>>214462>Pic related are examples of whittling knives from Wikipedia, and they have no belly.This might be a cultural thing, but I've always had knives as the one pictured. I shouldn't swear it's the most effective approach, but I've tried working with wharnie blades and I just can't get the same flexibility in my hands.
I use the belly to quickly work away material in a full hand sweep. I don't know how to describe it better.
> carve very fine detailsNow that is what comes to mind when I see knives as those you pictured. If I was doing decorative work on the things I make, I'd pick that kind of tool.
> A chisel knife and some sort of mallet will allow you to make holes as deep as the blade is longThis is a fair point, though in the woods I primarily work around sticks or young trees.
>For making holes in fabric I always fold the piece first one way and then the other, so that where the folds meet is exactly where I want the hole, then I cut off the corner.This may sound dumb, but I hadn't thought of that. It seems obvious now. Good technique.
This is why I like this board.
