Ever wanted to whittle a bird? A buddy to keep you company while you slog away at your desk? In this Instructable, I'll go through the process of whittling a bird from foraged green (wet) wood. The yakisugi technique is then applied to help stabilise the green wood and protect it from rotting. And while I've chosen a bird for this project, you can of course whittle anything you like. I went with a freehand/abstract design but you can find a free template here.

The supplies below also list alternatives (/) for some of what you may need, depending on your preference and what you already have.

SAFETY NOTE: I recommend wearing a cut-resistant glove while whittling. Knives are sharp. If you're not used to handling an axe, use a handsaw instead.

Let's get started! 🐦

Supplies

Green wood/dry soft wood of your choice. If this is your first time whittling, I don't recommend using hardwood, unless you like a challenge!
Small axe/hand saw
Hand plane/rasp
Whittling knife. For first timers, I suggest a fixed-blade knife like this one
Sandpaper, grits 60, 100, 120, 180, 220, 1000
Chef's torch or similar (you can typically find a cheap alternative at a $2 store)
Steel brush (check your local $2 store)
Two long nails/bamboo skewers
Drill
Super glue/metal glue
Linseed oil
Beeswax polish
Acrylic spray finish (optional)

Step 1: Creating Your Wood Blank

If you don't have any wood on hand, take a walk to your nearest park and have a look around for branches that have come off or trimmings left by park services. Alternatively, does a tree in your garden or that of a mate's need trimming? About a year ago, Cyclone Gabrielle came rolling through New Zealand and took out a very large macrocarpa (cypress) in our back yard and I'm still bushcrafting leftover rounds for drying. I took one of these pieces (still fairly wet) and chopped it into a workable piece using a small axe. Checking my bird template, I measured the size I would need and sawed off a suitable piece. Using a hand plane (you can also use an electric plane), I smoothed out both sides of the work piece and traced my template onto the blank.

NOTE: When tracing your blank onto the wood, make sure you do so in the direction of the grain. This will help to ensure that areas such as the tail and beak won't snap off easily as you whittle.

Step 2: Axing Your Blank Down to Size

You can use either a small sharp axe or a hand saw to remove excess wood. This will help if you are new to carving; cutting through all that excess will tire out your hands.

Step 3: Rounding Out Your Bird

Start rounding out the edges of your bird with your whittling knife. Take your time and avoid cutting against the grain as this will lift large chunks that may impact your design. Always cut away from yourself. I used a shape similar to that of a robin (no neckline, just fat BORB) as this is generally easier for beginners compared to having to define the head/neck. Be careful with the beak. I suggest leaving it until last to avoid accidentally snapping it off (if this does happen, you can carve a separate beak and glue it on at the end). Once you have your bird in the general shape you want it, start sanding it smooth. Use sandpaper grits 60, 100, 120, 180, and 220.

Step 4: Yakisugi Time!

It is now time to burn your bird! Use the chef's torch to char the entire bird. You can vary the charring in terms of intensity or use the same intensity all over. Be careful though; your bird will get very hot. You can hold it by the tail and do the front half, then switch over and do the other half once it has cooled sufficiently. Also take care around the beak as it can start smoldering quickly because it's small. Once you have charred the entire bird, let it cool. Then take your steel brush and start scrubbing the char from the bird. The harder you brush, the more char you will remove, allowing the wood to shine through. You can repeat this process (charring and brushing) as many times as you like to create contrasts on different areas of your bird.

Once you are happy, with your yakisugi effect, wet-sand the bird with 1000-grit sandpaper. This will remove any leftover char on the bird.

Step 5: Adding Legs to Your Bird and Oiling

Once your bird is dry from wet-sanding, mark the areas on the bottom where you want the legs to go in. This will be based on how you want to pose your bird, and what you will be posing it on. In my case, I cut a round edge off a fallen tree branch and sanded it down flat. You can use anything you want as your base, get creative with it! Based on the size of the nails/bamboo skewers you are using for legs, drill a small hole for each at the required angle. The nails/skewers should fit snuggly, not loose. Carefully add some super glue into the holes (a toothpick/cocktail stick works well) and insert the legs at the angle you want them. Allow the glue to dry (you can speed this up using an activator). Once dry, oil your bird with linseed oil (or your preferred finish) and let the oil seep in overnight. You can add a second coat if the oil is absorbed very quickly. You can also oil the base you will be using and also let it sit overnight.

Step 6: Adding the Base

With the glue dried and the legs in place, use your chosen base to mark out where the holes for the legs should be drilled. Follow the same procedure as for the top of the legs and let the glue dry.

Step 7: Finishing Steps

Once the oil has been fully absorbed, you can give both the bird and the base a gentle polish with beeswax. I make my own paste but any good furniture polish should work fine. Leave the polish for 30 mins before buffing with a clean cloth (an old cotton T-shirt is perfect). If you want to add the acrylic spray finish, you can do this after buffing.

Your bird is done! Sit back, grab your favorite drink, and admire your new desktop buddy 🐤