I dug part of a dead Dogwood tree root in the yard. It's got a real unique look to it and I thought about carving on it something when it dries. Without dulling my hunting knives can anyone suggest a decent starter wood carving knife just piddle with?

Hit up your local Hobby Lobby if you have one....

Flexcut has some quality carving tools. I also have a few whittling jack knives that I like.

Dremel

Good luck, as dried Dogwood is hard as nails.

Yea I had to cut it out to plant and I ruined a chainsaw chain cutting it up when it died. I have no expectations just wanted to shed the bark and go from there.

Opinel. They are only about $10. Lots of different sizes.

any quality scandi grind knife can handle dried dogwood. it's all about edge geometry. there a big difference between wood carving sharp, and sharp. a "sloyd" type is best for detail work. doesn't have to be expensive. oh, i start my large spoons by gross shaping with a quality small axe. again, it's all about edge geometry ...

Thanks guys I learned something new.

This, yes. Bought one on the way to Point Reyes last year at Cowgirl Creamery and it's a great knife. I think it was $8. Opinel has a bunch of sizes in locking and non-locking folders.

Drive to woodcraft in Pelham. Get started there. I have a very good friend who carves for a hobby and he's damned good at it. He'd show you the ropes in a new york second if you can spare a few hours one evening to come sit with him. He carves something most nights he's at the fire station if it's slow enough.

My observations. Don't buy crap knives. Buy one good one if that's all you can afford. Don't waste time on junk. Sharpen at least as often as you carve, or more often.

Use wet wood, don't wait for it to dry. David can show you how to select wood and keep it wet enough to carve. PM me if you're interested. We don't work far from you and I don't live far either. I can fire up my fire pit, buy a bottle of bourbon and get ya'll together at my place to learn.

Besides democracy it's one of the few things the French got right.

Walter Sorrels on YouTube explains Scandi grinds well.

Y'all just had to go and point out those Opinel knives didn't ya. Those are pretty damn nice and I like knives. Probably be adding 1 or 2 of them to the pile.

Hell sign me up for that class.

Thanks for the feedback guys and thanks for the offer FFP if I get serious, I'll take you up on it. This is the piece I dug up. Gus the landshark my old Lab helped me dig so I cleaned it and gave it to him to chew on. He lost interest and I looked at it and it reminded me of a miniature castle that JR Tolkien would have envisioned.

Nice wood

Thanks Bro. I was hoping you'd be proud. Best I've done in about 5 years without pills!

You might could whiddle this castle out of it.

I'm betting it's got some spalting in it.