Whittling or wood carving is a great activity for resourceful people who wish to transform any piece of wood into a useful everyday attribute like a spoon, a spatula, or an art masterpiece like different figurines, toys, or other objects.
It doesn’t matter if you are a professional wood carver or just a beginner; you should have the right tool for your better work.
Can any knife be a whittling knife?
Any knife can be a whittling knife if it has sharp edges to cut into the wood easily and make different wood objects and shapes.
In other words, an ideal whittling knife should have a short, sharp blade for better control and a convenient wood handle with an ergonomic design for better holding.
What kind of knife is best for whittling?
Special whittling knives are the best for carving, especially if you make small, detailed cuts while creating figurines. These kinds of wood carving knives suit ideally for efficient and accurate cuts and a following perfect product as a result.
Specialty whittling knives mostly have one fixed blade, and they do not fold. Fixed blades are sturdy and serve longer. Any knife for whittling often includes a curved handle that makes it even more comfortable when whittling for a longer period.
But there are some drawbacks: you can’t carry it everywhere with you without having special boxes, covers, or something like that.
Besides, it’s not enough to have only one knife for whittling; you should have several of them.
So, this can be expensive enough, especially if they are brand-created.
Here is the solution: choose any whittling pocket knife instead. You’ll have the same result. Besides, pocket knives are so different with so many functions that you can use them for several purposes. Moreover, they are always at hand.
Is a pocket knife good for whittling?
Yes, pocket knives are as good for whittling as any special wood carving knife. The only problem you can face is what is the best pocket knife for whittling, as there are so many of them on today’s market. So, what to choose: a folding knife with one blade, with two or more blades, or a multi-tool knife with several different blades and other tools for everyday usage?
Read the article and choose the best pocket knife for yourself.
| Image | Product | Features |
| Flexcut Tri-Jack Pro, with Roughing Knife, Detail Knife and Mini-Cutting Knife, Aluminum and Cherry Inlay Pistol Grip, (JKN95) | – Has 3 different blades: Roughing Knife, Detail Knife, and Mini-Cutting Knife; – Blades are made of carbon steel – Handle is made of wood and steel – Comes sharp right out of the box – Recommended for wood carving – Recommended for adult use only – Easy and convenient to use – Fits easily in a bag or pocket |
| Sarge Knives SK-10N Vision Maker Carving Knife with 3-1/2-Inch Stainless Blade | – Has two height carbon stainless steel blades: Main Blade and Secondary Blade – Blades are made of stainless steel – Handle is made of stainless, stainless steel, steel – Needs to be sharpened before using – Recommended for wood carving – Recommended for adult use only – Easy and convenient to use – Fits easily in a bag or pocket – Sits ideally in your hands because of ergonomic design |
| Master Carver Pocket Whittler II folding knife | – Has only one blade – Locking blade is made of high-carbon stainless steel – Handle is made of wood – Comes sharp right out of the box – Recommended for wood carving – Age range – 12 and up – Easy and convenient to use – Fits easily in a bag or pocket |
| Old Timer 24OT Splinter Carvin’ 6in Traditional Folding Whittling Knife with 1.5in Detail Blade, Sawcut Handle, Nickel Silver Bolsters, and Convenient Size for Carving, Camping, EDC, and Outdoors | – Has six different carving tools for whittling – high-carbon steel blades – Handle is made of wood – Needs to be sharpened before using – Recommended for wood carving – Recommended for adult use only – Easy and convenient to use – Fits easily in a bag or pocket |
| Victorinox Swiss Army Multi-Tool, Tinker Pocket Knife | – Has six different carving tools for whittling – Stainless steel construction in traditional polished red ABS scales – Blade edges need to be sharpened before use – Recommended for wood carving – Recommended for adult use only – Easy and convenient to use – Fits easily in a bag or pocket |
Flexcut Tri-Jack Pro Pocket Knife
Product Information:
- Brand: Flexcut
- Model: JKN
- Material: Wood, high carbon spring steel
- Color: Brown
- Dimensions: 5.95 x 8 x 0.85 inches
- Weight: 5.6 ounces
Pros
- This is the best pocket knife for whittling, with high-carbon spring steel blades for better edge retention. The three blades are razor-sharp and don’t require additional sharpening. You can start working as soon as you take the pocket knife out of the box.
- This excellent pocket knife is easy to open. Each blade has a liner lock, due to which the blades are fixed inside the handle safely. Fixed blades are completely safe until you start using any of them. Therefore, you cannot worry about accidental cuts.
Cons
- The only drawback is a very slight front-to-back oscillation on the blade. It is possible because of the tolerances of the liner lock and the blade only when fully opened. But it is unnoticeable while carving and does not interfere with carrying it around.
Sarge Vision Maker Carving Knife
Name Product:
Product Information:
- Brand: Sarge Knives
- Model: SK-10N
- Material: Stainless steel
- Length: 4.5 inches
- Weight: 2.24 ounces
Note: knife blades are not sharp enough, so it is better to sharpen them before use.
Pros
- This whittling pocket knife is wonderful for carving and indispensable for carvers on the go.
- This carving knife perfectly fits in your pocket and ideally sits in your hands because of its ergonomic design. Side inserts that look like wooden scales are of beautiful color.
Cons
- The only issue you may face is that sometimes the scales could be cracked around the rivets. This issue is common, but it’s easy to fix by filling the cracks with glue.
Master Carver Pocket Whittler
Product Information:
- Brand: MASTER CARVER
- Material: wood, high-carbon stainless steel
- Dimensions: 4.02 x 1.18 x 0.59 inches
- Weight: 2.57 ounces
Pros
- This single-bladed pocket knife is the best pocket knife for whittling, carving, as well as other purposes. Its classic design handle attracts attention, and its razor-sharp edge with a slightly upswept tip makes it a perfect pocket knife for whittling.
- You’ll be satisfied with this single-bladed pocket knife and will be happy to carry it without taking it out of your pocket.
- The well-centered blade has a nice snap to it, and the locking mechanism makes it safe. It is beautifully made and well-finished.
- It is easy to hold this pocket knife due to its long handle. The laminated wood handle has a nice texture and can be confused with regular wood.
Cons
- This pocket knife has no flaws. The only drawback that can be considered is its availability in stores, as it sells out so quickly that it’s difficult to find it.
Old Timer Whittling Pocket Knife
Name Product:
Product Information:
- Brand: Old Timer
- Model: 24OT
- Material: high carbon steel, wood
- Color: Multi
- Dimensions: 6-inch overall length with a blade length of 1.5 inches
- Weight: 3.9 ounces
Pros
- The Old Timer is also the best pocket knife for whittling. It’s a budget option that comes with six different tools for wood carving. A details blade, a chisel blade, a V-Scorp blade, a Gorge Soup blade, a hook knife, and a straight gouge.
- It is larger than other best pocket knives for whittling and has more space for the blades to sink deeper and a bigger surface to hold the knife.
Cons
- The drawback you should know is that the details blade is thinner compared to the blades of other whittling pocket knives, so it isn’t as durable but easy to sharpen. As it is less durable, it is appropriate for carving softwoods like butternut, but not for harder woods.
Victorinox Swiss Army Tinker
Name Product:
Product Information:
- Brand: Victorinox
- Material: Aluminum, stainless steel
- Color: Red
- Dimensions: 3.58 x 1.02 x 55 inches
- Weight: 2.2 ounces
Pros
- Swiss Army Knives include six or more (depending on the model) different tools that are perfect for whittling and just about any other need. They mostly include a can opener, a bottle opener, a Phillips screwdriver, a tweezer, a reamer, a saw blade, a knife blade that is great for whittling, a key ring, a toothpick, a wire stripper, and even a pair of scissors.
- New whittlers can use these whittling pocket knives both for carving and in everyday life. Affordable prices and endless utility options make them the best pocket knives.
- The Swiss Army Knife is unique and super useful. It is available at every hardware and big box store.
Cons
- The only drawback is that the pocket knife blade is not sharp enough for carving. It’s great for everyday needs, but not for carving or whittling. For these purposes, you should sharpen the blade.
Are Swiss Army knives good for whittling?
Swiss Army Pocket Knives are good for everything. This is one of the most functional pocket knives among all folding knives. With the help of a Swiss Army Knife, you can easily handle both cutting fruits and whittling projects. You even can cut nails if a pair of scissors are available in your kit.
To extend the life of your great pocket knife, avoid excessive moisture.
Wipe and dry the multiple blades after use. You can re-sharpen your knife using a whetstone.
If the knife blades start to stick, place the knife in warm water, open and close each blade and each tool several times, and all tools will start moving easily again. After complete drying, lubricate each tool and its spring with a special oil for Swiss Army knives.
Things to consider when buying a pocket knife for whittling
- Blade size: it’s easier to use knives with smaller blade shapes, but they may not serve as long.
- Blade style: carefully consider for what purpose you are buying a knife: for cutting small objects, for slicing food during a hike, for carving, or all occasions.
- Blade thickness: thicker blades hold up better over time.
- Blade quality: the best pocket knives are made from high-carbon steel or stainless steel. Easy-to-sharpen blades are of worse quality, as the manufacturers sacrifice blade edge quality in favor of ease of sharpening.
- Handle comfort: choose a handle that sits well in your hand; for example, knives with handles of ergonomic designs.
- Blade shape: if you are a beginner, choose a standard drop-point blade.
Conclusion
So, if you want a whittling pocket knife or so-called EDC knife, choose one from the list above.
These pocket knives are of excellent quality, with high-carbon steel blades and strong handles. Stainless steel dulls slowly, and once you buy a pocket knife, you’ll carry it everywhere for a long period.
As pocket knives are portable, with multiple sharp blades or even other useful tools, you’ll always cut, carve, or whittle everything you need. You can open, unscrew, or do something like that.
Maybe you want a special knife made of carbon steel with an extremely sharp edge and provided with a variety of tools.
Or, you can also choose a knife with sheepsfoot blades, which is ideal for slicing and cutting; a round-tipped spey blade that can be used for scooping; a coping blade that is useful for shaving, etc.
So, all the knives are great and perfect for whittling. Which one to choose?
Choose the Flexcut Tri-Jack Pro with three sharp blades of different sizes. Since all the blades are sharp enough, you can start working right away. And because all blades are of different sizes and for different carving purposes, you are guaranteed to achieve the desired result in carving wood, regardless of the complexity of the product.
Good quality for affordable money and ease of use—these are the main characteristics of this best whittling pocket knife.
Read also: How to sharpen a pocket knife
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