What is the purpose of whittling?

[Old Troop]

[JTG of the PRB]

1. To whittle? To carve pieces of wood into smaller pieces of wood with different shapes?

To cover the front porch with little thin, curly pieces of wood?

[jobycom]

2. To make tiny sticks out of big sticks. nt

[HopeHoops]

3. Something to do while you're waiting for the electric company to turn the power back on.

Then you can use the scroll saw instead.

[jberryhill]

4. An excuse to mess with your pocket knife

[trof]

5. Toothpicks from pine trees.

It takes a while.

[underpants]

6. It's a mesmerizing way to pass time.

like watching a fire.

we went camping a few weeks ago and it was interesting to look around at other campsites as everyone just stared into the fire.

We used to have fires at our house and I get it. It is just mesmerizing to watch the flames dance and see how the natural process works.

[MiddleFingerMom]

7. Ask HER...

.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
...and then duck.
.
.
.
.
.
Quickly.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.

.
.
.

[Old Troop]

8. You are the best MFM

[Moondog]

9. To turn a great edge into an edge that needs sharpening.

[petronius]

10. It's to let people know that when you stop whittling, something's gonna happen

http://img15.imageshack.us.nyud.net:8090/img15/9065/image004uvv.jpg

[csziggy]

11. One old man I know would sit down, whittle on a stick

And when we'd leave he'd hand one of us kids a whistle he'd made from that stick.

My great-aunt would whittle to practice control of her knife so when she carved figurines she would not mess up a good piece of wood. I have a small horse figurine she carved - a very difficult piece to carve since horses have such thin legs. She did a wonderful job with the piece and I value it greatly.

[Zavulon]

12. What's the purpose of any hobby?

To provide enjoyment to the person practicing it.

[Dr Morbius]

13. The purpose of any craft is the craftsmanship.

To turn one's spare time into something another person can use (as a whistle) or admire (as a carving of a horse) has obvious purpose.

[Chan790]

14. In the words of my friend Piet's father circa 1988 Boy-scouts.

'cause, son, sometimes you just can't masturbate.

It just ain't right.

I was probably 25 before I realized Piet's dad's second favorite past-time was whittling. I still ain't shaking that old badger's hand.