Danielle and 'Popeye' sit down for a session on carving.

My grandpa, who we call Popeye, is visiting my house from Sahuarita. He is teaching me how to carve. I decided to interview him about his carving.

I asked Popeye what is the difference between carving and whittling. He said, “Whittling is taking a stick and cutting it. You’re not making anything. When you’re carving you’re making something.”

Popeye has been carving since he was 9 or 10 years old. He said, “I started a long time ago. I was just a little bit older than you.”

I asked Popeye who taught him to carve. He said, “Nobody taught me. I cut myself many times because I didn’t know how to handle the tools.”

His favorite part about carving is making and designing something people would like or think is pretty.

Animals and birds are the hardest things he’s ever carved. He said he is not too good at animals.

His favorite thing he’s ever carved is a wooden chain with a ball in the cage and a bird at the end. It’s used to pull a fan on and off.

The easiest thing he’s ever carved is the ball in a cage. My stepmother Helen asked him how he made the ball in the cage. He said, “Just whittle away everything that doesn’t look like a ball and then you have a ball in a cage.”

I asked him if he had ever made other things with wood. He said he makes children’s toys; pull toys like a rabbit that hops. He made me one when I was little. But he also made an airplane called an Aeronca which he forgot to mention. More on that in another story.

Some of the tools that a carver uses are carving knives, a pocketknife, files and chisels. Safety is important in carving. Some of the safety rules are, don’t cut towards your hand. Also when you’re using the metal file, don’t file your fingernails. File your wood. Popeye said, “When I was a kid I was always cutting myself.” He said he didn’t know how many times because he started about 76 years ago. He’s never had any stitches.

Popeye’s favorite wood to carve is alder wood. He said it doesn’t split or break easily.

When he’s done making the carvings he gives them away to people. Every one of his 6 kids has a ball in a cage.

The last time he carved was about 2 years ago. He likes teaching other people to carve. He said, “I think it’s a good hobby. It’s not expensive, not really dangerous, and you have something to give to someone when you’re done. It’s nice to know you can give something to someone. It’s a very nice hobby for any age. I’m still whittling a little and I’m 86. I’ve been whittling quite awhile. There are no age barriers.”

Popeye is a good carver and a good teacher. I hope I can learn how to carve this week.

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