Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1898-06-02
THE 4RrOF THITTLING.
The Hest Kind of Knife and the Most Suit
able Woods TO Use.

... able Woods TO Use.
In the June st. Nicholas there is I'm
article on 1.-The Art of Whiting" by
i. l.. Robinson, in which tue author
says:
Several things are very necessary il
one wishes to get good results in whit.
Ting First of all, he must have a
knife with rather email and very
sharp blade. II Is not at all requisite
that il shall be high priced knife;
indeed, expensive knives are usually of
very hard steel, difficult to sharpen, and
so highly tempered that they are mucn
more brittle and not SO good for the
purpose as ono of moderate price. tbs
latter, it ia true, does not hold its edge
so well, hut, on tho other hand, is much
easier to keep in good condition. Every
boy should learn 10 sharpen his knife,
and should do it frequently. 1t ia not
necessary 10 grind the edge away upon
grindstone unless the blade ia very
dull indeed; hut it should be carefully
ruhbed upon a milestone or oiIstone.
Even smooth, fllt pebble Of some saty
rock may be successfully used as whet.
stone
In choosing piece Of wood for whit.
The hard woods are much prettier than
the soft kinds. and il one has good
stuck of patience and is content to
make slow progress, they are 10 be pre-
erred. Perhaps black walnut il the
best of the hard woods, Its grain ia
usually straight, and, when perfectly
dry, it is not nsarly so bard to cut as
oak or maple. 1t is only the heartwood
~ ha k,ln nj T. H.. -. D.,
black color, aud ia much used for fur
nituro and cabinet work. In the grow.
ing trse there is an outer layer of sap
| wool, as it lie called, which is quite as
white as maple. This white layer 10 IA
| good sized tree may be an inch or sven
more iu thickness, and is sharply con
| traated with the dark heart wood. In
a lumber yard where black walnut il
kept, it iB often possible to find boards
or blocks which have both kinda OF
wood in them, and, il they are used 10
carving, this natural contrast in the
color of the wood may be used to give
very pretty effects; indeed, a sort Of
wood cameo can bs made from them,
tha white sap-wood bsing used for the
| figures, and the dark heart woou below
forming the background. This sort of
work, however, IL more in the line UI
carving than whiting, and ia rather
difficult for the beginner, especially ne
the sap wood is harder than the heart
wood.
Uf other hard woods the butternut
and cherry may be mentioned az
j especially attractive in color and grain.
Some kinds Of wood, too, which are
seldom used for lumber or cabinet
work, but are still abundant enough ir
our forests, especially in tho Middle
States, will repay boy for experiment
Ing upon them. Thus tha coffee nut
tree has a very pretty brown wood with
a fine grain. The Usage orange. SO otter
cultivated for hedges. has beautifu
yellow wood, taking high polish, blu
Ut il SO hard that il is very difficult tt
uae. The oaks and naples are also TOT
tough and hard to work conveniently
Indeed, II boy wishes to make rapit
progress, he had beiter be content
especially in his fret few efforts, will
the soft woods. These are pine, ii
and spruce or, as the Germans cal
them, from the SHAPE of their leaves
the needle wouds. For our purpose
the BEST wood Of all is a straight
grained piece of white pine, well dried
but free from the cracks 90 likely t
como from rapid seasoning.