Debra and I spent last weekend with our friends at their property near Ranger, TX. We spent two days just kicking back and relaxing: reading, talking, and playing with the camp fire. I took my sharpening stone and three different knives that I’d been neglecting for too long.
After putting an edge on my old Buck knife, I grabbed a piece of firewood from the pile and started whittling on it with no particular idea to make anything. At some point the idea of making a wooden knife struck me, and I ended up spending several hours on it.

The project started out as a piece of juniper (what they call cedar around here) about 18 inches long and 1-1/2 inches in diameter. The finished piece is right at 12 inches long and 1-1/4 inches in diameter. The blade is 3/4 inch wide.
I toyed with the idea of spending more time on it—sanding it down and making the blade thinner at the edge so I could use it as a letter opener—but in the end decided against it. I like leaving it in this rough form.
It’s been 30 years since I picked up a piece of wood and started whittling on it. I forgot how relaxing it can be. I for sure won’t wait another 30 years before I try making something else. Think I’ll use a different knife, though. The Buck is a handy tool, but it’s too large for detail work.
That knife, by the way, is sharp. My old Scoutmaster would be proud. He’d also be appalled at my clumsiness. I ended up sinking that blade about 1/4 inch into my thumb on Sunday.