails for $12.95. “I have even found it being purchased as far away as Turkey and Greece,” he said.

In fact, he said half his book sales have been in Europe. “There is real tradition of carving and working with wood in Europe. So this does not surprise me.” Totman has another book signing event June 12, at Coles in the New Sudbury Centre, from 1-3 p.m.