3:40 Haha, I carve with hickory (mockernut) all the time and love it. Chips your chisels, dulls your knives faster than you can sharpen them, takes an eternity to make anything, but the quality of the end product is unparalleled. You can fit in the sharpest, tiniest details. Finishing a hickory carving feels like a real accomplishment.

I'm in the States but I don't have a Woodcraft store nearby so I go to Lowe's and I have typically used Poplar. Poplar does hold decent detail, at least for novice, it's soft enough to not hurt the hands, and it'll get you working on practice cuts and understanding the fundamentals of woodcarving without breaking the bank.

I started carving when living in New Hampshire. My first item was a Sandpiper made out of piece of Maple rescued from our campfire woodpile. I took forever... then I found air dried Eastern White Pine at a local saw mill. It was very good, Later we moved to Minnesota. I tried basswood from a couple of different craft store and woodworking store sources with mixed results. It wasn't until I attended a Harley Refsal class that I found air-dried Northern Minnesota Basswood. The northern woods grow at a slower rate thanothersh and the preferred method of harvesting is to cut in the winter, when the wood is the driest, and left to air dry. In the Spring the logs are cut into slabs, then cut into the desired dimensions. it is like carving a bar of soap compared to the other woods.

Hi everybody! I live in Finland, around here is very hard to come across linden(tilia cordata) aka basswood, but I found Aspen to be a good replacement. Pine is highly available... you can kick off the ground and cedar is sometimes foundable :) Have fun carving. Thanks Doug, always appreciate your videos!!!

First time watcher and newcomer to woodcarving, I’m just here to say that this man is amazing

This was a great video, Doug! I am very new to carving, so this understanding of woods helps immensely. On my property I have cedar, alder (lots of it), and what looks to be fir. From a recent storm we had a couple of cedar limbs that fell to the ground, and I have started to mill that up for my next whittling project. Thanks for sharing your experience!

The choice in wood. Great information. Thanks for the mention Doug

Hi, I'm a bowl turner on Oahu Hawaii. We get an incredible amount of beautiful tropical woods but no basswood. I checked with our local WoodCraft store and they had a small variety so I picked up some. Now to sharpen my knife and get busy.. Thanks Doug.

I'm loving these wood carving vids! You are in your element Doug! I have no desire to carve but your videos keep me captivated. When you are doing what you love, your light shines brightly... and even gives off that warm sunshine feeling to those around you. Thanks for sharing!

Thanks for the great videos! I am a beginner, and have only done a few carvings, but as I sat down to watch your snowman video, I had just peeled two carrots to snack on. I realized that a piece of carrot would make a great snowman. I also carved a couple of other things from carrot including a spoon. It was a good way to get some easy experience, with minimal time required.

Very educational, Doug! Love watching your video's! Keep up the good work.

Hey Doug I just found your channel while searching for wood carving videos as I’m new to carving videos. I watched 1 video & immediately subscribed to you bc it seems like you have every sort of video that I need being new to the hobby!!

Redwood from the North Coast. I like to carve Walking Sticks. That is how I got started.👍

I'm super super happy to have found your channel! I've just started whittling recently. It's been so super helpful. I'm from nova scotia! I've been carving using pieces of 2x2x8 pine from home depot. It's under 13.00 for 8 feet. I'd love to carve with some basswood but it only grows as close as new Brunswick from what I've been able to gather.

Thanks Doug for sharing such a wonderful piece of information. I've in my vicinity more poplar & pine & both found a mention in your video. Always looking forward to your new videos, keep going 👍

Another great video Doug, so much awesome info you give us all. Cheers from southern California my friend.

Great video Doug, very helpful

Absolutely love the videos Doug, you’re a huge inspiration in the world of whittling, carving, craftsmanship and wood art! In the UK I’ve found Silver Birch, Scots Pine and Spruce to be the easiest. Though for interesting results with hardwood I would recommend English Oak for it’s beautiful ivory-like burr and Rhododendron for holding detail (it makes an almost indestructible walking stick!)! Keep up the good work my friend!

Well done sir, appreciated. Winter's coming, this will be fun to explore.

Nice video Doug! So many different kind of the woods you can carve!👍

Great video Doug. Been using bass for a quite a few beginner carvings now but just made my 1st ornament out of pine and like you said it carves nice. I make a lot of utensils and such over the last few years out of hardwoods like walnut,cherry,maple and beech mainly done with the bandsaw and power sanding. Walnut cost the most but it takes less time per spatula to make so that’s what I’ve been liking the most and beech is way at the bottom as like you said before if I think I want to use beech I’ll hit myself in the forehead till I change my mind lol. Love the series your making as I want to keep learning.

My favorite wood to carve is maple very satisfying but harsh, it's everywhere but I switch to bass once my hands had enough lol . Thanks for your videos you . I watched 4 or 5 of your videos, now I carve everychance I get, thanks agin peace an love.

at 71 I have just started carving hoping it will keep my hands a bit supple well one hand anyway the other has been plated to stabilise it . I would like to say thank you for your time guess I will have to source what type of wood we have in Yorkshire , think the hardest is going to be finding those crooked pieces of wood 5/6 foot long to make walking sticks as my sticks are metal sure looking forward to learn this beautiful past time thanks again Tom Holland please keep these vids going.

Right on Doug! Appreciate what your doing. Cheers

Thanks for the video, Doug. I've always said you're a great teacher & going through the basics is going to help so many beginners. Heinecke Wood has the best basswood in the US. Always clean and tight grain.

Thanks Doug, nice easy to follow series and you're careful when saying what works for you that you leave room for the views of others...well done! Here in Southern Oregon we have White Pine that carves very nicely, soft but also the grain resists splitting away like cedar. Red Alder also works fine, just a bit harder. Also, Ponderosa Pine works very well for master cane carver Mike Stinnett over at Stinnett Sticks on YT.

Hello Doug. Thanks very much for all your videos. It's always a pleasure to view all your videos on your channel.

Your a great teacher ... Thanks for explaining and talk of all carving wood... Plus the tools for using. 👍

Loving the series. You are going through all the things I have wondered about. I have been thinking about getting into carving as it is something I have always wanted to try. I knew about the woods you use since I have been watching your videos for a long while now. However, it was really nice how you went through a few types and what they are like. Now to just get me some tools and some wood and give it a try.

Hi Doug, I carved waterfowl years ago & used Tupelo a number of times. I am able to find it in Burlington Exotic Woods... a shop to check out for sure. Great video again Sir!

I'm from Scotland and I am looking forward to starting wood carving . Your videos are just great 😃

THANK YOU very much for this episode. As a prospective carver, this is the info harder to obtain.

Thank you for this, Doug. Bass wood it is, then (probably easiest on the arthritis that is starting in my hands). Adding that to my Christmas wish list. :-) Looking forward to the safety video (already have safety gloves on my list).

Hey, a carver after my heart!.Your videos are informative and considerate, thanks! I started as a young teenager....63 now..no pro, but carving is next to heaven! lol. I used what I could ge my hands on.1x12 white pine shelving.Look specifically for fine grain. Did a ball and cage in high school wood shop from sweet gum. Sweet gum and white pine is fine, but basswood rules. Aspen is about as good as pine and bass. I have found good wood on pallets. Thought it to be aspen but probably bass. My genre is all kinds of animals and flowers in small the size of my hand.....elk, deer, bass bream, salmon, eagles, cardinals, hummingbirds, are a few....I burn, texture the scales, hair, and feathers.I have done a few wood spirits and Santa's. I'm down with Covid19 but am enjoying every comment. Thanks

My knife should arrive today.....can’t wait to start a project while following your videos. Thanks for all your help!! Liking what we watch from KY

Thanks Doug! I am new to this. Caught your first Livestream the other night. Thanks for that also! I can go through your back catalog and get many of the questions I have , answered.

I’m in New York, I like basswood first that I order from E bay . I also use poplar and pine , cedar that I can get out in my woods. I have tried apple and oak to hard for me to use to carve but did make nice wooden mallets. Tried maple but keep breaking out the nose or some other spots so don’t use anymore

Thank you! I checked out basswood at hobby lobby in Florida and YikE$$$! So happy to hear that pine is okay for beginners.

Hi Doug, I am just starting out in carving and also collecting vintage pocket knives and absolutely love your videos..I am waiting on some bass wood to arrive and really look forward to starting, I have watched hours of your videos as I have some down time recuperating from a recent back surgery. Anyway thank you for passing your knowledge on to all of us out here, I actually do leather work, carving wallets & motorcycle seats etc. Oh! I am an Aussie. Cheers.......Glenn.

Great work Doug.I really enjoy your approach to sharing. THANKS.😊You are a very good teacher.

Add: around here (home depot) stores have bins with "free cut-offs". I might have a look in these for the reason to cave... :D

I'm at the top of Vancouver Island in the Pacific Northwest. I've been using yellow cedar which carves like a dream, much less likely to tear and chip than red cedar.

Hi Doug Chris here from northern Louisiana, I'm a fairly new Carver (I've always whittled a little) but now working on developing it into a craft with furniture/architecture. Bass wood is phenomenal but pine is the biggest abundance around here along with cedar and cypress both easy when wet but can be a challenge when dry. Really looking forward to future videos. Thanks for the schooling!

Doug, i agree 100% i got the bright idea to do a carving using florida oak, i now have 7 stiches in my thumb, lol.😀

I bought a block of linden here about 6 times the amount of that one stick of bass wood you showed here in Switzerland 21 Franks a frank is the same as a US dollar.I have only seen it to buy at one place here. But Yes carves great. I started with pine but hard to get nice grained pine here.

I just ordered a carving knife :) Windsor, Ontario Will be taking a walk in the woods behind my house looking for some basswood.

Man I definitely learned some thing! Enjoying the series!

I’m a noobie at this, so thanks for a good grounding of knowledge to get started. Silver birch, pine and rhoddies are in abundance where I live on the west coast of Scotland. So thanks for taking the time to make the vid.

I live in Illinois and I mostly use Basswood . I recently bought some alder for 3.50 a board ft it carves really nice I think they call it the poor man's cherry! oh yeah thanks Doug your my favorite carving. you tuber!

I’m from Australia, I haven’t found any truly soft woods that carve well. I usually carve green native cherry.

Hi Doug, great videos. I’m in Ireland and I like to watch anything handcrafted and came across this quite by accident. I’ve never carved anything in my life but I cast and hand paint figurines. May take up carving after watching this.

Thoughtful, concise and well done. Basswood and butternut are my favorites. I believe shaker furniture was butternut because it was plentyfull. Carvings on antique furniture was from walnut.

Over here in the UK we have a reasonable selection, I am just in the process of beginning to carve so as yet have not got a favourite, that is why posts like this one Doug are informative and useful. I have a friend who is a tree surgeon and I usually ask him what he has been cutting lately and take my pick from him.

Hi, Doug et al, I am from the UK and getting basswood through Amazon is possible. I also have some UK lime but it is a lot harder to cut. To get a bulk delivery of wood at a better price I went to my local lumber yard and bought planed pine inch and half by inch and a half. It is red pine and is close-grained but cuts OK as a suitable UK alternative. I have also bought Chinese balsa wood posing as Bassa wood from Amazon and it cuts beautifully. You can get some great detail too. The balsa wood is soft but if you saw it in any way use a breathing mask or extraction. The dust is a bad irritant. Keep up the good work Doug. You inspired me to have a go and I am hooked.

Thank you again Doug another awesome video

Hey, I'm in the UK, just bought some of the basic tools a little while ago for when I'm sat next to the camp fire. This is just the channel I needed. Fantastic. Just made a spoon last week and turned out great. Used to whittle years ago but with no experience at all. Just made stuff up as I went along. My spoon turned out great but looking to do more elaborate things with the help of Doug and along with you guys. And of course I so need to get my first Kuksa carved lol

I learned from a woodcarver from Persia to use Kerosene when my carving wood is dry. It almost seems like it replaces the oil in the wood. I lived in the desert and even Basswood could be hard and dry. I was taught to brush the Kerosine on the day before. The smell evaporates in time. I found alcohol and water evaporated too quick. Kerosine can also be used to clean your carving.

I've been tinkering with the idea of buying a couple good carving knives, quality sharpening stones, making a strop, etc and starting. I wish I could just try it with one of my pocket knives but I'm no genius knife sharpener yet. I can sharpen chisels and my hatchet scary sharp though. Anyway, the point of this comment is to say that basswood was $8.99 for a relatively small piece at Menards (2"x4"x8") and I walked. LOL I enjoy your videos and am artistic so there's still hope for me to try it. Keep up the great work, Doug!

Thank you Doug! I'm just starting carving this winter - as soon as my garden freezes (right about now) and I get my fall work done. I'm lucky to live near Wightman lumber - theres a town near me here in NY state called "Butternut". I've painted for years and worked with clay - but since we moved out to the country, I've been itching to carve - first we had to build our house by hand and work with the land. Both Butternut and Basswood are available here - and this is my year to start! I'm enjoying your channel - thanks for the great tips and also for how carving fits into your life. Warm regards Jennie

Thank you, Doug! This really helps me getting started. Can't wait! Greetings from Germany!

I live in Tennessee. My favorite wood is basswood, but I am currently carving a wizard/santa on a 1" pine stick. I order my wood from Heinecke Brothers.

Hey Doug! I love your videos and your channel. You are such an honest, friendly guy. Thank you for your awesome service to the carving world. I too am in Canada (Vancouver Island). Where do you get basswood from, may I ask? Cheers!

Awesome video keep them coming. Appreciate what your doing.

Just what I wanted to see, I have some logs of poplar and glad to see it looks easy to carve - after asking tree surgeons for a piece of branch from a lime tree being cut down round the corner - over three days it took - and they didn't leave me a crumb! Thanks for demo!

I am from Germany, just started because of your videos. I finished my first wizard and it was nice to see what comes out of a block of wood and a bit of imagination. And bought my first helvie knife :) Started with basswood which I ordered online. The actual piece is a bit hard to carve but that's how it is. Next time I will have a look for the wood from the sawmill. Continue with your great work and stay healty! Cheers!

Thanks Doug(:

I'm new to carving. I started last winter thanks to your christmas tree and Snowman videos. Thanks for your time and efforts. I'm from St. Louis and have to order my wood.

I love this video! Nice work Doug.

Southeast Alabama and have greatly available, pine and buy bass wood.

From the USA. Great video, as usual, Doug. You are an inspiration to everyone from beginners to seasoned carvers. Thank you for that. I love cottonwood bark, but I also carve basswood, butternut, pine etc. I was given in trade a very large piece of mahogany that was like a tabletop size. I carved a beautiful eagle out of that piece. I also had a friend of mine make a memory box out of part of it. I carved memories in the box sides for my granddaughter of her and her father. We lost my son to suicide 9 years ago and I wanted something for her to keep memories of her father in. It turned out beautiful. I still have plenty of that piece left. Keep inspiring and teaching, I learn a lot from you.

Doug my name is David. I live in the Mountains of Tennessee. And I have watched every video you have made. I really have learned a lot from them. I have been carving for almost two years now and I enjoy it so much. I carve mostly on Pine wood because Basswood doesn't grow here on the mountain. Sometimes I get Basswood from Hobby Lobby and it has cracks in it and knots but sometimes I get some good Basswood and that is I really enjoy carving. I live on Disability and so I can't really afford to buy Basswood from some of the places that sell it in the North. But I really like your carving program and a lot of my carvings are copyediting from yours.hope you have a Great Day and have another CUP OF COFFEE. 👍😊

Thanks doug good tips on what wood to carve with i like your wood spirits im going to try one of those on a good cold day have a great day and the great video

Basswood is Lindetre in Nowegian. :-)

Thank you , Mr Doug .

My favorite is also basswood. I use to buy from a local carving store but they are out of business. Now I buy my bass wood from a saw / lumber yard the deals with exotic woods. I mill and cut it to size myself. A lot cheaper that way . I enjoy your videos and ideas for carving. Happy New to you all in Canada .

Hi Doug, great video again, thanks for sharing. I am from Turkey and started carving last year thanks to you. I can find every wood from timber shops but ı prefer to pick the woods up from nature or neighbourhood, like pine, birch, hornbeam and beech.

I have uploaded some carvings to my channel I try to carve realistic faces so it takes me 24 hours or more to carve but that's because I'm still learning also.

When are u going wit your buddy on a camping trip fishing miss that

I am from the West Coast (Washington State) so I started carving Douglas Fir, Western Red Cedar and, sometimes a Red Alder branch. Now I am retired in Northern Italy and don't know the local woods. So far most of my carving has been on the wood salvaged from two trees that we removed from the front yard, when we moved in. I think one is a type of Juniper and the other some sort of Pine. (maybe) The rest has been found wood. I take whatever I find left over from anyones roadwork or gardening. I have come to appreciate the challenge of carving unfamiliar woods. There are surprises; some bad but many are good. My point is: Do not be afraid to use whatever you can get! Each wood has it's own virtues and few woods are totally bad!

Hi Doug and everyone else watching these great videos! I tried my first carving last year and it came out ok. Allways wanted to try and after watching your videos i took a shot and wanted to say thank you so much!I used bass wood but wondering what the size of your bass wood was in the bundle. Thank you again for getting me to try and i really enjoyed it!

Well now I want to see a video with carving an egg.

Here in europe (Netherlands) we use basswood too, actually similar prices that you are paying.

Great video Doug! I am also in Canada...one of the other woods I like to carve is Diamond Willow. Nice to carve and you can get some really interesting colours.

I'm from the east slope of the Cascades in WA state. I have only done a handful of carvings all based on you tutorials. I used Aspen which grows right on my property. It seemed to work really well!

Hi,Doug,Love the hooded jersey.I have seen you wearing one before and asked my daughter to do one for me as she dabbles in doing tee shirts ect.Alas she got it wrong and instead of printing i carve she printed i crave.So now everyone keeps asking what am i craving for.It gets embarrasing

It isn't very easy to carve, but I really like the results I get with hedge.

Thanks Doug for theses video's which I have just come to this evening. I'm an outdoors/flyfisherman and spend a lot of time in the wild, forestry type places and around rivers where you find different types of trees and woods. I am usually in the West and south-west of the UK or the 'West Country' in which I am surrounded by Pine forestry, some Birch trees, Oak, Poplar and perhaps some willow and others. I see lots of fallen boughs and branches, logs of all sizes fallen on the ground and have often wondered what i could do with them. Wood is my all time favourite material (and a favourite subject in school lessons, now some 50 years ago) because it is so natural and eco-friendly and simply so nice to look at, feel and so on. Your video's have inspired me to 'have a go' at carving, so will be looking for some woods to bring back when I am next there and intend to buy maybe just two or three tools (rather than hundreds) as you suggest and go from there. Though if its anything like my fly tying kit (which began from a box of materials, but which has now grown into being stored in a complete writing bureau and draws) then who knows aha!..steve

am from the UK and also use pine and carved a cat for my Christmas tree, I just stared the hobby. Great videos it helps me alot, thank you. 🐈

Hardwoods give me thumb blisters so does liking your videos haha 😂

Thanks Doug, I am from Bahrain (Arabian Gulf) And I find it difficult to fine the type of wood you mention in the video But I will try and ones I get I will inform you Thanks again

Thanks again Doug! I use Basswood (usually from my local Woodcraft store) for my carved characters and any greenwood with a Mora for carving spoons.

Hi Doug. Once again a great video. I order all of my basswood from Heinecke. Excellent quality and great service.

love the videos, live in central states usa. i get my wood from new jersey. white cedar. try, it is the best cedar of the cedars. the smell is sweet and carves like a dream. this cedar is much different than main or southern states cedar. the cost is averaged around 2.50 and 3.50 a board foot. usa.

I have no interest in carving but I keep watching this series. Anyone else doing this?

Thank you for your time!!!

Hay Doug, I’m originally from the UK, but now live in northern Germany. I’m surrounded by huge forests full of oak. Basswood is my preferred wood for hand carving. I also carve with a chainsaw using oak, pine and ash as these are readily available to me on the door step. I can’t find anywhere near me that sells basswood. I have to buy it off Amazon. Love your videos Doug, very interesting and inspirational. Thanks Al.

Michaels craft store sells blocks of basswood

uk mostly pine out of pallets so free wood ;)

Brilliant video Doug thanks for sharing 👍

From Romania right here 😅. Nice video Doug! I enjoy each of them, keep going 👍🇨🇦🇷🇴