Whittling my way to proficiency

and creating magic fish

Whittling.

This has, over the last decade, become one of my biggest pastimes.

I’ve made spoons, spatulas and sprudles.

I’ve also made weird dragons and sea creatures.

A lot my time spent with a knife in my hand has resulted in magic wands.

Yep.

100% fully functional magic wands.

Essentially?

I’d get a piece of wood then mess around with it until something emerged from the grain.

Many of these are pretty spectacular.

And?

Entirely impractical for sale, display or personal use.

Recently though, I’ve wanted to make something to sell. I started carving folk art style fish out of old slab wood.

The wood is the perfect curved shape for a fish. The knots make natural eyes.

And all that time I ‘wasted’ whittling?

I was learning.

Sharpening, cuts, grains - I learned so much - so much that I can’t really articulate exactly what I know.

And?

I can keep my tools sharp.

Once I use them, something typically emerges.

This writing process is similar.

This is me whittling.

But once I get the chance to start telling stories as a tour guide?

All the work that I’ve put in here, one hour a day, it all pays off.

So, what are you doing?

What are you creating?

Don’t worry if it’s no good or won’t sell.

You’re not doing it for the end product.

You’re just getting to know your knives.

And once you have your processes sharp?

Who knows what you’ll create next!

Keep cutting, you fools!