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I just got a nice little whittling knife, and having watched all those Wayne Henderson vids on YouTube, I'm thinking of using it to carve necks rather than using a spoke-shave, files and rasps, etc.

I just wondered how many others do it this way? For me, it feels more intimate and enjoyable. Not that I've tried to do a whole neck yet!

A little whittling knife might just take you a lot longer than you think. Good drawknife is more appropriate. I use a large 30 mm Pfeil knife for parts of the heel. Nothing wrong with using a spokeshave or a rasp for that matter. Those far eastern wooden 'contour' planes are very nice to use.

Thanks for the input guys, I'll get a draw knife and see if I prefer it to the spokeshave I've been using. Not sure I want to get into contoured planes and the like just yet.

Last time, I used the rasp more than the spokeshave. I do wish I'd have had this knife for fine tuning the neck though!

I use to use a belt sander, spindle sander, carving knives and chisels to get the job done. Now I mostly use a band saw to get an oversized profile and a good rasp to finish it off, with some spindle sanding for the head stock and the heel curve. It works well for me.

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Joe Beaver
Maker of Sawdust

A whittling knife would be good if you want to spend days carving the neck. My Microplane tools get the job done in about 15 minutes.

I dunno about days. Probably a few hours anyway. I dunno how fast you can whittle
I use a 3/4" chisel for about 80% of it. Then a rasp and files to smooth the curves and alot of sand paper

Draw knife, belt sander. 10 minuits tops.

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Sounds like the whittling knife should probably be left for refining rather than carving. Fair enough.
Nice buy anyway. I'm having fun with it.

And, blimey! 10 minutes, Padma!? I took half a day carving the last one. Paranoid about going too far too fast.

I'll have to list out what I have and get some suggestions as to what electric sander I should get next. Actually, here's the list: A three inch belt sander. The end. Maybe a spindle sander would be good? I'm building a thickness sander in the next few weeks. Got all the parts, just need the time.

Last one I did the rough shaping with chisels followed with some rasp and file work. I used to carve so I found it quite enjoyable.

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Steve Smith
"Music is what feelings sound like"

About the only thing I can do in 15 minutes is decide what I'm going to do next.

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Joe Beaver
Maker of Sawdust

Well is like dis...me carved me first neck when me was 16...that was over fifty years ago.

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Audiences and dispensations on Thursdays ~ by appointment only.


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Lot's of valid ways to shape a neck. I do 90% of the work with a knife, then do some refining with a spoke shave and scrapers, and finally hand sanding. I'm working on Spanish heels so there's a guitar attached to hold onto, and it's easy to move things around, and get the right angle. The whittling part goes very quickly. It's final sanding that I find tedious. All of the Paracho builders that I've met do most of the shaping with a knife.

I think you could carve a neck in well under 10 minutes if you do all the shaping with a drawknife. . . .

Hi Michael, I'm hoping to build my next guitar in about two months, so doing the neck in ten minutes isn't really something I'm aiming for just yet! I'll definitely get a draw knife though, I have a feeling I'll prefer it to the spoke-shave.

And Padma, That would explain it! If only one could transfer 50 years of knowledge and experience from one person to another! Just goes to show how useful these forums are though, doesn't it? To be able to draw on any of your years of experience is a huge boon to someone like me! I wonder if Torres would have joined up and shared his experience?

All the very best!
Nick

I wouldn't think of a knife as a refining tool in this instance. I'd think of it as a roughing out tool, and you have already read several cases made for draw knives, etc. The problem with a knife as a refining tool is that it will be difficult to take a long shaving of consistent depth with it. And short shavings are...well...SHORT. When refining, you want long, straight surfaces. I personally use a spoke shave to rough out, then a long sanding block between heel and tuning head, and I use it perpendicular to the neck axis. This ensures straight lines all along the neck. Then some fine sanding WITH the grain to remove previous sanding scratches, etc. That's just me. I'm not on a production schedule, so I'm not in a hurry. All of these recommended methods work well for the folks who are using them.

Thanks for this discussion. I just ordered a cheap spokeshave to have a try at carving.
I completed a Tele neck last weekend made of Mesquite.
I used a palm sander, rasp, sanding block, and emery cloth.
Ever try sanding Mesquite? Took me the good part of a very hot day in the shop to finish.

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