whittling
Shaping wood slowly
Whittling is the craft of carving wood with a knife, typically shaping small objects by cutting away thin shavings.
The activity suggests patient, unhurried work—someone on a porch whittling a stick.
Figuratively, to whittle something down is to reduce it gradually: Budget cuts whittled the program down to almost nothing.
Folding blade with handle
- bladeFlat cutting edge
- chiselEdged carving implement
- gougeConcave carving blade
- spokeshaveTool for curving wood
strop · whetstone · rasp · sandpaper · bench · vise · clamp · leather
Soft-wooded North American tree
- cedarDurable, fragrant conifer
- birchPale deciduous hardwood
- mapleSap-yielding hardwood tree
- pineCone-bearing evergreen
balsa · linden · willow · poplar · butternut · block · grain · bark
Recreational pursuit
- leisureFree time for relaxation
- relaxationState of being unwound
- patienceCalm during delays
- meditativeInclined toward deep reflection
campfire · porch · outdoors · pocket · portable · quiet · satisfying · creative
Engraved whale ivory art
- pyrographyDecorative burning on surfaces
- marquetryDecorative veneer patterning
- intarsiaDecorative inlaid pattern technique
- luthierStringed instrument craftsperson
cabinetmaker · joinery · turnery · fretwork · inlay · woodburning · carving
Wilderness survival skills
- handmadeCreated manually, not mechanically
- craftsmanshipSkill in making objects
- artisanSkilled manual tradesperson
- woodcarverOne who sculpts timber
knife
Sharp cutting utensil
chips · paring · carve · notch · gouge · sliver · incise · nick · taper · bevel
pocketknife
Folding blade with handle
spokeshave · strop · whetstone · rasp · sandpaper · bench · vise · clamp · leather · honing
basswood
Soft-wooded North American tree
pine · balsa · linden · willow · poplar · butternut · block · grain · bark · softwood
pastime
Recreational pursuit
- leisureFree time for relaxation
- relaxationState of being unwound
- patienceCalm during delays
meditative · campfire · porch · outdoors · pocket · portable · quiet · satisfying · creative · skill
scrimshaw
Engraved whale ivory art
- pyrographyDecorative burning on surfaces
- marquetryDecorative veneer patterning
- intarsiaDecorative inlaid pattern technique
luthier · cabinetmaker · joinery · turnery · fretwork · inlay · woodburning · carving
woodcraft
Wilderness survival skills
- handmadeCreated manually, not mechanically
- craftsmanshipSkill in making objects
- artisanSkilled manual tradesperson
woodcarver · handicraft · tradition · Appalachian · Scandinavian
figurine
Small ornamental sculpture
- caricatureExaggerated comic depiction
- spoonEating utensil for liquids
- totemSpiritual clan symbol
whistle · animal · bird · chain · walking-stick · ornament · miniature · puppet · decoy · chess-piece
- hobbiesknitting circles, skateboarding, model trains, write, writing
- pastimeshobbies, amusement, puzzles, cards, crafting
- craftssewing, knitting, painting, glue, scissors
- woodworkingwoodworking, wood, saw, hammer, drill
- cuttingslicing, slice, chopping, dice, dicing
- Folk Americanared barn, quilt, weathervane, covered wagon, log cabin
whittlingadding
Joining to increase
building · constructing · building up · assembling · molding
whittlingexpanding
Growing in scope
growing · enlarging · augmenting · accumulating · inflating
whittlingmachining
Subtractive metalworking process
industrial manufacturing · mass production · precision engineering
- whittling knifeSmall blade for woodcarving