Meet Whittle-Tooth Willie, a basswood cowboy carving with a grin as wide as the prairie. I carved Willie from a single block of basswood, and from the first cut his personality showed. He arrived with a crooked hat, bold cheek lines, and that toothy smile that people notice before they notice anything else.
Every day in the shop I would stand over the bench and let the knife do the talking. First, I roughed out his silhouette. Then I shaped the hat and the jaw. Finally, I worked the smile until it felt like Willie might start telling jokes right off the bench. Because I used basswood, the grain took the details well. As a result, his face reads warm and lived-in, even without paint.
Willie’s backstory came from the same place as his grin: the long evenings between coats of oil and wax. He was the sort of cowboy who could charm a baking pan out of a cook and a pocketful of biscuits from a grumpy ranch hand. One night he walked into a saloon and bought a round for the room with nothing but a wink and a splintered toothpick. No wonder folks called him Whittle-Tooth.
This basswood cowboy carving celebrates that small, human humor. It shows how a pocketknife and patience can make something that feels older than it really is. Moreover, the carving keeps the maker’s marks visible. You can see where the knife paused, where a thumb steadied the wood, and where a story began.
Collectors love pieces like Willie because they feel personal. They remind us that art can be gentle and funny and rough at the same time. He works well in a study, near the coffee pot, or on a mantel mixed with old tin and enamelware. He also makes a memorable, heartfelt gift for anyone who enjoys handmade folk art.
If you want the full tale, read the little story card that comes with every piece. In addition, I include care instructions so the basswood stays healthy—no direct sunlight, gentle dusting, and the occasional dab of natural oil. Finally, each Whittle-Tooth Willie is signed and numbered. He is a small, one-of-a-kind token of the West, carved slowly and sold honestly.
Visit the official site: thewhittler.co.uk
Read more on the blog: thewhittler.co.uk/blog/
Stay Connected
If you enjoyed this project, don’t forget to like, comment, and subscribe to see more woodcarving tutorials and character carvings.
