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.

 

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.

 

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

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.

 

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/

 

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.

 

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.

 

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.

 

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.

 

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?

 

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?

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 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

 

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 !!!

 

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.

 

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.

 

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.

 

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.

 

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!

 

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

 

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.

 

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.

 

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.

 

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.

 

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!

 

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.

 

 

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.

 

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.