Wood carvers masterfully create the illusion of soft, rounded edges in wood through a combination of techniques that manipulate both the material and the viewer's perception. One key method is careful sanding, where progressively finer grits of sandpaper smooth sharp angles into gentle curves. Experienced carvers also use beveling cuts to remove hard edges before sanding, creating a transitional slope that appears softer.

The direction of the wood grain plays a crucial role - carving with the grain allows for smoother transitions, while strategic cuts across the grain can produce natural-looking rounded forms. Many carvers employ specialized tools like rifflers and curved gouges that follow organic shapes more easily than straight blades.

Finishing techniques enhance the effect further. Applying stains or oils can darken end grain areas that might appear too angular, while wax fills microscopic pores to create a uniform surface. Some artists even use heat or steam to slightly soften edges before final shaping.

Perhaps most importantly, carvers understand how light interacts with surfaces - they create subtle variations in curvature that catch light differently, tricking the eye into perceiving softer contours than actually exist in the wood. This optical illusion, combined with tactile smoothness, produces remarkably soft-looking results from a hard material.

Master carvers often spend years perfecting these techniques, developing an intuitive understanding of how tool angle, pressure, and wood properties interact to create flowing, organic forms from rigid timber. The magic lies in this transformation of perception as much as in physical shaping of the material.