# Pumpkin carving: tricks, ideas, show your creations, anything about it!



## OHS (Sep 8, 2013)

​Hi you guys! 
This thread is about pumpkin carving..I was looking for pumpkins to buy in my town and, finally, after a few weeks, I got it!...I jus bought two and, because is my first time in carving I want t ask about better, easy ways to carve, with knife and spoon?, how many days a pumpkin is still good?, I don't know, everything you can tell me about it!...Anything
Thank you!!!! 
Oscar


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## Pumpkinhead625 (Oct 12, 2009)

A few years back I did this mummy from one of the pumpkin pattern books









I did one thing different in that I didn't fully carve out the eye, which gave it a reddish look.









I then took it a step further by removing the candle and putting a small green LED flashlight in it.


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## kakugori (Aug 26, 2013)

How to carve, or rather what to use, depends entirely on what design you want to make. Plan that first!

Tools I like:
Big _sharp_ kitchen knife* for cutting the top out, cutting out large areas, and simple shapes like triangle eyes
Smaller kitchen knives, like steak knives
The biggest and sturdiest metal spoon available - you can find ones intended for this at the Halloween stores, some have serrated edges
A crosscut keyhole type saw for the really big pumpkins
And some clay tools for pumpkins where I'm carving out the surface rather than cutting a hole

The little pumpkin carving kits are really too small, imo.

You might also check out http://www.extremepumpkins.com/ for inspiration and tools.


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## kprimm (Apr 3, 2009)

Check out these places

www.zombiepumpkins.com
http://www.jamminpumpkins.com/
http://www.pumpkinmasters.com/free-patterns.asp
http://www.carvingpumpkins.com/
http://ultimate-pumpkin-stencils.com/
http://www.spookmaster.com/


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## UnOrthodOx (Apr 24, 2007)

kakugori said:


> How to carve, or rather what to use, depends entirely on what design you want to make. Plan that first!
> 
> Tools I like:
> Big _sharp_ kitchen knife* for cutting the top out, cutting out large areas, and simple shapes like triangle eyes
> ...


I've come to not like the sharp kitchen knives. One too many slips. If you can swing a melon knife, or one of the pumpkin knives, they cut the pumpkins fantastic, but not your hands.










As for tricks, I've become quite partial to bifurcated pumpkins.


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## Frankie's Girl (Aug 27, 2007)

I would also caution to not use a "big sharp knife" as I am the victim of a big sharp knife accident that occurred many Halloweens past.
My hand slipped, slid down the blade and cut a tendon - one surgery later to attempt to reattach and I have limited usage of my pinky finger and a fancy scar in the palm of my hand that makes me look like I have a double life line (fun for confusing palm readers). 
So I do not recommend.


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## dane82 (Sep 24, 2012)

OHS said:


> how many days a pumpkin is still good?


usually pumpkins will last awhile before you carve them. i'm not sure how long they'd take to rot, but before they're carved, they'd last at least through the halloween holiday with no problem.

they start going bad pretty quickly once they're carved. if they're left outside and you have fairly cool days and nights, they'll probably last a few days, but if you take them inside or if it's warm outside they'll start to rot within as quickly as a day or two.

at least, that's always been my experience.


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## kakugori (Aug 26, 2013)

I guess my recommendations should come with fair warning that I have an AAS in Culinary Arts and know my way around a knife. Use what's comfortable for you.


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## CrypticCuriosity (Aug 18, 2012)

Pumpkins seem to rot out so fast here, so I've been getting them no more than 3 days before to make sure they still look good on Halloween night. Sometimes I'll even carve them Halloween day.

I bought one of those electric carvers with the little, jagged dagger and it works like a charm for detail work. I love the thing.

This one I did awhile back, but still one of my favorites.


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## icemanfred (Aug 18, 2005)

here was my latest attempt. 
used sculpting loops and an exacto knife

since you only cut into the rind. it lasts longer than a traditional jack o lantern.
but eventually (about a week) he got discolored. almost looked like mold, but it wasnt.

i wondered it I coated it with a clear coat, if it would have lasted longer?


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## miles (Sep 18, 2013)

I generally use the store kits. But I want to actually start carving with other tools....the burning pumpkin however has a TON of tiki torch fuel in it lol


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## Guest (Oct 11, 2013)

I read where some people dunk the finished Jack into a bucket with a litttle bleach in the water.
Persomally I carve the hole for mine in the bottom.It makes it easier to scoop out.I also sprinkle cinnamon on the inside.The warmth from the candle makes it smell great !!
The LED tealights are good to use if you have kids or they have battery powered pumpkin lights you can pick up !!!


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## Spats (Sep 21, 2006)

My tips-
1) Use a wipe away marker or a grease pencil for faces. Easy to clean up. No need for large amounts of stencil dots.

2) Clean the inside with a large clay loop tool. It is the fastest way to clean and the most effective tool for thinning walls.

3) Read this article - 
http://www.myscienceproject.org/pumpkin.html

4) Lots of people rub cinnamon on the lid. Add to this by shoving some cloves into the lid as well.


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## Dulcet Jones (Jun 27, 2013)

I think I posted this pic somewhere here a few weeks ago, but I didn't mention that when the while watching the carvers I noticed that some of them(including the guy in the photo) had a fairly elaborate set of small knives and tools that resembled little chisels. This was the Battersea Ontario annual PumpkinFest a few years ago.


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## HallowweenKat (Sep 29, 2010)

I've been using the pumpkin carving tools from Pumpkin Masters for years. I don't do anything super elaborate but you can get some nice detailing done with them. The adults will notice if you use a fall scented candle. Will have to try the cinnamon this year.


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## Pumpkinhead625 (Oct 12, 2009)

If you do a carving with thin spots or long strips, like on these pumpkins: 

















these spots will shrivel_ very quickly_, possibly as soon as the next day. To extend the life of your carving, when you see them starting to shrivel, carefully put the pumpkin in a bucket of water (or bathtub), immersing it completely, for 20-30 minutes. This will plump it back to it's original shape. Just be careful not to leave it in the water for a long time; I've never done this but my guess is it won't be good for the pumpkin.


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## OHS (Sep 8, 2013)

Wow!!!...I love all the designs!...They're really good!...I will use every trick you told me

Pumpkinhead625: Cool!...I like the detail of the eye not fully carve
UnOrthodOx: I love that pumpkin with the red light!..
CrypticCuriosity: A classic! I like too, I have two pumkins so I think one of them it'll be the classic!
Icemanfred: I can´t compete with your one!...Perfect! and so realistic!! Congrats!
Miles: The tiki torch pumkin!! hahahahaha I gotta ask, It didn't burned? It looks is gonna burn the whole yard! 
DulcetJones: They're masters of carving!!...
Pumpkinhead625: I like the bats one!!!...I think I'm gonna carve mine's like that!


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## miles (Sep 18, 2013)

I honestly cant remember, which is sad lol but I do know that I kept it in a fire pit JUST in case. It went for a while and didn't have too many scorch marks, I'll try it again to test it lol


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## SPOOKMART (Dec 27, 2012)

Always start off with a nice pumpkin  I grew this one myself. I used to get into using stencils and carving out scenes but I have stopped because I believe a pumpkin or a jack o'lantern is suppose to represent a human effigy or what is seen through the eyes of Jack as he wanders around for all eternity. So I go with a simple scary face. I open the top pointing my knife in so the top can act as a lid. You've got to break up the membranes inside for the pumpkin brain guts to come out easily. Some use a spoon. You can use anything that will scrape. I use whatever I can find. You may want to use construction paper or something to dry run your pumpkin before you carve it. You can also use a pencil or something to guide you. I usually just hack away and carve pretty quickly. Anything you do carve can be refined. Some people even use Dremels to carve. I might try that myself this year. Normally I just use a Kbar.


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## LaBruja (Oct 16, 2010)

What will make a pumpkin ..uncarved or not..turn to mush quickly is freezing. If you have freezing temperatures...it is doomed. A little frost is ok.


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## SPOOKMART (Dec 27, 2012)

Freezing and frost should be defined though. To me a frost is 32 down to mid 20's...but the killing frost is around 22 if I remember right. I think storing pumpkins in the shade helps too.


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## WitchyKitty (Sep 20, 2012)

I usually carve my pumpkins so they will be lit for 3 days (the two nights before and Halloween night)...that way I know they will still be good for Halloween night. So, we carve them after dinner on the 29th, put them out and light them that night, the 30th and the 31st. We gave up using actual candles due to the amount of wind we get here in October, so we use LED lights now. I don't like using actual knives, but I have before...very, very carefully. We found the sturdier pumpkin carving tools/knives are best. (The skinny ones tend to break.) We have used our Dremel tool before, as well. As for scooping, a pumpkin kit scooper is what we are using now, but we have used spoons, too. I also draw my design on the pumpkin first with something I can wipe off easily, like a non permanent marker, crayon, ect.
I have heard that a little bleach water will help kill bacteria in the pumpkin to keep it from molding and I've also read that you can coat a thin layer of Vaseline (petroleum jelly) to the cut surfaces to help hold in moisture...though I have never used either of these ideas myself so I can't say if either actually works.
After carving, we do wash the pumpkins in the sink really quick to remove leftover ****, strings and tiny cuttings. I like my cut edges to be very clean and neat looking. I then let them drip upside down so no water pools inside the pumpkin bottom and dry the outside with paper towels.
The year before, we thought it might be cool to put some aluminum foil inside the pumpkins to reflect the light...looked pretty neat.


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## Shockwave199 (Jan 18, 2007)

You're all getting me totally into carving! But I can't yet- too early. I have two great pumpkins and I do it only days before so they're fresh.

One trick I always pass on is to use plain old scissors for removing pulp. Forget pulp scrapers- they stink! A minute or two is all it takes to trim the pulp off the side walls and bottom, and then empty it. Done! I also use the battery power carving knife from the carving kits. It saves my arm, wrist, and hands a ton of pain- especially for the broader cuts. I don't carve without my trusty power knife!


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## Rumsfield (Dec 8, 2011)

We have been using the petroleum jelly method for several years now. I think it is pretty nasty and disgusting stuff but we have had pumpkins last for up to 10 days before going into nuclear meltdown. Just coat the exposed areas not covered by the skin.


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## hallowmas (Sep 11, 2013)




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## SPOOKMART (Dec 27, 2012)

Pumpkins are a lot more durable than people think however they can suddenly rot as well. I always grow my pumpkins early. We had a bad June(10 inches of rain)so I only have one large pumpkin but it's a beauty. I believe it finished up in late July/early August. Can't exactly remember. I let it sit in the sun and when it was orange I cut it and placed it at the back of the house(north) and it's almost red. It's still solid. Now carving them will reduce their life but without adding anything to mine they last a week or more before they mush. Depends on your climate. We have a lot of dry cool days in November(beginning) as well as the dry sunny cool days we experience now. Clouds do stroll in but my pumpkins usually last. Another good reason to wait and let the carving be a magical event. Carving them now is sort of an anti climax. Halloween is October 31st not October 14th. Celebrate the moment.


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## WeepingAngel (Oct 12, 2013)

These were mine from 2010, the pictures don't do them justice (old cell phone pics sucked). There's a wolf head and the grim reaper was better and had more detail but a toddler fixed that for me.

I use a large Henkel butcher knife, a paring knife, and a big spoon.


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## mariem (Oct 7, 2012)

I use a sharp knife to cut open the pumpkin and then a good metal spoon to clean it. A few years ago I bought one of those pumpkin carving tools that runs on batteries and it was a life saver for me. My son bought me a Dremel for Christmas last year and if I get around to carving pumpkins next year I will try it. (this year might be pumpkin free). No time and low funds.  Just bought a new car on Friday and that was more imprtant than pumpkins. 

In 2009 I did about 24 pumpkins and used about 32+ patterns as some pumpkins had more than one pattern on each. I usually carve about 6- 12 pumpkins a year depending on how much time I have and how much they cost so I didn't start out to carve so many that year. My son had gone through a breakup and was staying with me and one night he had gone out to "have a few" and when he came home he tripped and landed on the last pumpkins that were on the deck (already cleaned and ready to carve), I had hunted high and low for one big enough to do the WOZ characters so I told him he owed me a pumpkin. Well he went out of town for grocery shopping and came home with 6 more pumpkins. When I was done carving them I saw a cute pumpkin pattern and casually said I wish I had one more pumpking so I could carve the pattern. Of course I wasn't thinking when I said it and didn't realise how guilty my son still felt. I think he thought I was making a dig when I said it. Well then a couple days later he came home with 6 morepumpkins and when he saw the shock on my face he and his friend started laughing. After that I kept my mouth shut.  I was also asked to carve a pumpkin for the local MLA (he is a friend of the family) who was opening his office on Halloween, they brought me another pumpkin. Some of the pumpkins were given to friends so I don't have pics of all of them.






















































































Dora belongs to a friend of mine. She is such a cute dog I did her face for her owner.






The WOZ pattern that started it all













Local MLA's office








There are members on here who create and carve some beautiful patterns/stencils that I would like to try.


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## mariem (Oct 7, 2012)

Added to all the real pumpkins I carved in 209 I also carved some funkin punkins that my sister sent me that year. I did them in kiddie friendly patterns(pre Dremel) since they will be out every year for the little TOTs.


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## Rumsfield (Dec 8, 2011)

From last years homegrown pumpkins


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## mariem (Oct 7, 2012)

Rumsfield said:


> We have been using the petroleum jelly method for several years now. I think it is pretty nasty and disgusting stuff but we have had pumpkins last for up to 10 days before going into nuclear meltdown. Just coat the exposed areas not covered by the skin.


I do this too. I dunk the pumpkins in water (with bleach in it) it will keep them from molding for quite a while. I rub the design with petroleum jelly to keep the design from shrivelling up especially if there are a lot of thin cuts. If the weather is cool I can have my pumpkins out for about 3 weeks.


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## WitchyKitty (Sep 20, 2012)

Here's the other pic with lights on of those aluminum foil pumpkins I posted, and also an owl one I carved and a "Skelanimals Kit the Cat" one I carved. (the Kit one was also painted to look like the character with lights on, but I can't find that pic to post it.)


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## Rumsfield (Dec 8, 2011)

WitchyKitty - top picture carving on the left , Fantastic, I am blown away on how great that looks. You rule with that one.


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## WitchyKitty (Sep 20, 2012)

Rumsfield said:


> WitchyKitty - top picture carving on the left , Fantastic, I am blown away on how great that looks. You rule with that one.


Thank you!


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## vinny186 (Aug 27, 2009)

I go to a local farm (Didier) and buy one or two a week. I carve them, get the seeds and they will usually last 3-4 days. They just have to last for a few Halloween type movies over the weekend, after that, I heave them into the creek across the street, in the dark of night , of course!


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## The Real Joker (Sep 8, 2008)

Here is mine for this year. Nice, solid pumpkin. Maybe 18 pounds or so.

_Sparky_ from the Tim Burton stop-motion animated movie _Frankenweenie_.
Found a simple pattern online. It came out alright, despite a few minor snafus, LOL. 

To light the Jack-O-Lantern for the photos, I used an 'Ever-Ready' brand, LED 'push' type lamp with a super bright white LED.
Taken with my Huawei cellphone's camera.


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## OHS (Sep 8, 2013)

...and here!...my first carved pumpkins ever!:..I chose the classic face design cause my pumpkins are little and I didn't know if it would be very difficult!...So..that's the result


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## dane82 (Sep 24, 2012)

looking good, everyone.


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## James B. (Oct 8, 2009)

icemanfred said:


> here was my latest attempt.
> used sculpting loops and an exacto knife
> 
> since you only cut into the rind. it lasts longer than a traditional jack o lantern.
> ...


I read a blog where they experimented with this sort of thing to make pumpkins last longer, there was only one superior method; a tiny amount of bleach in water. They dipped the pumpkin right after carving then sprayed a little on each day; the bleach kept the mold from happening for 14 days.


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## The Real Joker (Sep 8, 2008)

James B. said:


> I read a blog where they experimented with this sort of thing to make pumpkins last longer, there was only one superior method; a tiny amount of bleach in water. They dipped the pumpkin right after carving then sprayed a little on each day; the bleach kept the mold from happening for 14 days.




I tried this method last year. It worked rather well, and the jack-o-lantern lasted over a week. 

But you have to give it the bleach-water bath (1 tablespoon of bleach per gallon) and cover it completely, 
right after you carve it and leave it in the water for several hours. 

You have to spray it everyday with bleach water too, inside and out. (1 teaspoon of bleach diluted in a spray bottle of water)

Then dry it off before lighting it.


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## WitchyKitty (Sep 20, 2012)

My pumpkin I just carved this year...Cheshire Cat! (The smile goes up on either side to the top of the eyes, but you can't really see it from the front view in this pic.) Nothing too fancy, but I really like him!


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## Shockwave199 (Jan 18, 2007)

The creations here are awesome! I did easy ones this year cause I have so much to do. Had to do a flamingo for my honey.


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## moony_1 (Sep 25, 2009)

This is my pumpkin that I just did tonight! We are doing a Star Wars theme at the request of our sons, and we didn't have an R2-D2..hubs found a rather Lon pumpkin so I figured I'd transform it into everyone's favorite beeping droid!  I looked at a pic of an amazing one online, free handed it with a pencil, then used my dremel


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## Katster (Jan 27, 2013)

Moony how cool is that, friggin awesome!!! I just carved my first pumpkin for work and it was tough. Wish I had of checked in on the dremmel thing as that is one difficult task pumpkin carving, will take a pic in a day or so as I forgot to take a pic the day I did mine as it took forever and don't think I will try again, I had 2 double vodkas and took 3 hours. I love yours! How long did that take you?


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## miles (Sep 18, 2013)

I don't know why but I'm getting really into just carved faces.


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## The Real Joker (Sep 8, 2008)

moony_1 said:


> This is my pumpkin that I just did tonight! We are doing a Star Wars theme at the request of our sons, and we didn't have an R2-D2..hubs found a rather Lon pumpkin so I figured I'd transform it into everyone's favorite beeping droid!  I looked at a pic of an amazing one online, free handed it with a pencil, then used my dremel
> 
> Amazing
> 
> View attachment 182982





miles said:


> I don't know why but I'm getting really into just carved faces.
> View attachment 183019


Let's put a smile on that face!


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## disembodiedvoice (Sep 24, 2011)

What do you guys use to light them? fake lighting I mean , not real flame? All I can find is the big strobe lights , I want just the large size candle looking thing ( where it flickers) Was wondering if anyone knew of where to get good lights that don't strobe???


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