Whittling is more than just a creative expression. If you have to leave your home with only one bag of supplies, tools are always better than stuff. Supplies can break and get used up, but tools can make new essential supplies. If you know how to whittle, you can make eating utensils like bowls and spoons. You can make tool handles and comfort items like furniture and a bed. Knowing how to whittle makes shelter building easier. You can make a fishing rod and hooks to feed yourself. You can also make weapons like, bows, arrows, spears, and others. Homesteaders looking for extra income can make a handsome income on whittling skills.

Whittling is also a great activity to get the kids involved. They will be so proud of the items they can create. They get valuable lessons on using knife blade edges. This inexpensive hobby is a great way to craft, create and learn valuable survival skills.

The first thing you will need is a knife. CarvingFun.com has an excellent article, Best Whittling Knives, with in-depth reviews of options available. Based on the Rockwell hardness scale, the steel should be between 58 & 62. Helvis are elite knives, and even though they are expensive for whittling knives, $35-$55, they do an excellent job. Deepwoods Venture knives are quality knives that can take a little more abuse. Flexcut is the most prolific brand and produces great starter knives. Pocket knives are also a great idea. They can easily fit in your bug-out bag. Flexcut Whittling Jack is an excellent whittling pocket knife with a roughing and detail knife. If you have a Marakniv knife, you already own a tremendous whittling tool.

Now that you have a knife, you need some wood. Softwood, like Pine or Cedar, is a great place to start. You can collect wood from outside or gather scraps from a construction site. If you want to start with a harder wood, Basswood is a quality wood. Ensure the wood is dry, or you may have cracks in your finished project. You should also avoid wood with too many knots unless you plan on working it into your design.

As a beginner, you should go slow. Knives are sharp and can be very dangerous. You can also buy whittling gloves that are cut-resistant. No Cry Cut are the suggested gloves for this task. I would recommend having an extra pair in your go-bag. Cuts, especially on the hands, can get infected and present a deadly situation in a survival scenario.

There are four basic cuts. The sweeping cut is precisely that. It sweeps away from you in a smooth motion. The Stop cut is where you dig directly into the wood and then cut in to meet the first cut. Use a  Vee cut for mouths and eyes. You cut in two 45-degree angles that meet at a center point. The Pyramid cut is the final cut, and you cut four angled cuts into the wood that meet in the center.

The sky is the limit as far as what you want to craft. A spoon is a great place to start. Drawing out your design is suggested so that you have a game plan as you proceed. Sandpaper does the final refining. You should start with an 80 and end with a 220 grain. Flax seed oil is a great wood oil that is food safe.