Basswood for Wood Carving: Why Carvers Keep Coming Back to It

Ask a group of woodcarvers what wood they'd recommend to someone just getting started, and one answer will come up again and again.

Basswood.

There's a good reason for that.

Basswood is relatively soft.

The grain is fine and generally even.

It cuts cleanly with a sharp carving knife.

And it doesn't make you fight the wood every step of the way.

But I don't think basswood should be thought of as just a beginner's wood.

I've been around woodcarvers for a lot of years, and plenty of experienced carvers continue using basswood long after they could carve just about anything they wanted.

They use it for a simpler reason.

It's good carving wood.

What Is Basswood?

American basswood is Tilia americana, a hardwood tree native to a large portion of eastern and central North America.

You may also hear it called American linden.

And here's something that can be confusing when you're first learning about wood:

Basswood is technically classified as a hardwood.

But the wood itself is relatively soft.

That's because the terms hardwood and softwood refer primarily to the type of tree, not simply how hard the wood feels under your knife.

Basswood comes from a deciduous broadleaf tree, so it's a hardwood.

It just happens to be a fairly soft one.

Why Is Basswood So Popular for Wood Carving?

Put a sharp carving knife into a good piece of basswood and the answer becomes pretty obvious.

It cuts easily.

That's important, but there's more to it than softness.

Basswood also tends to have a fine, relatively uniform texture with grain that isn't particularly dramatic.

For a carver, that combination is useful.

You're not constantly fighting large pores, wild grain, or extreme differences between hard and soft growth.

Your knife can concentrate on making the cut you're asking it to make.

That's one reason basswood is so forgiving.

Basswood Is Soft—but Not Mushy

Calling basswood "soft" can give the wrong impression.

Good carving basswood isn't like cutting foam.

There's still enough substance there to give the knife feedback.

That matters.

You want the cutting edge to enter the wood predictably without requiring excessive force.

At the same time, you want the wood to support the detail you're trying to create.

That's part of what makes basswood such a useful carving wood.

It's soft enough to work comfortably by hand but still capable of producing surprisingly crisp carving.

Does Basswood Hold Detail?

Yes.

Quite well.

That's another reason it isn't simply a practice wood.

With a sharp knife, basswood can hold:

• Facial features

• Eyes

• Hair

• Feathers

• Fur

• Clothing folds

• Lettering

• Decorative details

• Fine stop cuts

But there's an important phrase in there:

With a sharp knife.

Soft wood doesn't eliminate the need for a good cutting edge.

In fact, a dull knife can make soft wood look particularly bad.

Instead of slicing the fibers cleanly, the edge begins crushing and tearing them.

If your details start looking fuzzy, don't automatically blame the basswood.

Check your knife.

Basswood Is a Good Test of Sharpness

I like basswood for testing a carving edge.

Take a clean slice across the end grain.

Then look closely at the surface.

A properly sharpened knife should leave a clean, smooth cut.

If the surface looks fuzzy or torn, something may be happening at the cutting edge.

A small nick can even leave a track through the wood.

That's one reason basswood shows up frequently when I talk about sharpening.

It's not just easy to carve.

It gives you good feedback about your edge.

Basswood Still Has Grain

Basswood's grain may be subtle, but don't make the mistake of thinking it doesn't matter.

Every piece of wood has grain.

And you still need to learn how to read it.

Cut in one direction and the knife may glide through the wood.

Turn around and make the same cut from the opposite direction and the fibers may begin lifting ahead of the blade.

That's the wood telling you something.

Change direction.

Woodcarving gets considerably easier once you stop trying to force the wood to cut in the direction you originally had in mind.

Learning to Read the Grain

One of the best habits you can develop as a carver is paying attention to what happens immediately in front of the cutting edge.

If the fibers stay down and the cut leaves a smooth surface, things are probably going well.

If the fibers begin lifting and splitting ahead of the knife, stop.

Approach the cut from another direction.

Sometimes that means turning the carving around.

Sometimes it means changing the angle of the knife.

Sometimes it means working toward the same area from the opposite side.

The wood will tell you.

You just have to pay attention.

Deepwoods Tip

When a cut starts tearing, don't solve the problem by pushing harder.

Stop and change direction.

More pressure usually turns a small grain problem into a bigger one.

Straight Grain Makes Better Carving Wood

If I'm choosing basswood specifically for carving, I prefer clean, straight-grained material.

Look at the grain direction along the block.

The more predictable it is, the more predictable your carving will generally be.

Wild grain isn't necessarily unusable.

But it makes the carving more complicated.

For a beginner especially, straight-grained basswood removes another unnecessary challenge.

Learn to carve predictable wood first.

There will be plenty of time later to argue with difficult grain.

What About Knots?

I avoid them when possible.

A knot is essentially where a branch grew from the tree.

The grain around it changes direction and becomes considerably less predictable.

The wood may also become harder around that area.

Can you carve through a knot?

Sure.

But unless that knot is somehow part of what you're trying to create, I don't see much reason to make life difficult.

When buying carving blocks, look for clean stock without knots, checks, or obvious defects.

Does Basswood Have Much Figure?

Usually not.

If you're looking for dramatic grain, basswood probably isn't the first wood you're going to choose.

And for carving, that's often an advantage.

Highly figured wood can be beautiful.

But figure usually means the fibers aren't running in one nice, predictable direction.

They twist.

Turn.

Curl.

Change direction.

That's part of what creates the beautiful appearance.

It's also part of what can make figured wood more difficult to carve.

Basswood's relatively quiet grain lets the carving itself provide the visual interest.

Dry Basswood vs. Green Basswood

Moisture content changes the way wood carves.

Freshly cut—or green—wood generally cuts more easily because it contains considerably more moisture.

As wood dries, it becomes firmer.

Most basswood carving blocks sold for traditional carving are dried.

That's normally what I would recommend for someone learning conventional knife carving.

Dry, properly seasoned basswood is predictable and dimensionally more stable than freshly cut material.

Green wood has its place, particularly in spoon carving and other forms of green woodworking.

But that's a different style of carving with its own considerations.

Why Do Basswood Blocks Sometimes Crack?

Wood shrinks as it dries.

And it doesn't shrink equally in every direction.

If a thick piece of basswood dries too quickly or unevenly, stresses can develop and checks or cracks may form.

The ends of a block can be particularly susceptible because moisture can leave through the end grain relatively quickly.

That's why properly drying carving stock matters.

How Should You Store Basswood?

Keep your carving stock reasonably dry and away from extreme changes in temperature and humidity.

I wouldn't store good carving blocks directly on a damp concrete floor.

I also wouldn't leave them sitting next to a wood stove or another strong heat source.

Give air a chance to circulate.

And if you've brought wood from a substantially different environment, give it some time before expecting it to be completely settled.

Basswood is fairly stable once dry, but it's still wood.

It still responds to moisture.

Is Basswood Good for Beginners?

Yes.

It's probably the wood I would recommend first for someone learning traditional knife carving.

Not because beginners need "easy" wood.

Because beginners need wood that allows them to concentrate on learning good technique.

A new carver has enough to think about without fighting oak.

Start with basswood.

Learn how a sharp knife feels.

Learn slicing cuts.

Learn stop cuts.

Learn grain direction.

Learn how much pressure you actually need.

Then try other woods.

You'll appreciate their differences much more once you have something familiar to compare them with.

Is Basswood Good for Spoon Carving?

You can carve a spoon from basswood.

But if I'm specifically interested in traditional green-wood spoon carving, basswood wouldn't necessarily be my only choice.

Spoon carvers commonly work with a variety of freshly cut hardwoods depending on what's available locally and what they want from the finished spoon.

Basswood's strength is really its versatility as a hand-carving wood.

For figure carving, caricatures, relief work, practice pieces, and detailed knife work, it's hard to argue with.

Does Basswood Dull a Carving Knife?

All carving eventually affects an edge.

But clean basswood is relatively friendly to a properly sharpened carving knife.

What causes more trouble is what's in or on the wood.

Dirt.

Sand.

Bark.

Mineral contamination.

And wood that has been sanded.

Those materials can contain or introduce abrasives that are considerably harder on your cutting edge than clean wood fibers.

That's why I don't like going back and forth between sanding and carving.

Carve first. Sand later.

Buying Basswood for Carving

If you're buying basswood specifically for hand carving, I'd look for:

• Straight grain

• Fine, even texture

• No knots in the carving area

• No visible checks or cracks

• Properly dried wood

• Enough material around your pattern

• Grain orientation appropriate for the project

Don't get too hung up on finding a visually perfect block.

You're going to cut most of it away.

What matters is what the grain is doing inside the piece.

Carving Blocks vs. Lumberyard Boards

Can you buy basswood at a lumberyard and carve it?

Certainly.

But carving blocks sold by a reputable carving supplier have an advantage.

Somebody has already selected and prepared the wood with carving in mind.

That can save you quite a bit of sorting.

If you're buying rough lumber, learn to inspect grain direction and defects.

You may get considerably more material for your money.

You'll also be responsible for deciding which parts of that board make good carving stock.

That's not necessarily a bad thing.

Learning to choose wood is part of learning to carve.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is basswood good for wood carving?

Yes. American basswood is soft, light, fine textured, and easily worked with hand tools. Its relatively subtle grain and carving characteristics make it one of the most widely used woods for hand carving.

Is basswood good for beginner woodcarvers?

Yes. Basswood allows a beginner to concentrate on knife control, slicing technique, grain direction, and other fundamental carving skills without fighting an unnecessarily hard or difficult wood.

Is basswood a hardwood or softwood?

Basswood is botanically a hardwood because it comes from a deciduous broadleaf tree. However, the wood itself is relatively soft compared with many other hardwood species.

Does basswood hold fine detail?

Yes. Properly dried basswood can hold very good detail when carved with a sharp tool. It is widely used for figures, caricatures, relief carving, birds, ornaments, and other detailed work.

What does basswood grain look like?

American basswood generally has a straight, indistinct grain with a fine, uniform texture. Its relatively quiet grain is one reason it works well for carvings where the carved form rather than the grain pattern is intended to dominate.

Should basswood be carved green or dry?

Either is possible, but most prepared basswood blocks used for figure, caricature, relief, and similar carving are dried. Green basswood cuts more easily but changes dimension as it dries.

Why is my basswood difficult to carve?

Not every piece of basswood has exactly the same density or moisture content. Grain direction also matters. Before blaming the wood, check that your knife is properly sharpened and try changing the direction of the cut.

Can you carve basswood with a knife?

Absolutely. Basswood is particularly well suited to knife carving. A sharp carving knife can make clean slicing cuts and produce fine detail in properly selected basswood.

Is basswood good for painted carvings?

Yes. Basswood's light color and relatively unobtrusive grain make it particularly well suited to carvings where paint will provide much of the final color and visual detail.

• Continue Reading

  Continue exploring Sharpening & Knife Care in The Deepwoods Handbook:

  • When to Strop vs. Sharpen a Carving Knife

  • Choosing the Right Strop

  • Stropping and Sharpening Compounds

  • Diamond Sharpening Stones

  • Ceramic Sharpening Stones

  • Protecting Your Wood Carving Knife Edges