age to start a kid chip carving?

[iclark]

Lee Valley has an interesting chip carving kit for Christmas ornaments
here

I have an 8yo great nephew who is really good at assembling advance lego vehicles, but I have not spent any time with him in the shop.

Any thoughts on age-appropriate guidance for chip carving. The family members around him have all done some woodworking (largely turning) but none of them have experience at carving.

Alternatively, I also have a copy of the Swiss Army Knife book on whittling for when one of the great-nephews gets old enough and shows some interest.

I am 800mi away and have little personal experience at carving or whittling.

thanks for your thoughts.

[Timberwolf]

Lee Valley has an interesting chip carving kit for Christmas ornaments
here

I have an 8yo great nephew who is really good at assembling advance lego vehicles, but I have not spent any time with him in the shop.

Any thoughts on age-appropriate guidance for chip carving. The family members around him have all done some woodworking (largely turning) but none of them have experience at carving.

Alternatively, I also have a copy of the Swiss Army Knife book on whittling for when one of the great-nephews gets old enough and shows some interest.

I am 800mi away and have little personal experience at carving or whittling.

thanks for your thoughts.

................
I think I would check with his parents and get their "feel" for it, Ivan...because I have never met a woodcarver who hasn't gotten cut with one of their knives..His mom might panic at the thought of her son being hurt with an extremely sharp knife...I have used knives almost all my life and I remember one cut on my thumb taking ten stitches to close the wound.

[branchacctg]

If you do get the carving set, also get those gloves that prevent cuts (maybe it is in the set).

[msweig]

I think I'd be a bit leery. I haven't done chip carving, but some of those photos show holding the work while pulling the knife towards you. That takes both strength and coordination, and I don't think an 8 yo would be there yet.

Yes, you could get a small pair of the cut gloves, but I don't know how much of the feedback they would inhibit. I know when I use those gloves sometimes when doing small scale stuff in the kitchen I have a tendency to use them on my non-dominate hand only.

At least with whittling you are generally cutting away from yourself. Might be a better place to start to work on fine motor control.

[iclark]

thanks for the inputs. lots of good points raised.

His mom is a pediatric nurse practitioner who I have no desire to get mad at me.

I wouldn't give it to him without consulting his parents first, but I asked here first. I wanted y'all's input before bringing it up with them.

The chip carving discussion will wait. I will discuss pocket knives and whittling with the parents when I get a chance.

[CStan]

Bad cut waiting to happen.  He would have to have superb motor skills at age eight... and then there would still be cuts, because all woodworking involves a cut every now and then even for highly skilled adults.  You don't want to scare him away from it for good.

[tomsteve]

8 is plenty old enough to start carving.  teach em right. let em bleed if it happens. teach em why it happened. don't raise a wimp.

[Bill Holt]

I have no experience with carving, buy I suspect cuts are fairly common and some might be serious.  My take...8 could be early for carving.  "A dull knife is a dangerous knife".  So, sharpening could be an issue. 

On the other hand, I receiver a 22 rifle and a three-blade pocketknife on my 8th birthday.  The center blade was always razor sharp (for castrating calves).  Now 79, no more castrating, but still carrying a three blade, razor sharp pocketknife.

[Timberwolf]

I have no experience with carving, buy I suspect cuts are fairly common and some might be serious.  My take...8 could be early for carving.  "A dull knife is a dangerous knife".  So, sharpening could be an issue. 

On the other hand, I receiver a 22 rifle and a three-blade pocketknife on my 8th birthday.  The center blade was always razor sharp (for castrating calves).  Now 79, no more castrating, but still carrying a three blade, razor sharp pocketknife.

...................
Rather than age, I think it is more a matter of maturity...it depends on the boy.......A dull knife is dangerous, but a "sharp knife cuts deep"...... I think whittling is more "risky" than chip carving because the object to be carved is usually held in the hand...not so for chip carving.