I don't know what kind of wood is it. I found a linden tree and took some branch from the ground, and started whittling this branch. It was hard. So this is not a basswood. But now I have some nice cats obtained from spalted wood.

I am not a professional woodcarver and, especially, not a master or a teacher. However, I enjoy carving small wooden sculptures. Here, you will find my simple projects, and I hope they help you relax. You can discover more of my wood carving patterns on my channel and check the Community tab: @smallwoodensculpture
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About my knife:
For wood carving, I used my regular whittling knife which I made myself; the blade length is 40 mm, and the overall length of the knife is 130 mm.

For beginners:
Using a short piece of branch can be dangerous for beginners. So, I recommend trying to use a long and comfortable piece, and trim it at the end.
My simplest videos for beginner woodcarvers:
I like how sound a tree. TEDDY-BEAR! Easy ...
The best for easy woodcarving. Funny mini ...
This turtle REALLY for beginners. Use a cy...

00:00 – Whittling a basic shape of figured.
01:19  – Cat's head.
05:06 – Legs and Tail. Finishing carving.
08:43 – Painting the wooden cat.
11:14 – Wooden Grumpy Cat