© 2008 by Fox Chapel Publishing Company, Inc.

All rights reserved.

The Complete Book of Woodcarving is an original work, first published in 2008 by

Fox Chapel Publishing Company, Inc. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form

or by any means, electronic or mechanical, witheut written permission from the publisher.

The patterns contained herein are copyrighted by the author. Copies of these patterns miy be madefor personal use; however, they may no’, be duplicated for resale or distribution under any circumstances. Any such copying is a violation of copyright law.

ISBN 978 1-56523-292-1

Interior Photography by Jeff Ellenwood and Greg Heisey.

Publisher’s Cataloging-in Publication Data

Ellenwocd, Everett

File complete book of woodcarving / Evrrett Ellenwood. - East ’etersburg, PA : Fox Chapel Publishing. c2008.

p.;<m.

ISBN: 978-1-56523-292-1

1. Wood-carving-Handbooks. manuals, etc. 2. Wood-carving-Fechniquc. 3. Wood-carving-Patterns. I. Title.

TT199.7 £45 2008

736/.4-dc22    0804

To learn more about the other great books from Fox Chapel Publishing, or to find a retailer near you, call toll free 800-457-9112 or visit us at www.foxChopelPiJbllihlng.com.

Note to Authors: We are always looking for litenled authors to write new books in our area of woodworking, design, and related crafts. Pl?ase send a brief letter describing your idea to Acquisition Editor, 1970 Broad Street East Petersburg. PA 17520.

Printed n China First Printing: November 2007 Second Printing: September 2008

Because ca-vlng wood and other materials inherently mcfcxks the risk of Injury and damage, this book cannot guarantee that performing die activities In this bool is safe tor everyone. For this reason, this book is sold without warranties or guarantees of any kind, expressed or implied, and the publisher and the author disclaim any liability for any Injuries, losses, or d images caused In any way by the content of this took or the reader’s use of the tool s reeded to complete the projects presented here.The publisher and the author urge al carvers to thoroughly review each project ard to under starve the use of all tools before beg Inn log any project

Contents

Introduction

A History of

Types of Carvings

Wood for Carving

Carving Tools

How to Hold a Power Carver

Knife Rescue

Strength in Splitting

Getting Started

Painting 8 Finishing

Stylized Bird

Stylized Cat

T

Contents

Introduction

viii

ChapterOmtA HISTORY OF WOODCARVING

1

Chapter Two: TYPES OF CARVINGS

9

Chapter Three WOOD FOR CARVING

23

Chapter lour: CA RVING TOOl S

49

Chapter Five: CARVING ACCESSORIES

67

Chapter Six: SHARPENING YOUR TOOLS

89

Chapter Seven: T OOL PRACTICE

141

Chapter Light: GET 1 INC STARTED

165

Chapter Mine: PAINTING 8 FINISHING

. 177

Chapter Ten: STEP-BY-STEP PROJECTS

199

Stylized Bird

200

210

Flower Relief Carvinq

224

Stylized Cat

234

Acanthus

240

Chip Carved Star

2S0

Pierced Relief Horse Heads

258

The Woodcarver

by Everett Ellenwood

I saw this piece of wood one day When I picked it up it seemed to say

Therms something hiding inside of me Remow some chips and you will see

I looked to see what I might find And soon an image came to mind

My task was now to set it free What's hidden in this piece of iree'f

With loving care each cut was made Wood /reeled off with a sharp-edged blade

And as each chip fell to the floor I could sec the object more and more

By one final cut it was set free My work of art for all to see

This piece of wood which would just lay And see its body soon decay

Was now transformed and given life With careful cuts of gouge and knife

By carving something from this tree It liws again because of me

Introduction

If you're searching or n hobby that will be with you for a lifetime—not just some fad that’s here today and gone tomorrow—woodcarving puts you on the right track.

It’s not a stagnant hobby hut one that is stimulating, yet relaxing. Woodcarving is done in many styles, from simple repetitive patterns to intricate sculptures, so it’s a hobby in which you will nrver run out of ideas for what you can create. It can become a very satisfying and fulfilling part of your life.

In this age of mass production, it* gratifying to take a piece of wood ami create your own piece of ait, and because wood com;' from a oncc-Itving tree, no two pieces will ever he the same. It grows and changes, even after it’s harvested. Each piece will have a beauty and character of its very own. This beauty of wood makes woodcarving a special art.

During the 30-plus years i have been carving, I’ve held classes, written articles and books, and produced videos and DVDs—all to help woodcarvcrs at different stages of their carving careers. Woodcarving can t be learned through books alone, but books arc a great way to start your journey into woodcarving and a great resource to turn to when you need help on a specific topic.

With that in mind, I’ve included material in this book to help you develop an understanding of woodcarving basics so you have a solid foundation on which to build.

Experienced woodcarvcrs can cxpaid their knowledge of this beautiful art form as well. I recommend you read this book in its entirety, and then refer hack to specific chapters if you have questions on a particular topic. This hook will take you through

■    a history of woodcarving

■    the various types of carving

■    the anatomy of wood and how its characteristics affect how you carve it

■    why some types of wood are bstter to carve than others

■    what to look for when buying wood for carving

■    why wood may crack or split end how to minimize it

■    what to look for when buying carving tools

■    the different types of sharpening stones and their characteristics

■    how to sharpen your carving tools

■    how to use your carving tools safely

■    how to develop an idea into a finished carving

■    techniques to finish a carving

I’ve also included seven projects,each one specially selected to help you become proficient with your carving tool* and expand your knowledge of how to curve wood.

Working with wood a* a medium, and carving in particular, requires only a few tools to get started, and you can create an unlimited number of things within this art form. 1 find it totally relaxing and gratifying to see a piece of wood come alive with each chip I remove. Carving is a very satisfying and fulfilling part of my life;

I hope it can be a part of yours.

—Everett EUcmnxxi

Chapter One

A History of

Woodcarving

Woodcarving is one of the oldest developed skills known.

Studying the past can do more than inspire and show you some of the different possibilities; it can also add value to your work by providing a context for it. Whether you eventually fit into the community of caricature carvers or create techniques and works that parallel or advance those of furniture carvers, knowing the history of carving can bring self-satisfaction and a sense of worth, especially if you ever decide to sell your work.

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As you will see here, woodcarving is a common thread that has flowed through every nation and culture since the beginning of mankind. No country in the world is without a history of carving in one form or another; it is one of the oldest developed skills. Carving also has a presence in every era. In tough times, men decorated practical objects; during wealthy times, they created more luxurious carved items. The availability and workability of wood—for practical and indulgent purposes—helped woodcarving gain its place in history.

Woodcarving's

Beginnings

Some of the earliest examples of woodcarving include everyday items found In (.’him that wen-crafted with simple stone tools, fine wooden hunting spears found in Germany, and a wooden club and digging sticks found in Africa All of these wooden articles trace carving back to the New Stone Age (about VtXX) BCE to 7000 BCE). Even though writings indicate woodcarving’s presence prior to the New Stone Age, any actual examples do not exist because of wood's susceptibility t» the elements.

Although woodcarving was practiced in all parts of the ancient world, ancient Egyptian works provide us with some of the best examples and have survived because of Egypt's arid climate. Of particular interest is the focus on figure, furniture, and relief carving. Numerous tombs have been excavated,

Carved rcl.cf deleting

a kn-ght and two figures from a wagon found at Oiebcrg, Norway. The ninth* century woodcarving is on display at the Viking Ship Museum In Oslo. Norway.

yielding many examples of human ard animal mummy cases with likenesses and figures curved on them and their lids. Detailed intaglio wooden molds, used to impress patterns into dough, have also been found. Additionally, expeditions have unearthed wooden furniture with folding seats, similar to modern campstools, and chairs with legs terminating in the carved heads or feet of animali. One

of tin- oldest Coys, a little cat ved boat, was found in a child’s tomb there, and excavations have uncovered seafaring wooden vessel* with carved human and animal figureheads dating hack before HOK) BCE.

An amazing example of Egyptian woodcarving that withstood the test of time u a thrcc-foot-by-seven-inch lifelike statue, most of which was carved from a solid block of sycamore around 2500 BCE. Wood was not plentiful in Egypt, and sycamore, so scarce that it was considered sacred, was the only tree suitable for carving. The statue iiitiiiuil.tliicd Ka-Apcr, a priest who recited prayers for deceased kings (see photo on page 4).

In 1860 CE, the tomb of Hesy-ra, the royal physician of ancient Egypt, was opened to reveal vet another tribute to woodcarving’s past. Eleven wooden rcli:f*carved panels, each measuring two feel high, were discovered. These exquisite low relief panels may have been carved around 2500 BCE.

While the Bronze Age (3000 BCE to 1300 BCE) saw the creation of functional carved Items, such us coffins found in Germany and Denmark, carver* also worked in figure, incised, and relief carving. In Germany, fine wooden animal statues in bas-relief were found. In southwest China, archaeologists uncovered a painted woodcarving of a head, which measures 3114 inches long.

In Norway, the Oscbcig ship, dating back to 800 BCE, is one of the prime examples of Iron Age (1300 BCE to 300 BCE) woodcarving. The Osebcrg is one of only two Viking ships found from this era and s believed by some to be the huti.il ship of the Viking queen Asj. Built of oak, the ship measures 70 feet long by 16 feet wide by 5 feet deep and was filled with items lor the buried woman to use in the afterlife, such as a wooden cart, bedposts, and rudimentary farming implements.

Woodcarving in the Common Era

Few example* exist of very early Common Era carvings, hut It's cl?ar that woodcarving served many of the same purposes it does today. Dating hack to the filth century, panels found in a Roman basilica and adorned with figures and designs provide an excellent example of the religious caning of the time. In northern Canada, a Dorset culture mask from 3<I0 CE to 1000 CL was excavated from the permanently frozen Arctic soil. This painted, life-size mask was carved fmni d iftwuuJ. Culluiisls think the mask was probably worn in rituals for curing the sick, controlling the weather, or influencing the hunt.

The figurehead of a Viking kingship found at Oseberg Norway. From the ninth century, the figurehead Is on display at the Viking Ship Museum in Osb. Norway

Religious devotion and extensive carved detail marked the art of the Gothic period (1200 CE to M50 CE). Many of the religious woodcarvings of Europe, including panels, choir stalls, and crucifixes, were executed with proportions and detail that have never been paralleled. Some scholars speculate that the heightened religious devotion of the lime spawned the extreme attention to detail. Craftsmen carved tot just for carvings sake; they carved to glorify God and religious ideals. During this time, multitudes of apprentice carvers throughout Europe, Scandinavia, and the Far East worked under the watchful eyes of master carvers.

Because the transition from the Gothic period to the Renaissance (the fourteenth to the seventeenth century) happened gradually and because their *pans overlap, it is useful to look al the characteristics of both periods logeihei. Foliage designs wcie prevalent in both periods, although Gothic artists did not use the scroll design and avoided the repetition o! detail*, which Renaissance artists used to maintain balance and symmetry. As the Renaissance neared, foliage become more

realistic, and carvers favored the vine over traditional foliage.

Renaissance and Gothic artists both ornamented many features of the church.

Relief-carved foliage and figures appeared in many places, including coves, bosses, ribs, and other architectural elements; roofs; pulpits;

rood screens, which separated the clergy

from the laity; misericords; and seats. More than jist carved with decorative foliage, scats in pin ticulai included “green men"—faces in. or often spewing, foliage. Piercing and undertutting techniques were employed to create shadows and realism. Carving in

the round also had its place. Baptismal font

tops or bench ends were shaped into doves.

representing the Holy Spirit, or anges, and life-size carved figures of the Virgin Alary or the Lord also appeared in many churches. Doors and windows were adorned with rosettes or other geometric patterns that resemble some of todays chip carving. Many carvings of all varieties were beautifully colored iluougli painting.

Not reserved for churches alone, foliage and geometric designs were also common in the home on mantelpieces and cabinets. Because

the fireplace mantel was the focus of a room.

it was exceptionally ornate and could include

seiollwoik, pilasteio with capitals, coals of arms, and figures. Chests and staircases both often displayed coats of arms or other heraldic images. Solid-hacked chairs received low relief carvings, and table legs were sometimes decorated with acanthus designs. During the Renaissance, house fronts provided a large canvas for the carver, and animals and acanthus leaves were often used.

During this same time Arabic craftsmen carved many of the same motifs. Architectural elements and screens of complicated joinery -vie decorated with geometric designs, scrollwork, intricate interlacing patterns, foliage, and sometimes animals and figures in low relief. In places such as Persia, spoons, boxes, and other small it:ms were embellished with low relief patterns cr designs that resembled chip carving patterns.

A carved wooden statue of Ka-Aper, known as Sheikh el'Belcd, a headman of his village, from his maslaba lomb in North Saqqara. Old Kingdom. The eyes In the statue were made from rock crystal rimmed with copper. The sycamore carving, which was lifesize. comes from the Egyptian Fifth Dynasty THo piece is on display at the Egyptian National Museum in Cairo. Egypt.

The Reformation dealt a damaging blow to European woodcarving in 1548 CE. During the reign of Edward VI, the council ordered all rood screens and images ol saints removed from churches and destroyed. Almost all of the beautifully carved roods in medieval England were removed or defaced. The only religious carving during :his era was done by monks in the secure confines of monasteries. After stabilization of Puritan rule, this edict was reversed. By 1556, almost all churches had altars, images, and rood screens once again, but many exhibited defacement suffered during the Reformation.

Woodcarving continued to gain momentum in the seventeenth century. Deep relief carvings became popular, with vines as a key

element. Chip cji viiig and acanthus designs

were commonly used for decorating buildings, furniture, and household items, figurework was also widespread.

In England, Grinling Gibbons, one of the most famous decorative woodcarvers of all

L A    M    .    *

time, Ui vid f«n Mime of £n^UmT> km^ Juil brought decorative carving to new heights. His work Mill decorates several English churches, most notably Saint Paul's Cathedral, and aristocratic mansirns, including Windsor (iastle. Best knowr for his technical skills, Gibbons’ specialties included foliage, fruit, flowers, birds, and an almost endless array ot objects intertwined with drapery, all carved in lime wood up to a foot thick. Flower petals, leaves, and feathers were undercut and stood off the surface in unbelievable detail The delicacy of Ids carting ha» arguably nevei been surpassed since. Gibhons’ work had an enormous influence on the interior design and d£cor of this period, along with having a profound influence on furniture craftsmen, such as Thomas Chippendale. Although Chippendale did not carve the variety of motifs that Gibbons did, senilis, shells, ribbons, and claw and ball feet, >11 done in very tine relief, arc abundant in Chippendale’s work.

Woodcarving in North America

The early IbiXls saw the beginning of emigration from Europe to North America, which continued for more than three centuries. Early settlers carved primarily utilitarian items, such as spoons, wooden howls, and yokes. Pans cf wagons, such as spokes for wheels, were aiso carved. These early settlers were more concerned with survival than making decorative items.

As migration grew from a few hundred to millions of immigrants m tin- eighteenth century, some of the best carvers from Europe and Scandinavian countries moved to North America. This influx of talent had a tremendous influence on the newly discovered American continent, where immigrants dccoried their homes and churches with carvings and architectural moldings.

The coat of arms of the sixth Duke of Somerset was carved in lime wood by Grinling Gibbons (1648-1721). The carving was part of the ornamental**! at Petworth House in Sussex, Urvted Kingdom.

As more and more businesses developed, carvers were in great demand to create

wooden signs to advertise shops, because so many immigrants couldn't read English, signs displayed carved objects instead of words to bridge the language barncr. Pubs were often named after eclectically grouped but easily illustrated elements. The Bell-in-Hand Tavern, established in Boston in 1795 by

Before the American Revolutionary War, many furnnure makers employed skilled carvers to produce Chipaendale-style furniture with Interlaced splat backs and square chamfered legs. The chair Is owned by Mallet £ Son Antiques Ltd., London, United Kingdom.

A high rrlipf r.irving from the fifteenth or sixteenth century, AJtaipicce of the Passion was carved by Veit Stoss (1445-1533).

lames Wilson, featured a town crier on its sign. Other popular examples of illustrating

a product rather than carving out letters were agar store Indians in front of tobacconist shops. (Native American Indians were equated with tobacco because they introduced the early explorers to it.) Yet more examples of symbolic carving include the carved barber pole, a key for the locksmith, scissor* for the tailor, a shoe lor the cobbler, :i bat for the haberdasher, und so on. Some signs were so well designed and crafted that they are highly collectible if still around today.

furniture makers were also in great demand. Records dating from before the American Revolution show at least 1 jO cabinetmakers in Boston and an equal nunber in Philadelphia. Craftsmen in some southern states also made line furniture, especially from cherry und mahogany. Manyofthes: cabinetmakers employed several skilled carvers to produce Chippendale style fuiniUie with highly decorated hand-carved cabriole legs, backs of chairs, drawer fronts, and bonnets across the tops of chests and highboy furniture.

The use of decorative hand carving declined in the nineteenth century, except in works

modi’ lui tliulilmOnd 1110*411 e*. Huwmi. fun and relaxing projects known as whimsies emerged. Duplicating machines, capable of making large quantities of one item, began to replace carvers. Aiditionally, the price of labor increased, so only ihe wealthy could afford to beautify their homes with the carvings of skilled crattsmcn.

will lie looking for hobbies to fill llicii free

The Depression :ra (1930s to mid-1940s) significantly impacted all skills, including canmg. In 1935, President Franklin D. Roosevelt spearheaded a program called the Federal Art* Project (FAP), meant to establish community art centers to educate children and

This painted totem pale was carved by a Native American tnbe from Ihe Pacific Northwest, the pole is on display at the Horniman Museum in London. United Kingdom.

adult* in tin- an*, to jm/vide artwoik for nonfcdcr.il buildings, and to create jobs for unemployed artistson relief rolls.

A shop Sign for a shoemaker in France depicting 5t. Crispin at his workbench The sixteenth-century French school carving is displayed al Mu see

de laVHIe de Paris,

Mu see Carnavalet, in Pahs. France.

Through this program, woodworking and whittling classes for men and boys were operated in settlement houses, YMCAs, schools, museums, and recreation halls. The FAP was the largest employer of artists during the Dcpivuiun, giving jobs to inure than 5.000 artists. Today, many of the mists' works are displaced in post offices and public buildings throughout the United States. In addition to providing jobs,

the program also created a new awareness of American art and exposed thousands of would be carvers to woodworking.

The Second World War gave way to modern, straight-lined architecture in buildings and furniture; very few decorative accents were used, iiccausc of this trend, and because people were focused on the war effort, carving faced mother decline.

When the war ended and the world economy began to grow, people could devote more free time to hobbies. Carving witnessed another revival Today, thousands of people throughout the world enjoy this beautiful art form. With the retirement of the baby boomers, who

time, woodcarving in the United States may continue to grow’ in popularity. And with all of the different types of woodcarving, artists and hcbbvists alike will have plenty of options to explore.

Chapter Two

Types of Carvings

Once you begin carving, only your imagination will limit what you can create.

If you've read Chapter 1,"A History of Woodcarving,'you probably noticed terms such as relief carving, chip carving, and architectural carving that describe some varieties of carving throughout history. Just as most arts and crafts have different styles— impressionism and cubism, for example, are styles of painting—carving also has different types. Within each specialty, you will find an unlimited number of things to carve. For instance, realistic carvings could encompass everything from birds to fish to hjman busts, all in exquisite, true-to-life detail.

How do you decide what to carve? If you feel overwhelmed and aren't sure where to begin,

start with what inspires you. Do you want to create something usable for your home? Try a utilitarian carving p'Oject. A simple spoon is ideal. Do you want 'o capture the human figure in wood’ Make a bust your first carving. Do you want to memorialize a friend's favorite pet? Create a realisticcarving of a dog or a cat.

In the following section, I'll show you examples of each sty e so you can recognize the types and their characteristics. If you’re a new carver, try as many varieties as possible. After carving for a period of time, you'll probably find that you prefer certain types to others, but don t be afraid to experiment with the different styles at first.

Two-Dimensional Carving

Two-dimensional carving refers to carving done only on the surface ol a flat piece of wood. Don't he fooled, though Two-dimensional carving can range from relatively simple, like incised carving, to more difficult, like chip carving and relief carving.

Incised Carving

In incised carving, only the outline of an object is carved into the wood; the rest of the wood is normally left untouched. Cuts arc made with V-tocls, veiners, or knives of varying sizes, and deeper or wider ruts create highlights. Incised carving is used on furniture, far wood block printing, and for carving lettering into wood.

Tools: Tools capable ol outlining cuts

Uses: Furniture decorating, carvings lor wood block printing,

Incised Carving. The pioceof basswood board was fint painted black and then carved using a V-:ool, making the outlines easy to see

letter carving

Chip Carving

One of the oldest forms of decorative woodcarving, chip carving ha* been used throughout the world to decorate homes, household items, and vessels. Chip carvers remove selected chips ol wood to create patterns. The patterns are often repetitive and can have free-form chips, such as curves, or geometric chips, such as triar.glcs.

Tools:Clsip carving knives Uses: Decorating items of all types

Chip Carving. Notice the characterise geometric patterns in the borders and main designs of thisefop carved bos A key to its beauty is the neat and even removal of chips.

small ecsiwood ortPo*. with the pattern and carving by Todd Moor, measures three inches by five inches. The chip carving features a flower motif on the sides and is mirror-imaged on the top.

Ikuiwood flowf, a carving by Wayne Boniface of Kitchener,

Ontario, Is an excellent example of chip carving.

Intaglio

In intaglio (pronounced in-TALL-yoJ.a recess ts carved, and the subject is carved into tlu* recess Tie surrounding surface is normally left untouched. This style of carving is effectively

Intaglio. An excellent example of negative relief carving, this candy mold from the Philippines shows the depth of the main image and the untouchec surrounding wood.

Butter molds carved by Gene Wilson cl Belleville. IlSnois.    Another    carving    by Gene Wilson—his largest

The molds were used to identify who bad made the butter.    coolie    mold-of    King William III. Carved from

beech, the mold measures 5V? inches wide by 12 Incises long.

negative relief carving. Typically, intaglio is used to make designs in butter molds, candy molds, chair hacks, ard other furniture. Albrecht Durer. who created the famous Hands a)'the A/Mostlc, is one of the most renowned intaglio artists.

Toots: Various carving tools, especially long bent and short Bent

Uses: Molds, furniture decorating, printmaling

Relief Carving

High Relief Carving. This highly detailed high relief carving is an antique from Europe and more than 100 years old. Carved in linden wood, the panel measures 111> Inches wide by 23 inches bonc^ Notice how the ceepercuts of high relief create wry dark shadows.

Low Relief Carving. Notice how little wood I removed from the surface of this low relief carving. The iris flower is raised no more than W Inch at any place on the carving.

In relief carving, wood is carved away around an object to make it look as if the object is standing off the surface of the wood. This variety of carving uses techniques such as undercutting (cutting under an element to hide the line where the element meets the background) to create shadows and depth. Relief carving can he further divided into three categories:

■    In low relief, or bas-relief, only a small amount of wood is relieved from around the object, which extends off the background. These carvings normally have no undercut but CJn he very detailed.

■    High relief is basically the same as low relief, except more wood is removed around the object and undercuts are made to create more shadows. Normally, at least hall the object's circumference projects off the wood. These differences make high relief more dramatic than low relief,

Pierced Relief Carving. The

open spaces between the horses, where I removed the wood completely, make this a pierced relief carving.

■    In pierced relief, areas of the carving are completely removed so you can see through those areas.

Usually, finished pieces of al! three types are viewed

only from the front As you probably remember from Chapter 1,“A History of Woodcarving," relief carving traces back to ancient Egypt and has been used ;hroughout time to decorate homes, furniture, jewelry boxes, and household items.

Tools: Knives and other carving tools, especially gouges, V-tools, and veins*'s Uses: Decorating items of all types

Architectural Carving. This 32-inch-tong-by-4,.Hixh-wkie cherry piece adorns the front of a fireplace mantel The scroll-like form is typical in architectural carving.

V' -

Architectural Carving

Acanthus Carvina. In this acanthus carving done in butternut, you can see how the leaves flow in convex and concave shapes.

Tools: Gouges, veiners, and V-tools of venous sizes Uses: Furniture and architectural decoration

An excellent example of rustic architectural carving by Greg Yousg ol Germantown, Wisconsin.

In this style of carving, designs are carved In. or attached to. items such as furniture or architectural elements. Acanthus carving is one of the most popular specialties of architectural carving and can also fall under the category of relief carving. The ornate acanthus style incorporates concave and convex cuts to make flowing, stylized designs based on the acanthus plant. The Greeks and Romans used the acanthus in Gothic art and architecture; it earned into the Renaissance, and it also became very popular in the Scandinavian countries. It is still recognized as a Scandinavian style of carving today. Acanthus carving is used mii furniture, mu picture frames, and architecturally as a decorative accent

Bark Carving

Bark for carving, such as cottonwood hark, is thick and dense*. Every piece of hark has a unique size and shape, so each carving conforms to an individual piece. Bark carvings are typically carved and viewed from only one side; however, they can sometimes be partially hollowed out. Though its medium is the first thing that sets it apart, hart carving also has some distinct techniques because it carves differently than sobd wood. Fantasy buildings and wood spirits arc two popular items carved in hark.

Uses: Fantasy decorative Items

Untitled Wood Spirit, * inches thick. 6 inches wide, 23 inches long. Carved from plains cottonwood bark with lacquer and wax finish.

Bark Carving. Silent Sentinel. a 3'> inch thick, 6 inch wide, 22 inch long carving from plains cottonwood bark. The flnnhed piece is treated with laccuer and wax finish.

Tools: Knives and othei carving tools

Realistic Carving. This butt of a mole figure In basswood shows the human figure variety of realistic carving. I used a H-inch veirser and a V-tcol to detail the beard and cap. I landed only the face to create the smooth appearance of skin

Carving in the Round

Any three-dimensional carving where wood is removed all around the subject, giving the work height, width, and depth, is called carving in the round. Carvings in this category can he viewed from any angle and have a subject that is visible from any side.

Realistic Carving

Realistic carvings present a subject as true to life ns possible. Carvers of this style rely heavily on photographs and direct observation of their subjects. Every scale, leather barb, or wrinkle is recreated in wood. Painting is equally detailed.

■    Amazingly dualled, bird editings uiiige in

size from the smallest hummingbir! to the largest goose.

■    Rarely done as life-size carvings, animal carvings are often miniature versions of the real creatures. No details, from the way the fur lies te the highlights

in the eye, arc overlooked.

■    Fish carvings vary in size- smaller fish, such as freshwater trout, are carved life size; larger game fish, sharks, and dolphins arc often carvzd in miniature.

Special tools exist for getting each and every scale correct.

■    Human figure carvings include life size sculptures, busts, and miniature figures. Carvers who specialize in thi* subc.itegory work hard to capture facial expressions and body language.

Tools; Knives, gouges, vciners, V-tools, micro tools, and sometimes power loots

Cedar Wowing, by tori Corbett, is a fine example of realistic carving

Uses; Sculptures or decorative items

Stylized Carving

Stylized carvings emphasize form over <iel.nl; these carvings represent a subject without recreating il exactly. Normally, stylized carvings arc sanded to give smooth, flowing lines, and many works aie left unpainted so the natural wood grain shows in the finished piece.

Stylized Carving. The smooth lues and natural finish of (his 12-rnch-high stylized cal are characteristic of most stylized carvings. You'll also notice that tie majority of the details have teen left out.

An outstanding example of realistic carving; The Sentind

a Ralph Mueller. The great ic heron is carved in cedar.

Tools: Knives and other carving tools Uses: Sculptures or decorative items

Tools: Knives and other carving tools

Uses: Decorative figures, sometimes bottle stoppers

Caricature Carving. I ike nvnl caricature carvings, this golfer has exaggerated features, such as his hands and nose, but he still has elements of realism. I carved the golfer in a class given by one of the premier caricature carvers. Marv Kalsersat.

Pair of Aram's Parted, by artist Joe You. is an excellent example of caricature caiving.

Caricature Carving

A very popular type of carving, caricature deliberately exaggerate* a familiar subject’* distinctive features or peculiarities. Emil land (1897-1981). one of the masters of caricature carving, referred to it as ‘exaggerated realism." Artists in European countries carved in caricature to some degree, hut Sweden had the most pro'ound and lasting effect on this style of carving. Most caricature carvings are done in basswood.

Flat Plane Carving

Flat-plane carving, native to the Scandinavian countries, ha* become popular In recent years.

It features simple, controlled knife cuts, which leave flat surfaces on the finished carving. Typical sub)ects ar? people and animals. Flat-plane carving was almost extinct but was revived primarily because of one person: Harley Rcfsal. Rcfsal spent an extensive period of time in Scandinavia, interviewing elderly carvers and studying this dying art form. He wrote books documenting the style- and has traveled around the woild demonstrating and teaching.

Flat-Plane Carving. Flat-plane carvings are easily recognized by the flat knife cuts left on the surface of the finished carving. The bnght coloring is also characteristic cf this style.

Scandirsov/an Kith SM by Harley Befsat. From the collection of Walter and Marcia Sanders, Jamestown, North Dakota.

Oscar, by Harley Rcfsal, is an example of flat-plane carving.

Tools: Knives Uses: Decorative figues

Utilitarian Carving. Carved spoons and bowls are some of the most popular utilitarian items My grandfather carved this spoon more than 100 years ago

Utilitarian

Carving

Items intended to be useful and practical, such as spoons, bowls, and drawer pulls, arc pan of utilitarian carving. These carvings can include other styles; items can be created as stylized carvings, with natural finishes and few details, or carved in the realistic style, with highly detailed, decorative markings and beautiful pointed colors.

Tools: Knives and other carving tools

Utilitarian carvings can be both beautiful and functional I carved these drawer pulls from cherry wood.

This oak leal candy dish carved from walnut is a good example of a utilitarian carving that can also be used as a decorative item. I'. Is 5'S Indies wide by ft'/i inches tong

Uses: Functional items that also can be decorative

Whimsies

Nonfunctional primarily entertaining types of carvings are called whimsies. Most often, they feature interlocking parts of an object that is carved from one piece of wood. Some of these carvings can be vvrv intricate and complicated.

Tools: Primarily carving knives Uses: Toys

Whimsies. Items such as this wooden chain with a ball In a birdcage and these jointed pliers are whimsies that can be toys, puzzles, or games.

Whimsies can be any size, such as this incredible chain carved fran a matchstick.

With its trapped ball, this carving Is another excellent example of a whimsy.

Chapter Three

Wood for Carving

Tlie more you know about wood, the more effectively you can use it.

Now that you've gotten a good look at the different types of carving and hopefully found one that sparks your imagination, let's take a look at the medium you'll be working in: wood. You'll want to learn as much as you can about wood before you actually start because the more you know about wood, the more effectively you'll be able to use it.

Selecting the right wood involves much more than just thinking about the finished product. To get the most out of the medium, you'll also want to urderstand the makeup of wood and why it reacts to the environment and to carving tools the way it does. In this chapter, we'll take a look at the various characteristics that determine how carvers use a tree for carving.

Anatomy of a Tree

A tree consists of three primary components: the trunk, the roots, and the crown. Each part can provide different types of carving wood. The way a tree grows and the health of that growth affect the quality of the carving wood.

Trunk

Also called the bole, the trunk connects the roots to the crown and transports food to the roots and food and water throughout the trunk. The trunk is usually considered the portion of the tree without limbs. Because it has the least tendency to crack or split, wood from the trunk is generally the most stable wood for carving.

Tin- back of a (i«'t Hunk act> as a pmu-clitv skin, keeping moisture and gases contained in the tree and resisting life-threatening attacks by insects, microorganisms, and weather. Bark consists of living and dead cells, “he tree adds new bark cells each year to replace the outflde hark, or dead cells, which will crack. If no new bark cells arc made, the cracked area will expose the wood to the elements. Bark can be carved by itself if it has considerable thickness, or it can be carved through to expose the wood beneath.

Roots

The roots grow into the ground and anchor the tree, keeping It erect. They also absorb walei and minerals from the ground, which are transported through strawlike vessels up through the trunk, limbs, branches, and twigs, and tinally out to the leaves. While many carvers enjoy working with roots, these parts of the tree aren’t a good medium for beginning carvers. Roots arc embedded with dirt, which dulls carving tools quickly. Also, many roots have a twisted grain, which is very difficult to carve.

Crown

The limbs, branches, twigs, and leaves form the crown of the tree. Leafy branches offer habitat for many animals, shade fitnii the sun, protection fiiun the eleiiicnls, and

beauty to the landscape in all four seasons. Food, called sap, is produced in the leaves through the process of photosynthesis. Limbs, branches, and twigs can all provide good carving wood. Even small twigs can make great material for carving, especially whittling projects.

Internal Growth

The trunk, roots, and crown arc the tree's primary visible components, but studying its internal characteristics gives us an even better understandirg of the trees structure. Looking

The pith Isn't usually includes! when woodis cut Into blanks, but If It Is. orient the wood so the pith is less noticeable on your finished carving On tSs piece, the pith is located toward the back of the carving.

into the cross section of a tree is the best way to see its internal characteristics; understanding what you're seeing helps you avoid costly and time-consuming carving errors.

Pith

At the tree's center is the pith, the oldest part of the tree. The pith, together with the tree’s lirst few annual rings, is what’s called juvenile wood, juvenile wood also forms where the initial growth of branches begins. As the tree grows, the pith u>i.ill> dries out, becomes softer, and turns darker than the rest of the wood. The pith area also has a tendency to crack.

Pith

Heart wood

Annual Rings

Sapwood

Cambium layer

Bark

Because of these characteristics, avoid carving pieces of wood that include the pith. If you do carve wood with the pith intact, design the piece so the pith doesn't show from the viewing angle.

Annual Rings

Radiating out from the pith arc the arnual ring*. Each ring has two components: early wood (also called spring wood) and late wood (also called summer wood). Early wood grows at the beginning of the tree's growing season, the tree's period of active growth. This wood is made of large cells with thin walls. As the season progresses, the growth activity slows down, and the cells become smaller with thicker walls; this is the late wood. Late wood is normally darker than early wood because it has a higher concentration of cellulose. You will normally see one annual ring for each year of the tree’s growth The rings can vary In width because uf weather ami other conditions during tingrowing season.

In a tree’s limbs and branches, the cnnual rings can reflect stressful or irregular growth. Because limbs and branches hang parallel to the ground for their entire life, some develop reaction wood, which grows unevenly to help support the branch. Blocks or pieces with reaction wood have a significantly higher chance of cracking or splitting, no matter what precautions you take. To check if the wood you want to carve has reaction wood, look for a pith that's olf-cvntcr. This phenomenon also will occur in trees that are leaning.

Studying the annual rings also helps us see how the ring' appear as grain lines when wood is cel from a tree. Mere are sonic common terms:

■    I'lainsjw n (sometimes called flatsawn) wood has arches on the face (the long surface), and curved parts of the annual rings are visible on the end.

■    Quartcrsawn boards have straight gram lines on the face and ends.

■    Riftsawn wood has slightly wavy grain on the face and slightly bent lines on the end.

Reaction Wood. A pith and annual rings that are off-center can indicate reaction wood, lice the type found in this tree limb, most likey formed as the limb was drooping toward the ground This cross secticn also shows the remnants of a knot and an encased internal Haw.

Cambium Layer

There is little difference between the colors of the boartwood and the sapwood in basswood.

H.irvnOi ng a trno riming th*> fall or winter, when the bark and the wood beneath are tightly bonded, allows you to incorporate bark into the finished design.

The annual rings progress out to the cambium layer, located between the hark and the wood. Cell division takes place hers-, and when the cell* divide, they become either wood cells or bark cells. Normally, about IS wood cells develop for every hark cell. The wood cell* are primarily responsib e for the tree's increase in diameter.

Knowing when the cambium layer is active helps you choose wood that has been cut at the best times. It you cut a tree in the springor summer, the cambium layer feels slippery and slimy because cell division is taking place.

During this period, the bark and wood are loosely bonded tugvllivr, so when t ie Wood is dried, the haik may fall off. During the fall and winter, when almost no cell division takes place, the hark and wood are tightly bonded together. It’s imperative that a tree is cut in the fall or winter if you want the bark to remain intact.

He ART WOOD AND SAPWOOD

As you read earlier in this chapter, the trunk transports food to the roots aid food and water throughout the trunk. Once a tree grows large enough, only a portion of the trunk is required to supply food and water. This active portion consist* of the outer annual rings and i.s called the sapwood.

The vessels of llie center rings, no longer needed lo supply food and water, fill with extractives, minerals, and tannins. This section bccoir cs the heartwood. Instead of conducting food and water throughout the tree, the heartwood gives strength, essentially becoming the trees vertebrae.

With the addition of new sapwood each year, the tree grows m diameter. The heartwood also expands because each tree requires only a certain number of sapwood rings. This number varies from one tree species to anoihef.

In some species, you will sec a distinct color contrast between the heartwood and

sapwood. Other species, like basswood,

show almost no difference between the two parts. Both heartwood and sapwood are ideal for woodcarving, but to maintain the same basic color, most carvings are done using the heartwood of the tree.

The sapwood, which delivers nutrients to the canopy, is usually lighter than the heart wood, which no longer carries food Most carvings are done in heartwood. but some carvert prefer to include the varying colors of heartwcod and sapwood.

I cut out an area and incited straws to simulate how it would look If thus area were magnified

When a carving tool travel between vessels instead of across them, the tool tends to skp between the vessels, causing the vessels to spVt apart from one another; this is called'splitting with the grata' Always cut across the vessels. even If you have tochanoe the position of the wood or the grip on your tool, so you never give the tool an opportunity to go between the vessels

Under a high-powered microscope, the vessels that run up and down a trees trunk are even more visible.

Vessels

Under a microscope, the cross section of any tree looks like the end of a large bundle of straws These straws are the vessels that carry water and minerals from the roots to the crown. (In softwoods, or coniferous trees, these are called fibers. In hardwoods, or deciduous trees, fibers make up the walls ot the vessels.)

Most transfer of water and nutrients occurs up and down in a tree. However, some transfer of nitricnts occurs across the tree from the phloem, the inner bark, to the pith through vessels called medullary rays. The rays transport food (sap) horizontally across the tree anil also ait as food storage areas

Undemanding the microscopic vessels along with the annual rings is important for working with grain and figure. Though many people use the terms interchangeably, grain and figure are actually different. Grain is a broader term that refers to the arrangement of vessals in wood. Straight gram, spiral grain, coarse grain, and fine grain all refer to what we see when we look at a piece of wood. Earlier, we touched on grain when describing how boards are cut from a tree (see Annual Rings on page 26).

Categorizing Trees

Trees are divided into two classes:hardwoods,

which are deciduous (broadleaf) t:ees, and

softwoods, which are coniferous (cvetgrcen) trees. Hirdwoods are angiosperms: trees with a branching and rebranching trunk and leaves that normally drop in the fall. Softwoods are gymnosperms, or conifers: trees, usually evergreens, with needles or scalelfce foliage that have a single central trunk with side branches.The terms 'hardwood" and "softwood’are not directly associated with the hardness or seftness of the wood; they describe the scientific classification of the trees. For example, basswood, a hardwood, is softer than Douglas fir. which is a softwood.

For carvers, grain is most significant in describing how you work with wood. It affects every cut you make. For vAampk-, if a knife is allowed to go between these vessels, the fibers that make up the vessel walls will tear apart, and the wood will split This is called 'splitting with the grain" and can cause you to lose control of the cut and easily ruin a carving in progress. Make sure every cut you make with your knife or gouge is cutting across the vessels of the wood, not betweer them. The following terms are common ways carvers refer :o methods of working with grain:

Medullary rays carry nutrients horizontally across the trunk of a tree. The rays can only be seen by magnification In most trees, but they are visible without magnification In a cross section of an oak tree's trunk.

■    Across the grain—Cutting perpendicular to the wood vessels.

■    With the grain Cutting parallel to the wood vessels.

■    Against the grain Cutting at an angle to the vessels.

■    Into the grain—Cutting between the vessels.

■    Splitting with the grain—Tearing of the wood, which normally occurs when you cut between the vessels.

Figure describes patterns of gram or color in wood. Curly and fiddlcback figures, for example, are specific patterns of wavy grain. Figure most often comes into play when looking at the characteristics of the final piece. If you have trouble remembering the uflcrcncc between grain and figure, just remember that grain causes figure.

Health Hazards of Wood

Estimates ate that about tv/o percent of people have some type of wood allergy. Woods from the rain forests (mahogany, for example) pose the greatest threat because of their oily nature. These woods can cause skin rashes, and if sanded, the fine sawdust can create respiratory problems.

Woods from the United States and Canada that create the greatest dangers ate western cedar and walnut. Dust from these woods may cause respiratory problems and eye inflammation.

Studies have found that softwoods are less allergenic than hardwoods, but no matter what kind of wood you use. it is best to take precautions. Remember, preventing problems before they occur is better than requiring ongoing treatment after. Here are some general guide! nes:

■    Wear a good quality dust mask. Get one that is NIOSH (National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health) appreved and fits snugfy on your face, especially over your nose.

■    If you do much sanding or power carving, make sure you have a gcod vacuum and ventilation system in addition to your dust mask. (If you install a vacuum system, it should be well grounded. Fine, dry sawdust is highly flammable, and a static spark can ignite it.)

■    When handling wood tlut can cause skin irritation, wear gloves.

■    If you have any type of symptoms when using a certain species of wood, avoid using that wood.

■    If symptoms persist, have them checked by a physician.

Good Woods to Carve

The anatomy and all of the growth characteristics in the first part of this chapter come into play to create well-nurtured wood, hut even if it's perfectly grown, you won't want to pick up just any piece of wood and start carving. Of the $0,IKK), plus species of wood in the world, some are more carver-friendly than others.

Whether it is hardwood or softwood (see Categorizing Trees on page 28), a wood's weight is directly proportional :o its relative hardness. The heavier the weight, the harder the wood, and the tougher it is to carve. The best woods for carving we gh between 25 and >0 pounds per cubic foot when dried to about 10 percent moisture content (Ml.). Woods lighter than 25 pounds per cubic foot arc too soft; they dent easily and won’t hold good detail. Woods heavier than 50 pounds per cubic foot arc very hard and more difficult to carve.

Beginning on page 31, you'll find examples of popular carving woods. Each sample is 5 indies wide and 2 Vi indie* I ugh. Tin- k-fl diagonal side t* the natural «*>ud culor; the tight diagonal side has a coat of satin-linkgh polyurethane varnish. The left half of each end piece is the natural wood color; the right half has a coat of polyurethane.

If you’re )ust beginning your carving journey, start with basswood or butternut; then, as you develop your skills, try different species. A common misuke is to start with wood that is difficult to carve, a frustrating experience that causes many people to abandon woodcarving.

Characteristics of Popular Carving Woods [

Wood

Weight’

Heartwood color

Sapwood color

Workability

Basswood'

26

Creamy to beige

Creamy white

Easy

Butternut'

27

Golden brown

Cream

Easy

Catalpa

29

Grayish brown

Grayish yellow

Easy

Tupelo

35

Cream to light tan

Light gray to whitish

Medium

Cherry

35

Light reddish brown

White-yellow brown

Medium

Mahogany

35

Dark reddish brown

Straw

Medium

Walnut

36 to 38

Chocolate

Light cream

Hard

Birch

38 to 45

Golden brown

Creamy white

Hard

Maple

42 to45

Blond to tan

Cream

Hard

'Bared co 1 cubic fool ai 10*fe moisture content 'Basswood and butternut ace the most pcfxla- woods for car/oq because cf their density

Basswood

Oik- ii| the most popular woods for carving, basswood carves easily and i* similar to European linden and lime wood. Because most basswood has a subtle grain pattern, paint is the best iir.ish. Clear finishes tend to make carvings look bland.

Region: Great Lakes eglon ol the United States and Canada, the best carving bassw-ood (whitest and softest) comes from northern Minnesota. Wisconsin,and Michigan

Qualities: Fine, even texture; very little grain figure; holds detail well Color: Cream/ with little difference between heartwood and sapwood Suggested finish: P*lnt

Butternut

A highly favored wood, butternut, like basswood, is easy to carve but has a beautiful grain that carvers rarely cover with paint. Finding good butternut is becoming more difficult because of a blight, called "butternut canker.' that is killing the trees. Wood is now primarily gathered from dead but still standing trees. Researchers are working to develop a canker-resistant species or to find and propagate trees with natural resistance.

Region: Central and ?astern North America, northeast Canada

Qualities: Beautiful g'ain pattern; easy to carve: similar to basswood in texture

Color: Warm golden brown

Suggested finish: Varnish or one of the oils

Catalpa

Most catalpa wood has much the same texture as butternut, but its more distinct grain makes it look more aggressive. There can be some variation in density from one catalpa tree to another, so some wood is easier to carve than others.

Region:Central Miss suppi nvei basin and eastern United States Qualities: Distinct difference between early wood and late wood; wide annual rings; density vaiies: cures without splitting or cracking

Color: Grayish browr

31

Matepnan, 3amu

Suggested finish: Vjmish, oil,or lacquer

Tupelo

Tupelo is popular with power carvers who specialize in birds and fish because it holds carved and wuodburned details well It is less popular for hand carving because it tends to tear if your tools aren't razor sharp. When selecting tupclo, use only the sapwood from the bell portion (the area of the tree partially underwater and about two to three feet above). Other parts have an uneven texture and stringy grain.

Region: Swampy areas of southern United States

Qualities: Fine, uniform texture with interocking grain; available in

large blocks; avoid wood with grayish green streaks, does not fuzz

during power carving and doesn't char when woodbutned; tears

easily with hand tools

Color light cream to grayish yellow

Suggested finish: Painted detail

Cherry

Cherry is another wood that is normally finished naturally to display its beautiful color and grair pattern. Though beautiful to work, cherry is very susceptible to burn marks from any power tools, whether il’s a power carver for carving or a band saw for roughing out an initial shape.

Region: Midwestern and eastern United States

Qualities: Straight, tight grain; fairly uniform texture; carves nicely with sharp tools; may have brown, pithtiKe flecks and small gum pockets; susceptible to bum marks from power tools

Color: Distinct variation between darker heartwood and lighter sapwood

Suggested finish: Natural; develops a patina from ultraviolet rays overtime

Mahogany

Mahogany is a straight grained, fine to medium textured wood with excellent working and finishing characteristics. It is popular for deep relief carving.

Region: Central and South America (best) Philippines, and Africa

Qualities: Straight. light grain (Honduras nahogany), works easily with hand tools or power tools

Color Develops deep red or brown color as it ages

Suggested finish: Varnish, oil. lacquer, or stain

Walnut

Walnut is one of the harder woods to carve and also one of the most beautifuL Because of its natural beauty, carvers rarely paint walnut. Sharp tools are a must because walnut tends to tear as you cut across the grain.

Region: Ohio, Indiana, and Missouri

Qualities: Straight gtaln with uniform texture; high density; tears unless tools are very sharp

Color: Distinct difference between lighter sapwood and darker heartwood

Suggested finish: Natural

Birch

Yellow or while birch (shown here) is the birch species most commonly mid for carving. Birch is a light-colored, fairly hard wood with a subtle grain pattern and an even texture. It holds excellent detail. When cured, it Ls resistant to warping.

Region: North America: the best hard birch comes from the Adirondack*, Veimort. New Hampshire. Wisconsin, and Michigan

Qualities: Carves easily, tight-grained, uniform texture, leaves a pokshed cut from shirp tools, cracks and splits if not dried propeily

Color: Yellow birch h»s white sapwood and light reddish biown heartwood: white birch has light-colored sapwood and brownish-colored heartwood Suggested finish: Any

Maple

\laplc is another beautiful but hard-to-carve wood. It is a close-grained, evan textured wood that takes excellent detail. Because of its density, you must have sharp tools, and a mallet is useful when carving maple.

Region: North centtcl and middle eastern United States to middle and southeastern Canada

Qualities: Very dense wood; fine, even texture; subdued grain; requires sharp tools

Color: Blond to tan

Suggested finish: Clear finish

Found Wood

In addition to the various woods mentioned, many people carve found wood, found wood is any wood in it* natural, unaltered Mate. It can be hark from dead or dying cottonwood trees, cypress knees, knots, weathered wood, or driftwood. Because it is more difficult to carve than hoards or other pieces sawn from a tree. I don't recommend found wood for your first project. However, once you have gained some experience, found wood can be an inspiring medium.

Cottonwood trees grow bark thick and dense enough to carve—often up to four or five inches.

Black cottonwood and plains cottonwood are the two most common species for carving; however,

eastern, swamp, Palmer, and Fremont cottonwoods can also produce thick hark in the right growing conditions. Wood spints or whimsical buildings are ideal subjects for hark carvings.

Cypress knees grow from the roots of the bald cypress trees in the swamps and bayous of the southern United States. Kach cypress knee has its own unique shaje and size. Cypress knees arc soft and require very sharp tools to make clean cuts.

This found wood Is part of a root from a walnut tree. Sometlmes.the shape of the wood determines what <t will become I plan to use the piece to carve a bear coming out of the piece, with the root area behind the bear left intact.

Bark is the medium of choice for carver Marshal Arrime of Addieville, Illinois.

Alabama carver Carole Jean Boyd favors cypress knees as her choice cf found wood.

Another cypress knee carving by Carole Jean Boyd of Alabama

Kind*—sunn- ufllu- In⁻*! JuJ    —umu hum dead

pondernsa pines. When the pine tree dies, the softer wood body (hole) decomposes, leaving the dense knots behind. Knots can be found in various shapes and sizes and are quite hard, so shao tools are a necessity. Wood spirits are the most popular subject carved in knots.

Artist Jim Wright of Tennessee finds inspirations for his carvings In driftwood and says the shape of the wood often suggests what the carving will become.

livina in the Gulf Coast region of Florida, carver David Noener finds many opportunities to convert dhftwood into beautiful pieces of art

Weathered wood and driftwood can come from almost any species, but the wood must be hard enough to withstand the elements without decaying. Many carver* like cedar and juniper because of their beautiful colors and grain patterns. Both weathered wood and driftwood can be found In any shape and size imaginable, allowing ;*>u to let jour mini tun with whatever you see hidden in the piece of wood.

Selecting Wood

Now that you’ve learned about wood's anatomy and some of the common species for carving, you’re armed with the Information you need to select an appiopriatc piece of wood (or your project. Whatever species you choose, keep an eye out for the items that follow.

Grain.

J Examine the grain carefully. _

□ Is it straight or twisted? _

Opt for straight grained wood; it is much easier to carve.

Deformities.

J Has the wood been split cr cut vertically through the pith? JYes JMo J If so, look closely for signs of deformities that may extend into the aiece of wood Signs of a once existing b'anch may Indicate Internal deformities.

Checks or cracks.

J Are there any checks or cracks? _J Yes J No Do not use wood with checks or cracks.

Heartwood or sapwood.

J Is there enough heartwood for your project once the sapwood Is removed?

□    Yes JNo

Note: The only wood whe'e you use just the sapwood is tupelo.

J Is there little differentiation m color between the heartwood and sapwood so that both can be carved? JYes JNo J If they are different colors, will the colors add another dimension to the carving? JYes JNo

Blemishes.

J Are there any blemishes? JYes JNo These may indicate a deformity inside the piece.

J Are there external flaws with openings through their centers? JYes JNo Deformities may be hiding inside.

Wormholes.

J Docs the wood have wormholes? □ Yes J No

J Will the wormholes complement your intended carving? JYes JNo Knots.

J Does the wood have knots? J Yes J No

Knots and the surroundin j wood are extremely difficult to carve.

J If the knots are small and tight can they be worked around? JYes JNo J Would the knots end up right in the middle of the viewing area of Ihe carving?

□    Yes □ No

J If the knots are loose, wot Id they fall out? JYes JNo J Could any voids be plugged? J Yes J No

Expecting the Unexpected

Many problems with wood are superficial and can be spotted easily, but no matter how closely you evaluate a tree's external characteristics, you may still get some surprises when you cut into a piece. Trees often grow new wood around a damaged area, completely separating the infected area fiom the healthy wood. Soft spots or dark spots sometimes appear where a wound has been 'treated.* You may also find internal knots or twisted grain. If you find an internal flaw, you can

1.    continue carving if the deformity is not too bad or if it is in an area that will not detract from the finished carving.

2.    change your design to incorporate the deformity or avoid it,

3.    cut out the bad section and use the good wood for another project, or

Though this piece of wood ihowed no deformities on the autside.a small deformity was •xposed by cutting the Wank. *Vhen cut in half, you can see what was inside the piece.

4.    use the piece In your fireplace to warm your house.

Curing Wood for Carving

As you've learned, many species and types oi wood make good carving wood. Although you can carve wood freshly harvested from a tree, many projects require cured wood.

Curing wood is defined as stabilizing the wood for carving or as drying or seasoning the wood. Basically, all of those phrases boil down to one thing: Most of thi internal water needs to be removed from wood before it Is carved.

Let s take a look at how much water is in a tree and what happens to that water when a tree is cut, and then review the processes of air-drying, kiln-drying, and chemical-drying.

You can SM how much thii piece of wood has shrunk from its wet state to its dry state The piece was originally cut straight across, but it shrank this much as it dried

Reaching Equilibrium

A tree requires a large quantity of water, and its structure is designed around the transportation of water. A mature tree, f>»r example, ean give off up to 100 gallons of water vapor in a 24-hour period. Further evidence of |ust how much water trees store is the fact that most freshly cut trees weigh at least two times their dr)' weight.

When a tree is cut and removed from its water supply, it immediately begins to release the water contained within the wood in an attempt to reach equilibrium with the atmospheric humidity around it. Wood that has not reached equilibrium is called wet or green wood. Wood that has reached equilibrium is called cured, dried, or seasoned wood.

Free Water and Bound Water

As you learned earlier in this chapter, all hardwood live* consist of strawlike vessels that carry water from the root* to the leaves. Because the vessels are open at the ends, they contain two types of water that need to be reduced through evaporation: free water and bound wctcr. Free water fills the insides of the vessels. Bound water saturates the walls of the vessels, and when the vessel walls are fully saturated, they arc at their fiber saturation point (FSP).

Eliminating free water is relatively easy and causes very little change to the tree’s characteristics, except to decrease its weight. When bound water leaves the vessel walls through evaporation, it profoundly affects the tree's cliJiaUciiMics because each vessel can shrink up to tlwce percent in diameter.

Carvinc; Wet Wood

Split the wood through the pith and eliminate juvenile wood.

Understanding how and why wood loses water shows the importance of properly drying wood to keep your carvings from cracking. However, if you need to carve wet wood, you can take the following precautions to reduce—but not eliminate—the chances of it cracking as it dries:

■    If possible, split the piece of wood In half through the pith and split off the juvenile wood (the pith and the first few annual rings).

■    If you don't split the wood, drill a large hole through the middle of the piece of wood to relieve thr internal stresses as the wood dries.This is another method of removing the pith and some of the juvenile wood.

Hollow out tho wood to relieve stresses

■    At the end of each carving session, wrap the piece of wood :n plastic to stop the evaporation process. Don't leave it wrapped too long, or it will develop mold spores. If several days pass between carving sessions, unwrap the wood from time to time to allow air circulation, or punch holes in the plastic so some of the moisture can escape, reducing the chance of mold developing.

Always check the moisture content o'your wood. A vendor assured me that this sassafras wood was completely dry, so I didn't take precautions to minimize splitting. Soon after I started carving, a small crack appeared through the face. If the crack had been larger, it would have destroyed the carving.

■    Hollow out the back of the carving to relieve some of the stresses and facilitate drying. This process Is a time-proven remedy: Carvings with hollowed backs have been found dating back to the thirteenth century.

■    When you complete your carving, put a finish, such as polyurethane varnish, on it immediately to seal the wood and slow down the migration

of water out of the end vessels.

■    Know the state of dryness before you start carving. If you aren’t sure your wood is dry. take precautions to lessen the chances of it splitting through the surface area of your carving

The Two Phases in the Drying Process

Wood dries from the outside in. and there are two phases m the drying process. During the first phase, free water in the cell cavities closest to the bark are: evaporates until the cavities reach the humidity of the surrounding environment The evaporation from the cavities stars immediately after

u When a tree is cut and removed front its water supply, it immediately begins to release the water contained within the wood in an attempt to reach equilibrium with the atmospheric humidity around it.,}

the tree is cut. As this process takes place, moisture content in the cavities becomes lower than the FS1¹ of the cell walls, and phase two occurs. During phase two, moisture (bound water) migrates from the area of higher moisture, the cell walls, to the area of lower moisture, the cell cavities. This is called differential drying, and it will continue until the entire tree has reached the relative humidity of its surrounding environment. It can take several years, depending on a number of parameters that we will discuss later.

What Happens When Wood Dries

As wood dries, several thing' occur. When wood reaches 25 to 30 percent moisture content, shrinkage begins. Normal wood shrinks negligibly in its length (along the grain) but substantially in its width and thickness, and it will always shrink toward the bark side. Species differ in the amount of shrinkage that occurs. Dense woods shrink more than less-dense woods.

Wood shrinks toward the kark side because each vessel in a tree is basically the same diameter, so as the circumference of the tree increases from the pith to the bark, the number of vessels also increases. If each vessel shrinks up to three percent, far more shrinkage happens at the balk side than at the pitli liecau'e tbeie are more vessels to shrink.

A check foims when vessels split apart from one another and is evident In the end gram cf the wood

and each vessel shrinks just two percent, the log will shrine a half-inch more near the bark than at the pith area. If the shrinkage isn’t con:rollcd, the wood will form a crack or a check a half-inch vide. This half-inch could he at one place or in multiple places that add up to a half-inch. Cracks are separations in wood that create visible gaps, usually running lengthwise through the piece of wood. Checks occur when the vessels split apart and arc evident in the end grain of the wood. If cracks or checks develop through the surface of a carving, it may rum the carving.

How (uvcnilc Wood Affects

Cracking and Checking

Cracks are separations in wood that create visibte gaps, usually running lengthwise through the piece of wood. Cracks can easily spread to ruin a carving.

Wood has a much greater potential of cracking if the juvenile wood ipith and first few annual rings) remains in the piece. Juvenile wood shrinks up to six percent along the gram direction. If the juvenile wood is not removed from the log, this dramatic change in shrinkage between the juvenile wood and the rest of the wood puts tons of differential pressure in the log as it dries. In some places, the pressure will be relieved and create cracks.

How a piece of wood is cut from i tree lias a major Impact »n whether it will dry without splitting or cracking. You can virtually eliminate splitting if the wood is sawn properly. When the juvenile wood is removed, the remaining wood will shrink only about 0.1 percent along the grain direction (the length of the piece of wood) as it dries.

Air Drying Wood

If you air-dry wood, it's important to do it right or not at all. Sure, you can throw a piece of wood from a freshly felled tree in a corner and hope for tlx* host,

UA few months before you start carving, bring the wood hut you'll hive a better chance of you re going to carve into an environment similar to the wood not splitting if you use

the one in which the finished carving will reside. ” a controlled process to air-dry the

wood. Two .if the biggest mistakes carvers make when air-drying wood aic that they try to dry too much at one time and that they don’t follow through.

It you have the space and time, try this method in a corner of your garage. You can use it for all wood, except

Leave tight bark on to slow evaporation

Remove loose bark to avoid the foimation of mold or fungus.

basswood (see Special Treatment for Premium basswood on page 46). Before you begin, go through the following steps to prepare the wood;

■ Seal the ends of the wood as soon as possible after the log is sawn. Use polyurethane-varnish, aluminum pnnt, or commercial sealants. If the wood is very wet, first apply a coat of water-based acrylic paint and then cpply polyurethane-varnish or aluminum paint. Commercial sealants won’t need the extra coat.

■    Split the piece in halt lengthwise, through the pith, u> help relieve the internal stresses. It's even better if you can remove the juvenile wood as well.

■    Cut the pieces in lengths longer than needed for your carving. This way, if the wood checks on the ends while drying, you can cut off the ends and still have an intact piece to carve.

■    If the bark is loose, remove it. Loose bark is a breeding ground for fungal spores that will ruin the wood.

■    If the bark is tight, leave it on to slow down the evaporation rate through the vessd walls.

■    If the piece needs to be glued, either for size or for Micnglh, glue it after it diits.

Once all of the prep work is done, start by making a base about lour inches off the floor to allow good airflow under the wood. Lay the wood you’re drying on the base so the pieces are not touching one another. Place wooden spacers (called stickers) between each row of wood you stack to

allow all flow aiuuiid uili jiiiCt'. You can ali-dij IIIUIV than one species of wood at a lime, but make sure a large-diameter sample of each specie* is accessible to serve as a control piece. Accurately weigh at least one control piece for each species. Write the weight and date on a piece of paper and attach it to your control piece.

Every six month*, accurately weigh each control piece and record the weight and date. When there is no change in weight for at least six months, under normal conditions, the wood is at its cquiSbrium moisture content (EMC), about 13 to 15 percent moisture content.

It’s impossible to overdry wood by air-drying, so you van allow the wood to cure as lung as it» pruiwted from the elements, such as rain and snow. When the total piece of wood has achieved equilibrium, the only variation in moisture content will occur when the environmental humidity changes.

A few’ months before you start carving, bring the wood you're going to carve into an environment similar to the one in which the finished carving will reside. To minimize the chance of it ever splitting, the wood should be down to about 10 percent moisture content before carving (see Measuring Moisture Content at right).

When air-drying woed, use spacers,or stickers, to allow air to flow freely among the pieces.

Not all the wood you attempt to air-dry will he usable. Even if you take precautions, some wood will Mill split or crack during the drying process and not be salvageable; however, it’s better to have it crack before you start carving rather than afterward.

Measuring Moisture Content

When the weight of your control piece has been stable for at least six months, confirm the moisture content (MC) with a moisture meter. There are two basic types of moisture meters: resistance and capacitance.

Resistance moisture meters rety on the conductivity of electricity through the wood. Moisture is an e«cellent conductor, and this characteristic helps measure moisture content. Two or four pins are driven into the wood, and the resistance of the wood between the electrodes Is measured. The meter then converts this resistance to percentage MC.

The capacitance moisture meter generates a radio frequency field, which penetrates into the wood via electrodes laid on the wood. Depending on the type of capacitance meter, It measures either power loss determined by the MC or the capacitance of the wood. The data is then calcuUted by the meter into percentage MC.

If you don’t have access to a moisture meter, cut a one-inch-thick cross section sab, from the middle of one piece. Then, cut three or four one-inch-square pieces from the middle of iheslab, and weigh them to a fraction of an ounce. Put .he pieces In an oven heated to 220 degrees Fahrenheit for about 24 hours to completely remove all water from the wood.

This is called oven-drying, and it will result in an oven-dry weight. After remov ng the pieces from the oven, immediately weigh them again, and use the following equation to calculate the MC of the wood before it was oven-dned.

% MC = weight of wood before drying - oven-dry weight + oven-dry weight x 100

If you don’t have access to a scale that weighs to a fraction of an ounce, your local post office will have one. If you need to drive to a scale, put the pieces in a sealed plastic bag immedately after removing them from the oven, so they don't start absorbing water from the surrounding environment. If the dried pieces absorb water, the percentage MC will not be accurate.

Suggested Sawing Pattern for Producing Carving Wood

Step 1

Step 2

Step 3

Step 4

StepS

Steps 6 and 7

Remove the juvenile wood by cutting 1 or 2 inches out of the heart of the tree until the face of the log remains fairly c ear (The pith and the area £ round the pith is the juvenile wood.)

Turn log 90 degrees

Remove slab

Remaining piece is good carving wood

Saw off sides from piece removed In steps 1 and 2

Areas 1,2,3. and 5 make ideal carving wood Areas 6 and 7 may also work for some carvings. Area 4 is juvenile wood, which contains the pith, and should not be carved.

Crack

Caring wood that was cut to include the pith and juvenile wood may crack as it dries.

Pith

Kiln Drying Wood

kiln-drying wood is the most efficient way to remove water from wood. Tld« process uses a kiln, a well-insulated chamber in which airflow, humidity, and temperature can he accurately controlled. The wood is stacked in the kiln with spacers (stickers) between each row of wood to allow airflow around each of the pieces.

The kiln-drying process starts with a high-humidity, low-temperature environment and air being driven around the stacked wood. Sample boards arc monitored for moisture content using a moisture meter, and

Iho kiln is <ci t.> a humidityi*|*    “Kiln-drying wood u the most efficient

lower than tin- monitored moisture    .    .    .    ,    11

way to remove water from wood.

level. The kiln remains at this setting until the moisture drops to a predetermined level. When the moisture level is reached, the temperature is increased and the humidity is decreased.

This sequence continues at a kiln schedule for the specific species and thickness of the wood, until the wood reaches 6 to 8 percent MC. When it is removed from the kiln, the wood will normally recover a small amount of moisture.

You'll want to nctc the following information about the kiln-drying precess:

■    The thicker the pieces of wood being dried, the longer it Ukc.\ to dry the n.

Drying Time Rules of Thumb

Though you'll hear many rules of thumb to determine drying times, none of those rules is accurate, because the drying environment (thickness of the pieces, local humidity, number of hot days, amount of air circulation, and manner of stacking) and the differences in densities between various species of wood have a major impact on how fast wood will dry. It is not unusual for a 4-mch-thick piece of basswood to dry in si* months, whereas a 4-inch-thick piece of walnut can take years.

■    Most kiln operators prefer to dry wood less than four inches thick. Kin-drying heftier wood becomes cost prohibitive for the average carver.

■    When you purchase kiln-dried wood, protect it from the elements. If the wood gets wet, you defeat the purpose of buying kiln-dried wood.

■    A lew months before beginning your carving, bring the kiln-dried wooc into the environment in which it will reside to make jure it's stable.

■    Buy wood from reputable suppliers who arc well versed on how to kiln-dry wood. If wood is kiln-dried

Jl IcinpeijIuic.% that uicloo high, il will diy too last.

have a tendency to case harden, and may then splinter when carved.

Matepnan

Special Treatment for Premium Basswood

If you want premium basswood for carving, you'll need to take extra care, but the results are well worth the effort. Pay special attention when the wood is harvested and cured. Here are the things you need to know:

■    Basswood should be harvested during the dormant season (falUwinter) and sawn by the end of May. The best drying times arc April,

May, and June.

■    Never leave basswood in the log during hot mallin.Tlir iuydi> in bdsskvuod icdU tu liigli temperatures,causing the wood to stain rapidly.

■    After sawing a basswood log into blocks, stack the blocks in an open area where wind can blow through the pile. Build a base at least four inches off the ground, and leave space between each piece so air can flow around it.

■    If you stack more than one row of wood, place stickers (spacers) between each row. Basswood must have a Urge amount of airflow when first sawn because it demands rapid evaporation of the free water to prevent stains from developing internally. It turns a dark color if the initial moistuic does not evaporate rapidly.

■    Cover the pile with a stiff material slightly larger than the pile to prevent discoloration from spring and sunmer rains. By midsummer, the moisture should be reduced enough so that the basswood can be moved into a building. Add new stickers, and allow the wood to dry to about 12 percent mdsture content

■    If basswood is kiln-dried, it should be dried at about 120 to 125 degrees Fahrenheit. If it is kiln-dried at too high of a temperature, a reaction with the sugars can cause it to yellow slightly.

■    While many species take years to dry, basswood dries rapidly. A piece four-inches thick by four-inches thick wd air dry to about 10 to 14 percent MC in 130 to 180 days, solar-dry to about 6 to

8 percent MC n 30 to 60 days, and kiln-dry to about 6 to 8 percent MC in 15 to 25 days.

Drying Wood with Chemicals

Chemicals can bo an efficient way to dry wood if you have the time and money to do it correctly Talk with other carvers who have used the products on their carving wood.

As I’ve found, the results may not always be to your liking.

PEG 1000

Using polyethylene glycol 1000 (best known as PEG HX)i» because its average molecular weight is 1000) is one way to stabilize wood. This white, waxlike material is not used much because of the time and cost required and its instability with high humidity. PEG replaces the water molecules in wet wood with the waxlike glycol molecule and bulks the wood at its wet diameter, stabilizing the wood ami preventing it from shrinking and cracking.

Because it is reactive with humidity, PEG will never feel completely dry to the touch. If the humidity at the surface of a carving is higher than the humidity on the inside of the carving, PEG will try to migrate to the higher humidity area, and the surface of the carving will feel tacky.

Pentacrvl

Preliminary testing shows that Pentacrvl, a liquid composite of siliconized polymer*, may treat wet wood in a timely, cost-effective manner. (Because I have not had time to test Pcniacryl in order to give historical data, I can only relate here what my preliminary testing shows.) The polymers penetrate the wet wood and prevent it from checking or cracking as it dries. Pentacrvl also acts as a lubricant, which makes the wood easier to carve.

Whereas PEG-1000 diffuses into the wood, replacing water molecules inside the vessels with PEG molecules to bulk the wood, Pentacrvl coats the walls of the vessel* to keep them from shrinking. Pcniacryl is less costly than PEG and penetrates and stabilizes wood much faster. (Stabilizing a piece of wood using PEG takes weeks or months of soaking; Pcniacryl pencil dies (lie same piece of wood in liouis.)

Originally developed to treat and stabilize waterlogged wooden Native American artifacts, Pentacrvl will not discolor wood, is nontoxic, and will not migrate when exposed to high humidity. You can also carve wood when it's still wet with Pcniacryl. Additionally, wood treated with Pcntacryl can

In.- fl ills lie«l with Juv type of finish ami glued with any type of glue, once the wood has- dried to at least 15 percent MC. Applying finish before the wood Is dry can trap water inside the wood and cause mold to form under the finish.

Pcntacryl-trcated wood air-dries about 20 to 70 percent faster than untreated wood. Dry the wood slowly; last crying times will crack the wood. I he ultimate curing environment is a cool area with approximately <>0 percent humidity. Stack the wood so there is good air movement around each piece, and cover the pieces with a large cardboard box. Doing taken about threw months

per inch of wood, but drying times vary depending on the type of wood, thickness, original moisture, and environmental humidity and temperature.

Pcntacryl is used in its undiluted form. Brush it on until the wood is saturated, or soak the wood in the solution; there is no need to treat the cut ends with a sealer.

The wood for this cat was stabilised with PEG and carved at least 15 years ago from freshly cut walnut. Even now, when the humidity geu high, the surface becomes tacky

To cure a large piece of wood, pour some Pcntacryl in a nonmctallic pan, put a couple of non metallic spacers in the pan, and after each carving session, set an exposed end of the carving on the spacers. Wrap plastic around the carving and pan, and let the Pcntacryl wick up through the wood.

Another trick is to leave excess wood at the lop of your carving, liollow out a bowl-like recess in the excess wood, and fill the hollow with

Pcntacryl. By setting    <e Originally developed to treat and stabilize waterlogged

your carving in a pan of wooden Xative A merican artifacts, Pcntacryl will Pcntacryl and filling the top    not    discolor Wood, is HOIltOXic, and will not

cavity With the chemical, the migrate when exposed to high humidity. ”

piece is treated from both

ends at the same time, and the Pcntacryl wicks to the middle.

When you pour Pcntacryl in the recessed area and it no longer wicks into the wood, the wood has been sufficiently ‘bulked* with Pcntacryl.

To save lime uu iiiivliing the piece after carving, consider adding oil-based or water-based dyes and stains to the Pcntacryl in which the wood is being treated for a preliminary coat. How much dye or stain to add will depend upon the desired effect.

Chapter Four

Carving Tools

Carving tools come in an almost infinite variety of shapes and sizes.

Now that you have some basic in'ormation about the different styles of carving and the various woods, it’s time to select your carving tools. Carving tools come in an almost infinite variety of shapes and sizes, and your choices will depend on what style of carving you’d like to do. Let's take a look at the carving tools available and what makes them comfortable, efficient, and long lasting.

Basic Carving Knives

A carving knife is one ol the first tools most carvers purchase. Knives come in a variety of shapes and sizes. With all the types of carving knives on the market today, understanding their differences and similarities will help you make a smart choice.

Blade shape. Standard carving knives have either straight or curved blades. I personal!) find a straight blade easier to sharpen and more versatile than a curved blade. A straight blade also allows you to easily visualize where the tip of the blade is in the wood as you make cuts. Whichever type you choose, a presharpened blade saves time and effort.

Blade si/c. Carving knives are available with long or short blade*. If you're a beginning carver, I recommend a knife blade no longer than I'-S inches because it reduces your chances of cutting yourself. A shorter-blade knife does not stick out as far, so it is less luely to cut you.

When you insert a knife irto wood, it is easier to visualize where the tip of a straight blade Is in the wood than it is to picture where the tip of a curved blade fc.

Long and short blades are available, but beginners should start with a blade no longer than lb Inches (light).

More people cut themselves using long-blade knives because, as you’re carving, the primary focus is usually on the area you’t© cutting and not on the area where the blade is protruding.

Blade handle. When you buy your first carving knife, do it in person so you can hold the kr.ife in your hand. The handle should be sized and shaped so it feds comfortable in your hand. Some carvers will make their own handles or wrap an existing knife handle with tape or cord to form a shape that’s the most ergonomic.

Detail Knives

The detail knife is » specialty carving knife that you won't need when you first 'tart carving. Its blade comes to a sharper point at the end than that of a standard carving knife. It Is used to get into tight areas where a normal-size blade won't fit. Wait to buy one of these knives until you start doing line, detailed work.

Detail kruves have sharper tips and are not necessary for beginning carvers

Chip Carving Knives

If you’re interested in chip carving, you’ll find knives specifically made for it. The two most popular arc the standard chip carving knife with a 20-degree angled blade to remove chips and the stab knile to make a decorative stabbing cut.

Chip carving knives ire specially shaped to remove chips in a    Stab    knives    are    used    to    make    decorative    stabbing    cuts,

geometrical pattern from the surface of a carving.

Tool Storage and Care

Once you decide upon end invest in carving tools, it goes without saying that you'll want to protect that investment. Of particular importance is preserving the tools' cutting edge*. All it takes is one bump against another tool—or some other metal object—and you'll put a nick in that precious cutting edge.

When you're carsing, try one of these bps to protect your tools:

■ Make a tool holder. Place your tools in the holder with the cutting edge facing forward.The tools never touch one another, and as you're carving, you can see each tool's contour for quick selection.

a Place your toals on nonskid material or a terry cloth towel so they don't roll around.

When you're not carving, protect the cutting edges by doing any of the fo lowing:

Keep your tools in a tool roll. These are available in any carving catalog, or you can make your own from canvas or heavy cotton material (polyester will dull your tools).The seams are staggered so the tool blades lie between the handles. When you roll up the tools, the blades are protected because the tool pockets are staggered. Cases are available to fit any tools, from reeular to micro.

Use a fishing tackle box with multiple drawers and compartment;, or make a box for your tools.

□ Place dear plastic tubing or dense foam insulation material over the cutting edge.

Tubing is avaibble at any hardware store, comes in multiple diameters, and can be bought in any length. Scraps of dense insulation foam are available from homebuilder stores or lumberyards—sometimes for free. Cork also works, but avoid cori from a wine bottle. Some wines contain chemicals, which, If they have absorbed into the cork, may rust or pit your knife. Note: Never attempt to pull the blade guard straight off the knife; you could easily cut yourself. Instead, place your thumb behind the guard and push it off.

Tool Parts

All carving too s, whether they are chisels, gouges, vemers, or V-tools, consist of the following parts:

Handle. Normally made of hardwoods like ash, oak, and maple, handles can be round, hexagon, or oblong and come in various lengths. Handles are classified as long handled or palm handled.

Ferrule. A metal ring, or metal insert, that strengthens the handle, the ferrule prevents the handle from splitting when a mallet drives the tool through wood. The ferrule can be either around the outside of the handle, next to the shoulder, a embedded in the bottom of the handle where it butts up to tire shoulder of the tool

Tang. Driver through a hole in the handle, the tang connects the tool to the handle.

Blade. The blade is simply the body of the tool.

Outside bevel.The outside bevel is the angle ground on the front of the tool that forms part of the cutting edge. It Is also known as the face of the cutting area and is located between the toe and the heel.

Toe. The front of the cutting surface is called the toe.

Heel. The back portion of the cutting surface is the heel.

Inside bevel. A small secondary angle on the inside of the cutting edge, the inside bevel adds strength to the cutting edge. It is also called a micro bevel.

Wings. The outside edges of the blade are called wings. Tool width is measured from wing to wing.

Shoulder. The shoulder is the flared section of the blade at the bottom of the tang. Also called the bolster, the shoulder p'events the blade from being forced into

Maiepnan, 3amnweHHbiH as topckum npg§

the handle when the tool is driven through wood.    Handle

Chisels, Gouges, Veiners, and V-Tools

Chisels, gouges, veiners, and V-tools describe the shapes of specific groups of tools. But with so many different types, drapes, and sizes of chisels, gouges, veiners. and V-tools, it can become confusing as to what kind—and how many—you will need.

As with choosing a knife, consider what type of carving you'll he doing. Many chisels and gouges can make the same cuts as a knife, hut others are designee for special purposes and can save you a lot of time.

Vs

Also make sure that you understand the universal numbering system, which correlates to carving tool shapes and sizes and makes it easier to tell which tool does what lob. Though there arc some slight variations between manufacturers, the chart on page .1? will provide the general information you need.

Across the top of the chart is the w dth of a tool (measured from wing to wing) in both inches and millimeters. This chart goes up to % inch (22 mm) wide, but tools can go well beyond this widlh, with some up to 2H inches (70 mm) wide.

Along the left side are the universal numbers that correspond to the sweep, or curvature, of the tool. The smaller the number, the less curvature there is along the cutting edge.

Tool width Is measured from wing towing. Wide tools arc capable of removing large areas of wood.

Chisels

A si chisel is a flatchiseL Flat chisels, as the name implies, do not have any sweep. They come In a variety of widths and are groat for flit or straight cuts. Most carpenter chisels are also flat across the cutting edge, hut woodcarving chisels normally have thinner blades than carpenter chisels.

A 02 chisel is a flat skew chisel. Like a tlat chisel, the skew chisel is also flat, hut it is angled across the cutting edge. Skew chisels can he either left or right and are useful for getting into tight areas, primarily in relief carvings. Some skew chisels are sharpened with a bevel on both sides of

uAs with choosing a knife, consider what type of carving you'll he doing.}}

the blade so they cm be used as left or right skews simply by turning them over. A *2 can also be a flat skew fishtail chiscL The name “fishtail'’ refers to its shape, which is moxc versatile and allows the chisel to get into even tighter areas than a straight skew can.

flat chisels havo no curvature and come in a variety of widths. Chisels can be helpful when removinj wood from larger areas

left and nght skews are primarily helpful when working tight areas of relief. Some skews are beveled on both sides to increase their usability.

Compare the cutting edge! of a #3 (very little curve) and *9 (much more curve) sweep.

Spiral made using b7 gouges from inch to inch laid end to end following the contour mate by the previous tool. Number 5 tools placed end to end will make a looser spiral. Number 9 tools laid end to end will make a tighter spiral.

Veiners, also called U-tools. Both of these veiners are V from wing to wing. The only difference is the one on the left Is a *10 and the one on the right fsa *11. As you can see, the *11 has higher wings, which will allow it to cut deeper than the *10.

Ever)' gouge will cut a peifect circle.

Gouges

Tools labeled - I through -‘I are callet gouges. A gouge is a tool that has curvature on the cutting edge of the blade. As tool numbers increase in numeric value. the sweep becomes more pronounced. The more pronounced the sweep, the more wood you can remove without the wings of the tool going under the surface of the wood. For a controlled cut. the tool wings should never go under the woods surface.

Both knives and gouges arc very versatile and can perform many of the same cuts. However, there arc three basic cuts you make with a gouge; concave cuts, where you cut a channel in the wood; convex cuts, where the tool is turned u*i-i and you make cut* foi a bead ul button; and plunge cuts, where you drive the tool into the wood M you do with a stop cut.

Because every gouge blade is a small segment of a circle, any individual gouge will cut a perfect circle. The sweep and width of the tool determine the radius of the circle a tool wall create.

Another characteristic of gouges is that any specific tool number scries does not have the same radius as it increases in width across the cutting edge. As the cutting edge width increases from wing to wing, the radius of the tool becomes slightly le.es. For example, a K inch (10 mm) *9 gouge cuts a lighter-radius circle than a >i inch (19 mm) «9 gouge.

This system will become more apparent if you make a stab cut with the narrowest tool of a specific scries and continue making stab cuts with the next width tool of that scries, following the previous cut’s contour. Laid end to end, any series of the same number will make a spiral pattern.

Gouges arc available in numerical sequence from *3 through *9; however, some manufacturers make only »3, *j, *7, and *9 sweep gouges. The odd-number sweeps are the most popular with carvers.

Veiners

Tools Id!iclid 410 and -11 jic called seiners. You may

also hear them referred to as U-tools because they make a

U shaped cut. (You cannot cut a circl.' with a vcincr.) The

only difference between a *10 and a *11 is that a *11 has

higher wings so it can make a deeper cut. Veiners are useful

for soft-looking cuts, such as hair details.

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VTools

V-tools hold various contours A is 35 degrees, B is 60 degrees, C is 90 degrees. D is winged, and E Is a soft V

Also called parting tools. V-tools do not have a universal numbering system Instead, V-tools are listed by degrees of the cutting angle. They are available with angles of 30, 35, 45, 55, 60,75. 90. 100, or 120 degrees. A 60-degree cutting angle is the most popular. V-tools are also available as winged and soft V-panmg tools.

A w inged parting tool is simply a V-tool with curved wings. The curvature of the wings softens the work by rounding the top of the cut.

Tool Shapes and Sizes

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because the bottom of a soft V-parting tool is shaped like a gouge, it will lease a soft contour at the bottom of the cut.

Specialty Tools

long-bent and short-bent tools

< hinds, gouges, vomers, and V-tools are also available in long-bent, short-bent, back-bent, and spoon style*, which have more specialized applications. You may never need many of these tools, hut I will show you what they look like and describe their functions so you can see what they are. know what they do, and choose any that may help you in the future.

Dogleg tool.

■    Long-bent and short-bent tools allow you to cut into recessed areas without the handle interfering with the surface wood, an application particularly helpful for relief carving. Short-bent gouges are also called spoon gouges because of then shape. She!l-be-nl turds have sharply curved blades and cut deeper recesses than long-bent tools, which normally have gently curved blades.

■    Back-bent, or reverse-bent, tools are useful for making cuts on the outsides of curved areas, such as those found in decorative or acanthus caning. Normally, only gouges are back bent.

■    A dogleg is used primarily for leveling the background in a relief carving and is useful for cleaning out undercut areas.

■    The macaroni is a multipurpose tool with three working edges: a flat chisel on the bottom and a V-lool on each side. These feature* are useful for architectural carving, moldings, and leveling the background areas in relief carvings.

■    Similar to a macaroni tool, the flutcroni has a flat chisel area and two sides that curve to meet the flat area. This shape gives the tool a flat chisel and a small gouge on each side. Became its sides arc rounded, the flutcroni leaves a smoother cut on

a flat surface than the macaroni.

■    Micro tools are very small tools used for fine detail work. They are available as flat chisels, skews, gouges, and V-tools and can be as small as 1 'A mm wide from wing to wing.

Macaroni (left) and    Micro    tools,

fluteroni (right).

Buying Carving Tools

Unfortunately, you can't tell how good a tool is just by looking at it. In this section well take a look at some strategies for evaluating and purchasing carving tools.

You can slowly beat a tool for tempering by passing it quickly through a torch flame

The Importance of Steel

Selecting tools made of high-quality carbon steel just about guarantees you've purchased long-lasting carving tools because high-quality carbon steel has the ideal composition and hardness for carving. Let's take a look at the blademaking process to help you better evaluate tools

l he iirst thing that determines a blades quality is its composition. During the process of making tool steel, trace elements—carbon being a very important urn.-—are added to give the Steel certain characteristics. The alloy content, or percentage of these elements, determines the steels maximum potential hardness. Steel with a low carbon content is soft but easily shaped. High-carhon-content metal becomes harder and stronger but is more difficult to work.

To normalize the stepl. allow the tool, to cool slowly in a bucket of insulation

Performing the heat treating and tempering process correctly is the seond thing that affects blade quality. Heat treating is a very complex process that generally consists of heating the steel tc a very high temperature, and cooling it quickly (called quenching! in water or oil to give the steel hardness. The «ce is then tempered (reheated to a lower temperature and cooled) to reduce the brittleness that the heat-treating process creates.

The easiest way to determine the quality of a tool is by looking at the hardness, which is usually graded by a standard called the Rockwell scale. Three distinct scales (a, b, and c) are used in the Rockwell standard. The small letter "c" is the scale for hard steel, such as steel used for cutting tools. The Rockwell *c~ scale runs from the low dOs (unhardvned steel) to the upper 60s (the hardest steel can get). If hard steel, for example, has a Rockwell hardness of 58. it is usually written as R58c or Rc58.

When purchasing carv ing knives, look for a notation of Rockwell I undoes* in the tools specific*, flic- solici the steel, the lower the Rockwell number. Steel less than Rf>8c is too soft for a carving tool and will not hold a sharp edge; steel over R63c is tao brittle and will chip easily.

A tool that it set crooked Aithin itt handle will no< cut correctly

Physical Characteristics

When you’ve determined wh.u type .ird brand of tool you want to buy. it's time to consider physical characteristics. Some characteristics are a matter of personal preference-others arc important for comfort, safety, and ease- of carving.

Both vWngt of a V tool ne«d to be the tame thicknett to cut properly.

J Is the handle straight with the blade?

□    Yes J No

If the handle is not straight with the blade, the tool will tend to skew, or not cut straight, through the wood. This trait is oven more obvious if you use a mallet.

J It the metal across the cutting cegc the tame thickness from one side to another?

□    Yes □ No

It doesn't happen often, but once in a while, you'll find a tool that has more metal mass on one side of the blade than the other, making the tool difficult to sharpen. Keep an eye out for this defect, particularly with V-tools. The metal must be the same thickness on both wings; otherwise, sharpening this already difficult-lo-sharpen tool will become even more complicated.

Sand down the handle of your tool until it fits your liand comfortably.

J Does the handle feel comfortable in your hand?

□    Yes J No

You will spend many hours holdng the tool as you carve, so it should feel comfortable. Modify the handle if it doesn’t.

J Does long handled or palm handled make more sense?

□    Yes J No

If you hold the wood in one hand while you carve with the other hand, you’ll normally use palm-handled tools to give you more control. You can also use long-handled tools if you find them more comfortable. Long handled tools are excellent for carving with a mallet and when the work Is in a vise.

J Does the tool need to be returned?

J Yes J No

If you buy a tool and it’s not the quality it should be, return It to the supplier and get a replacement. Most suppliers will be very helpful if you point out what the defect is.

Starter Set

Whatever characteristics you choose for your tools, (recommend the following tools as a good starter set:

Basic palm-hanjled tool set.

■    Carving knife with a straight-edge blade no more than 1Vi inches long

■    H inch (10 mm) *9 gouge

■    Vi inch (1J mm) #5 gouge

■    M inch (6 mm) 60 degree V-tool

The next two tools you will find

helpful are

■    Hi inch (5 mm) veiner

■    H or Vt inch (10 mm or 13 mm) »3 gouge

Basic long-handled tool set.

As you can see, you don't need a large number of tools. Start with this basic set o' four to six tools, and then add to your collection as you carve and !md you can’t make 'that specific cut* with the tools you have. Always buy the best-quality tools you can afford. Quality toob will last for gererationsand be a pleasure to use.

Keep in mind that the type of carving you do will also be a factor when you're buying tools. When I carve, I start with larger tools to remove the mejor amounts of waste wood, and I go to smaller tools as I progress to the finer details. If you carve only small items, you'll need tools that have narrower widths at the cutting edge.

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finally, I don't recommend buying kits of tools. Kits usually include some tools tha:you will rarely, if ever, use. That money can be better spent on individual tools that you will use.

Tool Safety

The pleasure you'll get out of your carving tools depends not only nn he quality of the tools hut also on how safely you uw them. Follow these tips and throw in a healthy dose of common sense to get the most out of your new tools. I always begin with these two rules:

■    First, keep your tools razor sharp. While this sounds contrary to safety, it's actually one of the best safety rules. As t slices through the wood, a sharp tool s easier to control than a dull one.

■    Second, think. Keep focused at all times and make sure you know where your body parts are in relation to the tool b adc. Never put anything that can bleed in front of the blade.

Properly holding the tool and protecting your hand are essential. }}

Holding the Tool

If you hold your carving In one hand and a tool in the other, odds are that tin hand holding the ca ving will he in the path of the hladc at some point. Properly holding the tool and protecting your hand (see Protecting Your Hands on page 64) are essential.

If you hold the item you're carving n your hand and use a long-handled tool, there arc twe different ways to hold the tool.

Note: If it's possible to clamp the piece you're carving,

Palm-Handled Tool Grip

1. Lay the tool in your hand and wrap your fingers around the    2.    Push    the    tool    through    the    wood,    os    shown,

handle with your fingers on the blade of the tool.

I recommend using long-handled ton s. With the piece clamped, you can have both hands on the tool and never expose cither of your hands to the cutting edge.

1. Lay the tool in your hand as shown, with your fingers wrapped    ¹ 2-Carve bV P“*Wn9,h<? 1001 through the wood,

Long-Handled Tool Grip, Method Two

2. Use wrist action to drive the tool through the wood.

around the blade of the tool.

Protecting Your Hands

If you hold the wood in your hand as you carve, you can wear two protective items to help keep you safe: a carving glove and a thumb guard.

Small, medium, and large Kevlar gloves arc available plain or with nonslip dots on the palm.

Carving gloves are ambidextrous; they can he worn on either hand. You need only one carving glove because it’s always worn on the hand that is holding the wood.

A popular glove is made of Kevlar, the wrac material from which bulletproof vests arc made. A Kevlar glove will give you protection, hut it will not shield you from heavy slashing 01 stab euls.

A better glove is one made for people who handle glass panes, pick up sharp metal sheets, or fillet fish. This glove has stainless-steel wir? in the middle of each fiber, so the glove is actually woven with stainless-steel thread- These gloves are available in many sizes from extra small to extra large. A woven stainless-steel glove will protect you from slashing cuts, but be aware that the tip of a knife can go between the weave ol any glove—no glove will protect you from stabbing cuts. Whatever type of glove you buy, make sure it fits snugly on your hand.

One of the more popular thumb guards Is made of leather, with in The fingers from leather gloves also make good thumb guards, elastic band that grips the guard to your thumb.

Another protective item is a thumb guard worn on the hand that holds the knife. It protects your thumb as the knife exits the wood at the end of a cut. Thumb guards are available in many sizes, from extra small to extra large, so you can find one lo fit snugly and comfor.ably. You can also make a thumb guard by cutting off the thumb, or one of the fingers, of an old leather glow.

Another thumb guard I find effective is one you make yourself from a material called Vctrap. Vctrap is a bandaging taps originally developed to wrap horses' ankles, but it’s now used for other medical applications as welL You can buy Vctrap from any business that sells horse supplies, and it is also available at some pharmacies. YVtra? is made of stretch cloth impregnated with latex. When wrapped, it will ad acre to itself hut not to your thumb. Vctrap conforms to your thumb and, if carefully removed, can be used multiple limes. If you develop small cuts in the surface, wrap a couple more layers over the original wrap or make a new one.

Vetrap Is a commercial tape used by veterlnary doctors that Is great for protecting your thumb frorr cuts.

lull' |OI

¹¹

65

Chapter Five

Carving Accessories

You don’t need an elaborate setup to start carving.

Once you've chosen wood and carving tools, you’ll want to sot up a carving area that meets your needs for working ergonomically and includes any helpful accessories.

Like the wide variety of carving tools, a large number of shop accessories are available. They range from very helpful to nice-to-have and carry price tags of several

dollars to several hurdred dollars. Ultimately, your choke of accessories should be governed by your working style and your budget—if something helps you achieve your goals and fits your budget, use it. Let’s take a look at some commonly available items and their relevance to the various types of carving.

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Work Surface

Your work surface can be a table, a bench, or whatever you have on brml to use. There arc also a number of commercial workbenches available, or you can make your own. You don't, however, need an elaborate setup to start carving. My first carving bench had two-hy-fours for the legs and a couple ;>f wide twn-inch-thick boards for the work surface. Clamps between the surface boards could hold flat carvings, and drilled holes for screws could hold larger pieces. The base hold cement blocks to stabilize the bench and to keep it from moving as 1 carved. This simple bench served me well until I built a permanent bench in my basement shop (see the photo on page 70).

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Think about whether you’ll sit or stand to carve. What you’re carving may determine which ont is more comfortable. If yuu bvld the object you’re carving, you can easily sit. However, if you’re carving something that is difficult to hold, you may want to clamp the piece and stand while carving. If you decide to sit at your bench to carve, get a stool that puts you at a comfortable height next to the work surface.

When you start carving, try a simple carving table. My first one had plenty ol space for small carvings, spaces for clamps, and dn lied holes for screwed-in Items.

Because I now travel to many woodcarving shows. I made this bench, which comes apart easily and doesn't take up much space when traveling.

If you decide to stand while carving, consider adding some :ypc of pad to alleviate foot pain. 1 glued K-inch-thick dense particleboard omr the cement tloor m my work area because it is easier to stand on than concrete and tools that fall will hit wood rather than concrete. A cushioned floor mat is also a nice addition to your carving area.

Whatever type of work surface you choose, make sure it fits you ergonomically. Ensuring your surfaces are the proper height allows you to work with minimal bending or stretching. If you stand to carve, the height of your work surface should be about one hand's vv.dth below your elbow. If you sit to carve, get a comfortable stool that puts you at the same height as if you were standing.

All my work surfaces are this height, including my table saw and lathe. If you buy a commercial bench, extend or sliuilen the legs to conform to your height. It you make

To find the proper height for your own bench, build it so it suits you.

Cu work surface, stand and id your elbow, keeping

K* arm relaxed next to your y. Place your other hand vertically under your elbow Your work surface should be at the bottom of your hand.

Carving Table

A carving table, als> called a bench hook table, gives you a portable work suifoce and can make a good beginners workbench. If you like to sit while carving, you can make ore that fits on your lap. If you are worried about getting chips on the floor, center an old sheet on the floor under your work area. As you carve, the chips will fall on the sheet. When you have completed your carving session, simply fold up the sheet and dump the chips in a waste area.

If set up correctly, a bench hook table with stops works well for carving and collecting chips.

Recess and fill any screws so your tabfctop Is free of exposed metal.

A good work surface is about 9-inchcs deep by 12-inches wide. Carving tables should have a stop that hooks over the edge of a table, aloig with a side stop and a back stop that hold tlw carving at you carve. If you're right-handed, (beside stop is on the left side; if you're left-handed, it son the right. Leave about one inch of space between the back stop and the side stop, '. his space makes it easy to flick any chips from the work surface. If the two stops are butted against one another, the chips collect in the corner and are difficu t to remove.

To keep the work surface free of any exposed metal, recess the screws tut hold the tabletop to the stops, and glue part of a dowel in the recessed area. This measure gives you a work surface devoid of any metal that could potentially damage the cutting edge of a tool.

Placing nonslip uc-ad material, such as the type used on wooden steps, under the carving table keeps it from moving and protects the surface the table sits on. Noivslip tread material is available from most hardware stores, can be bought in short lengths, and has adhesive on the back so it can be easily applied to the bottom surface of the carving table.

Place nonslip material under your carving table to keep it from sliding

<cA carving table, also called a bench hook table, gives you a portable work surface and can make a good beginner’s workbench.}}

Lighting

Good light is a necessity when carving and finishing. The optimum light source for true colors is natural sunlight Because the majority of us don't have the luxury of natural light in our shops, we need to create our own light source. All types of light can he useful, depending on the work you're doing. Let's take a look at the three different types.

Over my woik area, I have stationary. high CRI, fluorescent lights (I), which flood the area with light. To the sides are swivel Incandescent lights («?and 3) that ad/ust to shine across the surface of a carving. The mounted swivel magnifier lamp (4) is helpful for detailed work. The permaiont workbench I built includes lighting, clamps, storage, and ever/thing else I need. The top of the bench is an old solid-core door with a sheet of 3*-inch particleboard. The legs are four-by-four posts, around which I built a shell with doors and drawers. A woodworker's vise is mounted on the front edge.

Incandescent lighting. Most poop e use standard hulb lighting, also known as incandescent lighting, which you can buy at your local hardware or lighting store. This type of light is sufficient tor most projects, but it’s particularly useful for relief carving because it creates shadows. Shining incandescent light over the surface of a carving at about a 45-degree angle creates shadows to see depth.

Full-Spcclcum lighting. Full*»|>cclruin lighting i> not a necessity, but Its extremely useful if you plan to paint a carting hecause, like sunlight, it cortains all true colors of the rainbow in equal amounts. Because a lighted object reflects its natural color and absorbs all other colors, a light source must contain the natural color or we’ll see the object as something other than its true color. A red apple, for example, absorbs all colors except red, which is reflected from the apple. This phenomenon explains why objects’ colors look different in artificial indoor lighting than in sunlight.

While it cannot replace natural sunlight, full-spectrum lighting cm produce color similar lu natural sunlight. Two terms specify light-source color: color rendering index (CRI) and color temperature (given ir degrees Kelvin). CRI rates a light source's ability to replicate colors in a natural way, based on a scale from 0 to 100. (Natural sunlight has a CRI of 100, with a color temperature af 5500K.) To replicate natural sunlight, a light source must have a CRI over 91 and a color temperature near 5500K.

Fluorescent lighting. Fluorescent lighting is excellent for providing general illumination to a large area. Due to its inherent nature, however, fluorescent light creates minimal shadows, so it cannot lie used alone for relief carving.

Magnifiers

A lighted magnifying gk>ss aids in working detailed areas of a carving. Ideal I/, a magnifier uses a 60 watt hull' and has a flexible aim mi you can position the magnifying lens over your carving. Magnifying lamps arc also available with fluorescent bulbs.

Another popular magnifier is one that fits on your head and has a magnifying lens in a pivoting visor. This type of magnifier is also available with a light attached to the visor.

Dust Collection

If you sand or cut and create fine dust, you need to control your intake of the Just. Dasc tin- method you elioosv on the amount of carving you do and the type of dust you make.

Dust mask. Ueiremher that a dust mask is necessary when working with any type of wood dust. Breathing line dust partides not only is a nuisance hut also can create health problems. Cet a mask that is NIOSH (National Institute for Occupational Saftety and Health) approved, with a rating of at least N95. The \ designates that the mask is nonoil resistant (an R indicates oil resistant; a I¹ indicates oil proof). The number indicates the filter efficiency. A 95 designation is guaranteed to filter 95 percent of the dust particles down to a minuscule diameter of 0.3 microns. Human hair, in cor hum, ranges from JO |o 120 microns in diameter. If you have a beard or mustache, make sure the mask is designed to cover facial hair.

Central vacuum system. If you frequently create large amounts of dust, a central vacuum system connected to each of your major tools, such as table saws, band saws, and sanders, is ideal. A vacuum system filters the dust from the air as it is created. Remember, if you install a central vacuum, make sure it's properly grounded to eliminate the possibility of static sparks. Dry sawdust flowing through a pipe can create sta.ic electricity that can ignite the sawdust. To transport sawdust from the source to a receptacle, use metal pipe and gu*md ii at one end. If you use plastic pipe, run a hare wire (ore without a protective cover) through the inside of the pipe and ground the wire at one end. Either of these techniques will eliminate the potential of static buildup.

Magnifying tamps and visors can illuminate and enlarge small items as you are working.

Tlwic aie a vanely oi dull mask* available lo liltei uul llie small panicles in the ;*r.

Dust Mask, Earmuffs, and Goggles

These are three items any work environment should have:

■    Dust mask—when doing a project where you're creating any type of dust, such as when sanding or grinding.

■    Earmuffs—for noise abatement if you're using any noisy equ pment, such as sandcrs, portable shop vacuums, or grinders.

■    Goggles—for any time that objects could fly toward your e/es, such as when grinding or using a mallet to remove large chips.

Aii filtration systems such as this one clean the air in a room ever/ 10 minutes Nonce the track lighting in the upper left

Simp vacuum*. Simp vanillins aiv-anullier good Miunt for removing sawdust and arc much less costly than a central vacuum system. A shop vacuum will not have the capacity that a central vacuum has, but it can be wheeled to the source of the dust. If the shop vacuum is noisy, wear earmuffs to protect your hearing.

Air filtration system. To remove microscopic airborne dust particles in your work area, use cn air filtration system. Systems such as the one I put in will clean the air in a room 20 feet hv 20 feet by S feet every 10 minutes; smaller rooms are cleaned even faster.

Tabletop dust collectors. If you're removing wood with a small handheld giiudec, consider a (abetup oi an in-lap dust collector. A table-top collector fillers the air and a laptop pulls dust away from your work area by drawing air through a tube and into a collection bag. You can make your own tabletop or «n-lap dust collector by attaching a du*t collection bag to the output of a blower from a discarded cbthes dryer.

A tabletop dust collector is ideal fora small shop where carvings are done in one general area.

A laptop dust collector pulls dust particles you’re creating into a bag.

Hand Tools

While browsing through the hand tools at the store, checkout the following accessories. While they won’t he used as heavily as your carving tools, these items will get frequent use during carving sessions and are a welcome addition to any shop.

Mallet* are available with wood, brass. or urethane heads and come in a variety of weights and sizes.

A tapered head keeps your wrist and arm in the most comfortable position.

Carving Mallet

(.'arving mallets are helpful for carving hard woods or for working with Lrge tools, but they can be used on any' type of wood and will give you a tremendous amount of control as you dnw a tool through wood depending on how hard or soft you strike the tool handle. If you use a mallet the object you are carving should be clamped to hold its tali unary.

Look for a malls- with a face that tapers slightly toward the handle. This angle allows the face of the mallet to strike the tool handle flat. If the face of the mallet is not ar.gled, the mallet will tend to drive the tool into the wood at an angle. The tapered face also helps keep your wrist parallel to the rest of your arm, which is ihc nost comfortable position for your arm and wrist.

Commercial moOcts are available with wood, brass, or urethane heads. I prefer urethane heads because they are quieter and gentler when striking the handle of the tool. Urethane mallets topically come in weights of 12, 18,

20, and 30 ounces. Select a mallet that fits your size and strength. Larger tools and denser woods may require the heavier mallets.

Handsaw

Handsaws, those that run just on human power, arc ideal for smaller carvings. You won t actually carve with a handsaw, hut this tool can remove a lot of excess wood in little time, making your carving experience that much mote enjoyable. There are a variety of saws available.

To cut large pieces of wood in preparation for making a carving blank, 11 drove a laigci handsaw with fine teeth. These saws work well for stop cul-s and removing small sections of wood. A coping saw is also useful for cutting out blanks and for other detailed work because its thin blade-can cut tight radiuses, (.’oping saws do not generate the cutting power of larger handsaws, but they do a nice job.

Fine-tooth handsaws are bandy for removing excess wood quickly, making slop cuts, and preparing blanks for carving.

Riftlers

Bifllcrs arc small flics curved and angled to work in hard-to-reach places, such as cleaning out undercut areas In a carving. They normally have a dlffcreit-shaped cutter on each end of the tool and are available with coarse and fine metal or diamond-grit teeth.

Rasps

Riffle's excel at cleaning undercuts and hard-to-reach places.

Rasps come in a vaiietyol grades, shapes, and sizes.

The surface of a rasp is made up of individual teeth that cut wood or metal. Hasps are available in coarse, medium, or tine grades and come in a number of shapes and sizes. Many rasps are round on one side and flat on the other; sums have coarse teeth on one side aud fins- teeth on tin other. They are available in frames designed to fit the blade, or the blade can be mounted in a hacksaw frame.

Another type of rasp, called a surfonn file, is based on the principle of a cheese grater, where thi teeth are stamped in a tempered metal plate. A hole in front of each tooth allows the wood chips being removed to flow through the rasp, making it a self-cleaning tool.

Stamps

You can make your own stamps or buy them from carving supply Mores. Relief carvers often use stamps to detail the backgrounds of their carvings.

Stamps arc primarily used for making background patterns in relief carvings; however, they should not be used to cover up poor carving. They can be bought from carving supply stores, or you can make your own u*i ig a file or a hack-saw to cut patterns in the ends of nails, belts, or metal rods. Some relief carvers use stamps made for leather tooling.

Make sure the area you wish to stamp is smooth before you begin. When you’re ready to stair.p the pattern into the wood, use a mallet or a hammer to apply force to the handle of the stamp.

Carving Safety

Dental Tools

It may sound like they have no place on a woodcarver s bench, but dental tools make excellent tools for cleaning oat undercut areas. Available in a variety of shapes and styes, these tools can get into the most detailed areas. If you get a set of dental tools made from good-quality steel, they can actually be sharpened and used as detail knives.

While you are setting up your carving area and tools, it is a good idea to review some basic safety rules. Keep these in mind whenever you are carving:

■    Stay focused. Accidents happen when our minds are drifting.

■    Don’t carve when you are tired, have consumed alcohol, or are on medication that could impair your judgment.

■    Take a break from time to time.

■    Keep your work area clean.

■    Never try to catch a fallirg tool. If a tool begins to fall, step back and let it fall wherever it wants to go. It is much easier to sharpen a tool than to get stitches.

■    Have easy access to a Tint-aid kit.

■    Properly dispose of rags or paper towels that have been used with petroleum products.

They have the potential of igniting by spontaneous combustioi.

■    Install a smoke alarm and fire extinguisher in your work area.

Though they don't stem as if they belong on a carving table, dental tools are great for getting into detailed areas.

■    Most of all, use common sense. If you ever get the feeling that what you're planning to do may not be safe, don’t do it Listen to your sixth sense

Brushes

Brushes aren’t only for painting. A used or new toothbrush is helpful for cleaning loose chips from a carving. The bristles are stiff enough to get into tight areas but not abrasive enough to mar the carving. Try using a wide paintbrush for brushing dust and chips from your work area.

■    If you have visitors watching you as you make fine dust keep disposable dust masks for them to use.

■    A smock or shop coat keeps dust from getting on your dollies.

■    A small fan running on Sow speed will blow excess dust away from you.

■    Don't wear loose-fitting clothing, and tie back, or cover, long hsir when using power equipment

■    A leather apron will protea your clothes and your body.

Most power carvers have replaceable collets to fit various-size bit shanks from H* Inch lo '* inch.

The collet attaches directly to the handheld unit, or is in the handpiece on flexible shaft units. The various bits and cutters inserted In the collet rommi* tin* wood

Power Carving

Power curving can be used in addition to, or as an alternative to, hand carving.

There are two types of rotary power carvers. One is a variable speed handheld power tool and the second has a flexible shaft between a motor and a handpiece.

Both types remove wood.

Most rotary carvers are variable speed, with the speed controlled by either a hand-activated speed control or a variable speed foot petal. Many rotary carvers have the capability of switching to run clockwise or counterclockwise. The capability of running counterclockwise is a useful feature fur ki't-lundcd people. De aware that il the tolar y carvet run.' Counterclockwise, the hit must have the ability to cut that way. Many bits cut only in the clockwise direction.

Power carvers driven by motors or ur (turbine) are available. Most motor driven units have a maximum speed of about 35,000 rpm. Air turbine carvers are capable of much higher speeds, with some capable of speeds up to 500,000 rpm.

Air turbine carvers have less torque than motor-driven units but are capable of much higher speeds. You also will find that, at these high speeds, vibration is almost totally eliminated, which allows you to do u lira fine detail on wood and other mediums such as eggshell, bone, and glass. The amount of air flowing through the unit to turn the air turbine determines the unit’s speed. The air to drive the

“Many carvers use power carvers as an adjunct to their hand carving to assist them in activities like getting into tight areas, for clean-up and texturing.w

turbine is generated by an air compressor, with the amount of airflow through the unit normally managed by a foot-controlled valve mechanism. The specifications on most units lec'ommcnd a maximum ait flow al about TO psi. Being driven by an air turbine, rather titan an electric motor, makes the air turbine carver lightweight and not much larger in diameter than a pencil.

Il you USC dll .III lullllllC Ldl til, l>»- U'l Idill 111C bits you use are intended for speeds compatible with your unit. Many hits are not made for high speeds and actually may fly apart at high speeds, creating a dangerous situation.

An air turbine caiver.

Many carvers us? power carvers as an adjunct to their hand carving, to assist them in activities like getting into tight areas for cleanup and texturing. Some carvers use power tools as the principle means of creating their works of art, and rarely or never use any hand tools. Power carving may require less physical effort than hand carving, »i> somcouv with oitluiti* or other luiml conditions m.tv find this style of curving to he less stressful than using knives or gouges. Make sure you test a unit to determine whether it will affect your condition.

Manufacturers of Power Carvers:

■    Dremcl

■    Forcdom

■    Gcsswien & Co.

■ Master Carver

■    Optima

■    PflingU

■    PIL Enterprises

■    Proxxon

■    Ram Power Micromotor

■    Scars

■    Turbo Carver

■    Wcchccr Industrial Co.

Manufacturers of Air Turbine Carvers:

■    Power Carver

■    Powercraflcr

■    Turbo Cji vcr

■    Ultra Carver

Accessories for Either Type Carver

Variable speed foot control is available for some units

Various blushes, buffers, sanding drums, shaping stones, cutting stones, and mandrels upon which you can attach various pads snd disks.

Some units, like thi: one from Foredom, come with a hanger for the grinder motor and the handpiece.

IL

If you use a flexible saaft grinder, use some type of hanger from which you can suspend the motor.

A variety of commercial bit holders are availably. You can also make your own.

lose upon which to set the handheld mit or handpiece. Some power carvers ome with a base.

Carving Bits

Bits are made from a variety of materials, from real or artificial diamond chips to solid tungsten carhidc. Again, there are probably more available than an average carver will need. The key is to learn which types of hits work best for specific types of carving.

If you use any cutter with a sharp 90-degree corner, use it with caution, because they can be difficult to control. If the corner catches in tac wood, it will kick back and you can easily lose control of the cut you arc attempting to make.

Most Useful Bits

One of the most vusaiile culler* is the flame with a curved bottom. With the flame, you can remove wood quickly or do detailed cuts using just the one bit.

Taper

Pear

Tapered

Cylinder

Disk Cone

Bit Care

As you carve, keep an eye on the bit to make sure it's not loading up with wood residue or pitch. There will be times, no matter how careful you arc, that the bit will load up with pitch and won't cut properly. When a bit gets loaded, it wi I burn the wood rather than cut it.

To remove the ptch, take these measures:

■    Brush the bit with a stiff toothbrush or a small brass brush.

■    To remove pilch from any type of bit, soak the bit for about an hour in oven cleaner. Remove the loosened

Bits arc available for your powei carver in a numberof different shapes, sires, and constructions. These are a few of the various shapes available. Vou have more chores than you’d ever need.

pitch with a brass brush.

■    For ruby and diamond bits, either soak them or use the same type of eraser you use to clean pitch buildup on your belt or disk sandcr. Run

the bit at a slow speed as you    <( The key is to learn which types of

place it on the iraser. If you sec hits Work hestfor specific types of carving. any minor buikup as you are carving, use the eraser from time to time as you carve.

■    You can remove pitch in your carbide bits by soaking them, or you can do it quickly by burning it out using a piopaiic Unci'. Chip ihc hii shank with plieis and

hold the bit in the llamc. When the trapped wood turns to ash, brush the ash from the bit, and you arc ready to carve.

Maiepnan. 3aiuMuteHHbivi amopCKUM

79

the power carver the same way you hold a carving knife when you . Ib' utter toward it,

Paring Grip.This grip is used when roughing out a carving. Hold

do a pull cut. Place your thumb in o position on the wood where

Ci pull th dosing

pc

ull the cutter toward it, and pull the tool through the wood ur hand. This grip is used mainly to remove large

yot

Pencil Grip. The pencil grip provides the most control while carving and allows you to carve as if you were doing It vath a pencil. Place your thumb and pointer finger on the sides to control the tool as you use a stroking motion to remove wood.

amounts of wood.

Your dust mask should have a NIOSH approved rating of at least N95,and if you have a beard or mustache, make sure the mask seals properly to prevent dust from seeping around It (see Dust Collection on page 71 for the definition of a NSOSH rating of at least N95). Goggfos and ear muffs, too, are valuable delations to your protective gear,

¹

lay the tool in your hand with the blade over the pad

²

of your hand.

How to Hold a Power Carver

The bit should always spin in the direction in which the wood being removed is coming toward you. This rotation allows you to see the cut as it's being made and gives you control of the tool.

Depending on the type of cut you're making, either your thumb or little finger should be in contact with the wood at all times.

There arc two basic grips used for carving with a power carver: the paring grip and the penal gnp, described at left. Which one you use depends on the type of cut you are making.

Safety

Always wear eye and breathing protection items when doing power carving. The hit rotates in a direction in which it throws chips and ultraline dust toward you, so it is imperative that you use proper protection. Wear goggles, or if you wear glasses, use side shields on your glasses.

For your own safety, and to minimize dust circulating throughout your house, 1 highly recommend a dust collection system. This can be a tabletop or an in-lap dust collector.

Other Power Tools

Using power tools is purely a matter of personal preference. Some carvers shy away from power tools completely; others use them frequently. These additions to your workshop, if you choose to Incorporate them, can >e real tune-savers. Power tools can retiovc waste wood much faster than hand tools can. hut dust, noise, and vibration can cancel out the timesaving benefits. Detail work with power tools, while less noisy, can create superfine dust. Weigh your options carefully and always protect your lungs, eyes, and ears.

Band Saw

A band saw is one of the most useful saws a earn er can own.

Its price tag is quite high, hut its versatility can easily make up for the cost, 1 use my band    more than any other power

tool I own because I makes cutting blanks easy. There are small hand saws, hu: if you have the space, I recommend you purchase one with athroat depth of at least 12 inches and a cutting depth of at least fi inches. The minimum radius you can cut depends on the width of the blade installed.

Scroll Saw

A scroll saw is another powered saw, but it uses a much narrower blade than a band saw. The top end of the blade can be easily disconnected and fed through a hole that has been drilled through the wood. This feature makes the scroll susv Iwlpful for culling out internal pieces in .1 board, such as t Iso no for pierced relief carving. The narrow blade allows the saw to cut tight, intricate curves.

Saber Saw

A saber saw, or ligtaw, is a handheld saw that works well for cutting curves and straight lines. Capable of cutting material up to an inch thick, it often comes with interchangeable blades for different functions and materials. It can bi used to cut out small blanks and both internal and external pieces in a relief carving.

Look for a saber saw that features variable .speeds, long strokes, and up lu .3000 strokes pci minute.

Drill

Drills arc used to remove wood in selected areas for pierced relief carving, to make holes for inserting carver's screws, or to make holes in general. Thoroughly investigate the types of drills on the market—including stationary drill presses, portable drills (which plug into a 120-volt outlet), or battery-operated drills to make sure you are purchasing the right tool for the type of carving you plan to do.

Router

Routers are extremely useful tools for removing wood to make a border around a carving or for removing various levels of wood as in a relief carving. A muter consists «if a motor in a housing with handles that allow you to control the router. Various shaped cutters, or bits, can be inserted in a collet, which is attached to the motor. As the motor spins, the hit cuts the wood as you move the router across the wood's surface.

With a fixed router (right), the bit is extended to the depth you want to cut. To start the cut, set the router at an angle on the wood, and as the bit is spinning, slowly set the bit into the wood.

The plunge router licit) gives you more versatility and control for removing wood. Simply preset the depth, set the router flat on the surface of lire wood, and turn on the router. As the bit spins, it is slowly lowered in.o the wood.

Note: With both types of routers, never attempt to make cuts more than '..-inch deep at a time. For deeper cuts, make multiple passes.

(C Using power tools is purely a trotter of personal preference. Some carvers shy away front power tools completely; others use them frequently. }>

Clamping Devices

It’s almost always safest to immobilize the object you're ca-ving so you have both hands on the tool as you carve. If both hands arc on the tool, theoretically they should never be exposed to the cutting edge of the blade. While it may not be possible to clamp the piece you’re carving at all times, secure the piece in a clamp whenever you can.

Nonslip iMathiual

Nonslip material works great to hold a flat object, such as a relief carving. You can find nonskid material in the housewares section of department stores. It normally comes in rolls, so you can easily cut it to fit the space under the piece you’re carving.

Sticks and Scrap Wood

If you are carving a small object, a grip stick helps hold    Nonskid material can be cut to shape and is perfect for holding    flat

,    carvings    In    place,

the piece. Io make a grip stick, drill a hole big enough to

accept a hanger holt in the end of a round piece of wood or

a dowel. Glue or epoxv the bolt into the hole so the screw

threads arc exposed. Gently twist the screw into the bottom

of the piece, and you have a larger gripping area.

Another way to handle small, irregularly shaped, or

delicate items is to cut out the piece you’re going to carve

and then glue cardaoard or heavy paper between a scrap

board and your caiving piece. When you’ve completed

the carving, carefully pry It off the cardboard with a flat

carpenter’s chisel and sand away the cardboard residue.

Use qluc to adhere delicate carvings to cardboard. Once you've finished carving, youcan pry the carving off the cardboard and simply sand away an/ residue.

Clamps, Dogs, and Vises

Have a variety of clamps available for effective ways to hold carvings in place.

If you use a metal clamp, place wood between the jaws of the clamp and your carving.

C-clamps, bar clamps, quick-grip clanps, and wood clamps are effective and relatively safe ways to bold items you’re carving. It you use a metal clamp, place pieces of wood between the jaws of the clamp and the

piece you’re carving sc if the tool ever slips, it hits wood rshcr than metal. Drilling hobs in your bench top and inserting "dogs," n type of wooden peg, ir the holes

makes a versatile clamp lor various-shaped objects.

Vws an- also a good way to hold your project as you carve. They come in a variety' of designs, hut some are more user-friendly than others. If you buy a vise, it should have the following characteristics:

Be sturdy enough to firmly hold the piece you’re going to carve.

Allow you to reposition the carving quickly.

Have a range of motion allowing you to easily position the piece where you want it.

Not be so large that it gets in the way as you carve.

I <iliitwr>l mlu'iulj u'« lulugci Ml'lu iiiuuiil my carvings to a vise cr other holding device¹. Hanger bolts are available in a variety of sizes from any hardware store. Use lunger bolts to mount a carving in a vise by drilling pilot holes that match the mounting holes in the vise's mounting plate in a nonviewed area olyour carving.

Dogs make a versatile clamp for irregularly shaped objects.

Then, screw in the hanger bolts using lock pliers, and mount your carving to the vise plate, l-’pon completion of vour carving, remove the hanger holts or use them to mount the carving to a base.

Hanger holts also come in handy when you are carving relief pieces. Simply glue a scrap piece of wood to the back uf tliv puce you're going to carve. Then, mount the hanger bolts only in the scrap piece, and you never have tc worry about your tools hitting metal. When the carving is completed, carve olf the attached piece.

There are other specally made holding devices that allow you to move the carving in any direction you wish.

Another way to clamp a piece is to leave excess wood on a waste area of the piece. Use this waste wood for clamping. When the rest of the carving is completed, remove the excess wood and finish the carving.

Measuring Devices

Measuring devices are small bat important tools. They ensure that carvings are straight ami square when they need to he and that the proportions of a carving are just right. Take some time to browse through these ools and find the ones that best suit your needs.

Dividers

Dividers have two hinged legs with sharp points at the ends and are used to transfer dimensions from a model to a carving or to transfer measurements from a ru or to a carving or vice versa. Dividers arc available with a friction hinge to hold the setting or with a thumb wheel ad;ustm:nt between the legs.

Proportional dividers have an adjustable pivot point allowing .1 ratio to be set between the opposite ends of tile-divider points. This measuring device allows you to enlarge or decrease the size from a model to the carving.

Compass

A divider that has a sharp point at the end of one leg and a pen or pencil at the end of the other leg is called a compass. The key to making perfect circles, a compass is an extremely useful tool when laying out chip carvings.

Calipers

This handy tool measures inside or outside dimensions of an object. Both legs are lunged from one end. The ends of the legs on inside calipers are bent out to measure the internal size of an object; the ends of :he legs on outside calipers are bent in to measure the external dimension.

Vernier calipers measure both inside and outside mcasurements on the piece you’re measuring. The top jaws measure inside dimension, and the bettom jaws measure outside dimension. Most vernier calipers also have a probe that measures depth.

Square

A square consists of two straight legs that intersect at a lighl angle lo une uiuillici. This tool is useful fur laying out patterns, squaring up a board, or marking an area 90 degrees from the edge of a board. A combination square is a very useful tool, with a shoulder that lies or. the edge of a board.

In addition to a 90-degrec angle, It also has a ‘15-degree angle. You can loosen a knurled nut to reposition the square's head.

Adhesives

A few different adhesives arc good to have on hand, whether you're assembling a project, repairing a carving, or gluing up wood to make a larger carving blank. Cyanoacrylate glue and wood glue are the two most common types.

Cyanoacrylate Glue

For immediate hording, use Specially Formulated Super Glue or Bondini. \»hich are water-activated cyanoacrylate glues. Moisture causes these glues

to bond instantly. Look for the    (€ A fi'w different adhesives arc good to have on hand,

words ‘specially formulated for whether yon 're assembling a projec f, repairing a carving, leather and wood’on the label.    or gluing up wood to make <7 larger carving blank.

IK careful you don't get any Specially formulated glue on yourself. The moisture in your skin will activate this glue, causing it to set up immediately if another part of your body comes in contact with it. To unattach body parts from one another, use a specially designed remover or acetone nail polish remover.

White and Yellow Glues

If you're gluing up pieces for a carving, white or yellow glue is the recommended adhesive. W hite glue starts to sc: up in about five minutes; yellow glue gives you about ten minutes to get the parts together before it begins to gel tacky. Elmer's also has Main able glue, which contains real wood fibers, so if you stain the wood, the joint should be less noticeable.

If you should ever break off a piece as you're carving, yoj can glue the pieces back together by using white glue and holding them in pl»cc for about ten minutes. White and yellow glues require no special safety measures.

Many glues will hold wood: however.yellow, white, and water-activated cyanoacrylate glues are best for woodcarving purposes.

Chapter Six

Sharpening Your Tools

I'm convinced more people stop carving because of dull tools than for any other reason.

Keeping your carving tools in their best working condition involves some detailed care. The two major steps in sharpening your carving tools are shaping them to the proper cutting angle using sharpening stones and then polishing them to a razor-sharp edge on a strop. If you purchase good-quality steel

tools and keep the blades protected when they're not in use, yoj can look forward to more time carving ard less time sharpening.

In this chapter, we ll take a look at the different types of materials available for sharpening your tools before we address sharpening techniques.

Maiepnan, 3ammueHHbifi aBTOpCKUM npae

Sharpening Materials

There are a number of sharpening materials available, most of which are sharpening stones. You can choose from oilstone), diamond stones, water stones, ceramic stones, and Arkansas stone*, to name a few. Sandpaper can also be a great way to shape and sharpen your tools. Any of these materials work, but the way they get the job done differs widely. Some cut faster than others; some require oil, some water, and some nothing; arid some give you better results depending on your tool.

Characteristics of a Sharpening Medium

A very useful type of oilstone is an India combination stone, zihkh has coarse gnt on one side ard finer grit on the opposite side.

All sharpening mediums consist of abrasive particles, called grit. Grit abrade* metal from your carving tool* to liapu and shaipvii limn. Tliv larger the grit mu, the faster it removes metal. Large grit leaves deep abrasion* in the tool blade that must be removed with a t'iner-grit abrasive. Once tools are honed and polished, no abrasion lines should be visible.

Gnt size is designated with a numeric value. The smaller the numeric value, the larger the physical size of the grit particle. For example, grit in a 100-grit stone is coarser than grit in a 600-grit stone.

The size of the sharpening medium is also an important element. Slick with something at least .six inches long and two inches wide. Smaller sizes work, but you are limited when sharpening laiger tools.

Oilstone Pros and Cons

Pros

■    Is reasonably preed

■    Cuts relatively fast

B Is available as a combination stone

■    Is low maintenance

Cons

B Is not available mine gnt

■    Cups over time

B Can stain woodif tools are not wiped clean after sharpening

Oilstones

Oilstones have been the old reliable sharpening stone for over 75 years and arc very efficient at removing metal. They are reasonably priced and arc relative y low maintenance. Because the finest-gril oilstone is 320. you need to use another type of stone for the final finishing.

Composition. Oilstones can be aluminum oxide, silicon carbide, or certain natural stones for grit.

How they work. As their name implies, oilstones require lighlwciglti oil (called honing oil) for sharpening. As the stone removes metal from the tool, the oil keeps the metal particles in suspension so they don’t become embedded and clog the stone's pores. When metal pcrticles clog the pores, tt is called glazing. Glazing can ruin the stone.

Almost any lightweight oil works as honing oil. I prefer lightweight minora! oiL Do not, however, use vegetable oil or motor oil. Vegetable oil clogs the pores of the stone; motor oil does not allow a tool enough contact with the grit. Commercial honing oils work well Care and maintenance. Always wipe the oil from the stones surface with a solt cloth or paper towel to remove the metal particles once the sharpening is complete. Whcr purchasing an oilstone, beware of cheap oilstones that won't keep oil on the surface. As a preventative measure, buy an oilstone that is presaturated or prdoaded with a medium about the thickness of petroleum jelly. The preloaded medium forces the honing oil to remain on the surface.

because some grit is removed from the oilstones surface every time you sharpen, a slight hollowed area can form. This is called cupping, or dishing. To minimize cupping, move the tool around the surface as you sharpen so the stone wears more evenly.

If cupping docs develop, you’ll need to flatten your stone. One method is to jpread about a teaspoon of 70-grit silicon carbide powder on a flat metal plate, add some water, and rub the stone in the- slurry (a watery mix of silicon carbide and the stone’s grit) using a circular motion. I flatten my oilstone with no lubricant by rubbing it in a circular motion cm my concrete driveway or sidewalk. Check the flatness of the stone by placing a straightedge on its surface.

Honing oil it used on the surface of sharpening stones to keep the metal shavings In suspension Commercial honing oil and lightweight mineral oil, which is odorless and nontoxic, work wel.

When fine hits of metal abraded from sharpening become embedded in the stone, the effect is called glazing

When purchasing an oilstone, beware of cheap stones that allow the honing oil to bleed through the stone, therefore not keeping the metal particles in suspension anc making them ineffective. (This sequence was shot in one minute.)

Diamond stones come In jnlntemipted (diamonds are plated over the entire surface) and interrupted (diamonds are plated on a perforated metal plate) types.

<nh**i »trsn**s

Diamond Stone Pros and Cons

Pros

■    Cuts faster than any other stone

■    Has a wide range of grits available

■    Stays flat within ± 0.002 of an inch forever

■    Does the job wf.h light pressure

■    Has the lowest maintenance of any stone available

■    Can be used dry. with water, or with honing oil

■    Will not break

Cons

■    Is expensive

■    Requires the user to learn to apply light pressure

Diamond Stones

Diamond stones arc extremely efficient and remove metal up to in times faster than most other stones. Because of their hardness (diamonds are the hardest known substance), you can use far less pressure with diamond stones than with other stones. Diamond stones come in four different grit categories: extracoarse (220 grit) for changing bevel angles or surface flattening, coarse (325 grit) for tool repair, fine (600 grit) to refine the cutting edge, and extrahne (1200 grit) to pdish the cutting edge of the tool. Their high efficiency anil makeup cause diamond 'tones to be die most expensive stones. Note: Be aware that there arc some poorly made copycat diamond stones out there. Stick with quality, name-brand, reputable manufacturers.

Composition. The diamonds are grown, then milled and sorted by micron size. They are also purer than natural diamonds, which can have foreign inclusion within the crystals that can weaken the diamond. For stones, there are two types of synthet c diamonds used: monocrystallinc and polycrystalline. Monocrystalline diamond stones are slightly more expensive than polycrystalline stones, hut monocrystallinc diamonds wear less. If you buy diamond stones, invest in the monocrystallinc diamonds.

You can also select two types of pla:es: uninterrupted and interrupted In uninterrupted diamond stones, diamonds are plated over the entire metal plate; in interrupted, they are plated on a perforated metal plate. Uninterrupted stones are best for carving tools. Interrupted stones are difficult to use with small tools.

How they work. Like an oilstones grit, a diamond stone's grit abrades a tools metal, but a diamond stone can be used with or without honing oil or water. 1 use a lightweight mineral oil on my diamond stones. Note: Interrupted-suifjee diamond slimes should ncvci lie used will) u petroleum-based honing oil. Pctroleu n can soften the materials the stone is molded in.

Care and maintenance. Good-quality diamond stones require very little maintenance. They remain flat within 1 0.002 inch for their entire life and never need to be

dean with a soft doth or paper towel when sharpening is complete to remow the metal particles in suspension. If you wipe your store after

sharpening, thest.ne    i€ Diamond ston ¹ extremely efficient and remove

wall be ready for the next    metal Ilf) tO 10 times faster than most other stolWS."

Water stones can be natural or man-made and use water on the suiface.

sharpening session If no medium is used to keep the metal particles in suspension, clean the stone with warm, soapy water and a scrubber pad or brush. Because diamond stones do not have open pores like oilstones, the metal particles do not become cmbccdcd ansi can be removed by a simple washing. Make sun- the stones ace completely dry beforestoring them.

Water Stones

Water stones do a great job sharpening, and a complete set allows you to go from shaping your tools to putting a polished edge on them, something to consider when looking at price because they are relatively expensive.

They arc available in lour categories of grit: coarse (220 grit) for tool repair, medium (1000 grit) for establishing an edge, fine (1000 grit) for refining the edge, and extrafine (8000 grit) for polishing the edge.

Composition. Natural Japanese water stones are sedimentary and consist of fine silicate particles in a clay matrix. As the sources of the natural stones ore gradually becoming exhausted, man-made water stones ore becoming more popular.

How they work. As the name implies, water stones need water for sharpening. As the stone removes metal from the tool, the water kce>s the metal particles in suspension and develops a slurry, j watery mixture of grit from the stones surface and the suspended metal particles. This process of creating a slurry e«poses new, sharp abrasive, helps speed

up lire -sharpening process, and polishes it it- blade while- it

is being sharpened. All of this action account s for tlw fast sharpening characteristic of water stones.

The three coarsest grits require soaking for about 10 minutes prior to use, and water must be kept on the surface during sharpening. The finest stone does not require

waking, but ndU'i must be

The water on ihe surface of the water stone forms a slurry that helps abrade the blade

Water Stone Grits

present on the surface while sharpening. You can also use a Nagura stone, a fine-grained chalk stone, on the surface of the two finest water stoics. In combination with water, the Nagura stone makes a polishing solution that polishes the tool’s cutting surface as you sharpen using the water stone. Additionally, Ihe Nagura stone makes the water stone’s surface slipperier ami prevents the tool from sticking to th.- water stone during sharpening.

If you are used to working with another sharpening medium and then switch to water stones, the water stone grits can be misleading. Because water stones originally came from Japan, most are graded by the Japanese Industrial Standard (JIS). In contrast, the Federation of European Producers of Abrasives (FEPA) is the standard used for almost all other sharpening stones.To help eliminate confusion, compare the micron size of the grit.

Care and maintenance. Water stones can he messy. The slurry won't damage anything, but it does take time to clean up. To contain the mess, make a base for the stone to rest in as the took are sharpened.

If you see a water stone labeled 115:

It Is equivalent

220 gnt

200

1000 grit

525

4000 grit

1200

8000 grit

1600

The Norton Company makes a container that protects the water stone when not in use and serves as a base while you sharpen.

NX'hen you've completed the sharpen ng process, wipe all the water off the tools with a soft cloth or paper towel. Any water remaining on the tools could cause rusl spots. If you live in an area that gets cold enough to freeze, make sure your water stones are completely dry before being exposed to freezing temperatures. If a wet water stone freezes, it will shatter.

flattening stone? mu?t be used occasionally to flatten a stone's surface. To use the flattening stone, soak the water stone until it is saturated with water, lay the water stone on the grooved side of the flattening stone, ir>d mb it in a circular motion until it's flat.

A water stones tendency to break off and expose new grit is sort of a double-edged sword: It removes metal quickly, but it also means that the two coarser water stones wear quickly and need to be flattened often. Flatten a water stone by rubbing it in a circular motion on wet, 220-grit wet/dry sandpaper or Hat concrete, or by using a flattening stone developed for this specific purpose.

Water Stone Pros and Cons

Make sure your sharpening stones are flattened correctly by penciling a grid on the surface to be flattened. As you work, check the grid lines. When they all disappear, your stone is flat.

To make sum a stone Is flattened evenly, diawa grid across its surface. When all the lines are removed, the surface is sufficiently flat.

Pros

■    Is available in coarse to extrafme grits

■    Cuts fast

■    Shapes, sharpens, and hones tools with

one set of stones

■    Polishes blades using the finer grits

Cons

■    Is relatively expensive

■    Wears rapidly in the coarse grits

■    Must be flattened often

■    Must be soaked in water

■    Can rust took with its water

■    Can't be allowed to freeze when wet

Rubbing a Nagura stone, a fine-grained chalk stone, on the surface of a wet water stonecreates a polishing solution.

Ceramic Stone Pros and Cons

Pros

■    Is available in very fine grits

■    Does not wear quickly

■    Does not require flattening often

Cons

■    Is fragile

■    Does not cut rapidly

■    Is available in fine grits only

■    Is expensive

Ceramic sharpening stones are not made to remove large amounts of metal They come in tv.o colors: white and black

Ceramic Stones

Ceramic stones are more expensive than diamond stones of the same size and are not made to vmove large amounts of metal. Their grit is too fine. Instead, they are for final sharpening or for maintaining a sharp edge on your tools. White stones (1200 grit) put a mirror finish on a sharpened edge. Black ceramic stones (600 grit) keep a tool properly shaped and sharp. The black stone is is hard as the white, but the bonding matrix is softer, giving it a quicker cutting ability. Ceramic stones arc popular with chip carvers who need to keep their chip carving knives correctly shaped and very sharp.

Composition. Ceramic stones are synthetic man-made stones fabricated of alumina (aluminum oxide) or silicon carbide in a ceramic bond. This type of silicon carbide is the hardest material next to diamonds, even though it is several orders of magnitude softer than diamonds. Ceramic stones are made of the same material as water stones, but the grit in ceramic stones is bonded together into a harder mass.

How they work. Ceramic stones work the same as the other stones and can be used dry, with water, or with honing oil.

Care and maintenance. The tight bond between the grit and the stone means that cupping is rare in ceramic slones. They May flat and require very little maintenance.

If used dry, they should be washed from time to time with warm, soapy water and a scrubber pad to remove any metal particles trapped between the grit.

Arkansas Stones

Arkansas stones do a wonderful job of putting the final edge on your tools, but start with a coarser-grit stone of a different type if you need to remove a great deal of metal or shape a tool. Arkansas stones range from while to black, ami many are mottled with different colors. The soft white stones cut faster than the black because of their coarser grain characteristics; however, no Arkansas stone cuts ultrafast. Due to their unique crystalline structure, Arkansas stones polish as they sharpen and leave a smooth surface on your tools, but they are expensive.

Composition. Arkansas stones are natural, quarried mineral stones mined in the Ouachita Mountains near

II_________.....____.......    A    ___.........

Hul Spiiiigs, Aikausds. Tin- abidniu- mau-ii.il i«. iiuvdiuliU, a white quartz rock composed mainly of silicon dioxide. Arkansas stones an- related to flint and have a hardness just a hit greater than a steel file.

(<Arkansas stones are natural, quarried mineral stones mined in the Ouachita Mountains near Hot Springs, Arkansas. 1'hey are related to flint and have a hardness just a hit greater than a steel file. y>

How they work. Arkansas stones operate in the same manner as the other sharpening stones. Use a few drops of lightweight mineral oil to prevent glazing while sharpening.

Care and maintenance. Wipe all of the mineral oil and metal particles from the stone with a soft cloth or paper towel when sharpening is complete. Do not use petroleum-based honing oils on Arkansas stones. An Arkansas stone should never need to he flattened; however. If it docs, it

should be done on y by a professional who lias special polishing equipment.

Types of Arkansas stones.

■    Soft Arkansas (extrafino, 6lX) to 8(X> grit) stones are th? coarsest grained and least dense of the natural stones. They arc used to sharpen and upgrade tool and knife edges to an even, polished surface, frequently after sharpening with synthetic stones. Soft Arkansas stones arc opaque to milky white in color.

■    Hard Arkansas (superfine, 800 to 1,000 grit) stones arc liner grained ard denser than soft Arkansas stones. Ha:d Arkansas stones impart the fine edge necessary for moil culling tools and knives.

Arkansas Stone Pros and Cons

Pros

■    Polishes while sharpening

■    Puts on a near-mirror finish

■    Wears very slowly

■    Is used for final honing

■    Is available in four grades

■    Is a natural stone

Cons

■    Does not cut rapidly

■    Is expensive

■    Is available in fine grits only

■    Hard translucent Arkansas(ultrafmc, 1.000* grit) stones are the finest grained and most dense natural stone available. They produce the keenest, most precise finish possible. Hard translucent Arkansas stones may contain shades af red, yellow, and gray, but they are translucent white in their purest form.

■    Black Arkansas (ultrafinish, 1.200+ grit) is an ultrafinish stone. Some carvers feel the black Arkansas puts the optimum edge on tools, even better than the hard translucent. Because of their ability to put on that “ultimate edge*they have been nicknamed "surgical bluik Ar kansas.'

■    Ouachita stone is a second grade of Arkansas stones. U conics from the area around the Ouachita River and is softer and coarser in structure than the best Arkansas. It’s a good intermediate stone.

Aluminum Oxide or

The 15est Grit for the Job

Silicon Carbide Sandpaper

Specific jobs require a specific grit. Here are my recommendations:

Job

Grit

recommended

Results

Shaping

100 grit to 220grlt reshape a tool

Removes large amounts of metal and performs major rework

Honing the edge

320 grit

Reworks and sharpens most tools, hones the edge, and removes abrasions from the coarser stones

Final

sharpening

600 grit

Produces a keen edge and begins to polish the blade

Achieving the sharpest edge

1000 grit

Polishes the blade and shapes the razor edge (the last step before stropping)

Sandpaper is a reasonably quick and cost-effective sharpening medium, especially for beginners who want to limit their expenses to good-quality tools until they have more experience in the an form. Once you’ve gained experience, however, you may want to consider adding permanent sharpening stones to yourtools. Sandpaper comes in a variety of grits, but I have found 220,320, MOO, P600. and I'1200 to be the best grits for sharpening tools.

Composition. Aluminum oxide or silicon carbide particles are attached to a paper hack ng for this medium.

Sandpaper Pros and Cons

Aluminum oxide and silicon carbide sandpaper sheets in varying grits tan be used to sharpen tools.

Pros

■    Costs little

■    Is available in multiple grits

■    Is a good way to get started

■    Can be found in most hardware stores

Cons

■    Wears out quickly

■    Must be adhered to a flat surface

I low they work. Aluminum oxide saudpapci is normally a yellowish color and is always used without a lubricant. Silicon carbide sandpaper can be distinguished by its shiny black color and is a wet/dry sandpaper that can be used dry or with water.

A grit V7P on the back of a piece of sandpaper without a letter designation means that the sandpaper grading Is from the Coated Abrasive Manufacturers Institute CAM I).

T*> U'i »an«l|)<i|i<i fui >Uai pcniug, tu( a <UnO<ml 9-hy-l 1-inch sheet of 220-grit sandpaper in half so it is I'j by 11 inches. Use a temporary glue to attach the half steel of sandpaper to fiberlM.ard or gran to tile. Sandpaper docs not last as long as a regular sharpening stone, but by using temporary glue, the sandpaper can easily be peeled off and be replaced.

Try attaching sandpaper to fiberboard with a spray or stick adhesive to make a sanding block.

Plate glass also works well as a base; |ust make sure you use tempered glass so it doesn’t break easily. Cut tic other grits »u half also, *« they lit the surface of the board.

Sandpaper Grits

If you’re going to use sandpaper, be aware that there are three different grading systems used to designate the grit size of sandpaper

B JIS (Japanese Industrial Standard)

■    CAMI (Coated Abrasive Manufacturers Institute)

■    FEPA (Federation of European Producers of Abrairvei)

Sandpaper it labeled on the back of the sheet with the grit size. If there is no alpha designation before the numeric value, it is CAMI. If you see a P prefix before the grit size, it is the FEPA grading standard. I have not included information on the JIS standard because it is rarely used outside Japan.

The scratch patterns between the CAMI and the FEPA grading through 240 gnt are very similar. After that, yoi see some variation between the two standards. (If you see a sheet of tandpaper labeled 180 grit, it is equivalent to PI80 gnt. ard each has basically the same scratch pattern. However, if you see a sheet labeled 600 grit, it has the same basic scratch pattern as a sheet of PI 200 grit.) Use the following chart to compare the CAMI and FEPA grit designators to the actual grit micron size of the abrasive used in both grading systems. This way, you can make substitutions between the two systems and know you're getting the correct grit.

CAMI grit

FEPA gnt Grit micron size

60

PG0

260

80

P80

197

100

PI 00

141

PI 20

127

120

116

PI 50

97

150

93

180

P180

78

P220

65

220

60

P240

58

240

53.5

P320

46

320

36

P400

35

P600

25.8

400

23

600

PI 200

16

800

PI 500

12.6

P2000

10.3

1000

9.2

If y«iu lin'd l» liiuiivi «i l.ugn amuuiil uf mil.il. Id) a coarser sheet of sandpaper on I he surface of the 220 gnt. I he abrasive properties of the 220-grit sandpaper keep the coarser sheet in place, without gli mg. while you sharpen. Continue to use the 220 grit to hold the other grits in place until the tool is sharp, The series of 220, .120.1’ lOO, P60O, and P1.200 grits is sufficient for most sharpening requirements. It you want individual sharpening surfaces of various grits, flue each grit to individual pieces of fiberboard.

As the sandpaper wears, r is easy to remove and replace

Care and maintenance. Because sandpaper is easily replaced, little to no maintenance is needed for this sharpening material. From time to time, wipe the metal particles from the sandpaper with a soft cloth or a brush.

Stone Type and

FEPA/JIS Grit Sizes

The following chart shows the various sharpening mediums, what grit size they are. and how the grit size correlates FEPA to JIS. Note: You can find grits of sandpaper that corresaond to all of the grits in the list

Stone type FEPA

1,5

Coarse India

100

1 so

Medium India

180

220

Coarse water stone

180

220

Extracoarse diamond

220

240

Fine India

280

360

Coarse diamond

325

500

Washita

350

600

Medium water stone

: «

1000

Soft Arkansas

600

1200

Fine diamond

600

1200

Medium black ceramic

700

2000

Ultrawhite ceramic

900

2500

Hard white Arkansas

1ZUU

4UOU

Fine water stone

1200

4000

Extrafine diamond

1200

4000

Extrafine water stone

1600

8000

Hard black Arkansas

3000

8000f

Slip Stones

Use a tight taper for V-tools with loss than a 60-degreo angle.

An India taper truing c is a type of slip stone used to remove burrs from the inside of a tO-degree V-tool.

Small contoured stones called slip stones are made to remove metal fnm the inside contour of tools. I recommend the India taper triangle, which has a 60-dog re? angle and is used to remove the burrs. or wire edges, from the insides of Y'-tooU with angles 60 degrees or greater. For V-tools with angle? less than 60 degrees, I recommend a slip stone called a tight taper shape stone.

Pros and Cons of Various Sharpening Stones

and Sharpening Material

Medium

Lubricant

Price

Grit

Maintenance

Oilstone

Oil

Moderate

Up to 320; does not come in fine grit

Must be flattened; oil can stain wood if tools are not wiped dean

Water stone

Water

Moderately

expensive

Coarse to extrafine

Wears rapidly; must be flattened often; water can rust tools; can shatter if freezes when wet

Diamond

stone

Water, oil or none

Expensive

Coarse to extrafine

Stays flat within ± 0.002 of an inch forever; will not break

Ceramic stone

Water, oil. or none

Moderately

expensive

Fine only

Is fragile; does not wear quickly; does not need to be flattened often

Arkansas

stone

Mineral oil

Expensive

Fine only

Wears very slowly

Sandpaper

Water or none

Inexpensive

Coarse to extrafine

Wears quickly

Strops and Honing Compound

A strop and honing compound arc used together to put the final cuttiig edge on your tools and to polish the blade. Stropping does not reshape a blade the way sharpening does. Ideally, if the cutting edges of your tools do not become extremely dull or damaged, you should be

able to simply strop your tool when it becomes dull to hone

“A strop and honing compound are used ,hcback 10 i,s ra“r sharP““a,°u, r,ve “ s“ ,im“

.    ,    ~    .    .    .    before    you need to go to your fine stone.

together to put the final cutting cage on

your tools and to polish the blade.

A strop can be made of leather, cardboard, cloth, or even wood and acts as a binder to hold the honing compound. For my carving knives, I use a homcirade leather strop that consists of a U-inch-thick-by-2-inch-widc-by-10-inch-long piece of leather glued to a V.-Inch-thick piece of wood the same length and width as the leaner. Size can vary, but I feel this »ir.e accoin.iiodatv-» my liiiiis well. I bluest the leather tu the wood with contact cement.

Strops ore used to put o final polished edge on your knife

Honing compound Is a fine ahrasive compound that is rubbed into the strop. This step is called loading the strop. The honing compound does the actual work of creating the ultrasharp cutting edge and polishing live blade.

Hniiiii^; umijniu id i> ax.nl.il'li- in |iundvii pa'ti, m >litk form. I prefer (Ik stick form because it’s easy to apply and stays where you put it. If you get buildup over time, simply scrape it off your strop with the back of your knife. Powder tends to drift off tie strop and onto the work surface. Past? builds up and becomes gummy on your strop.

Of the stick honing compounds, I primarily use the white variety. It cuts fast and gives your tools a mirror polish.

Honing compound ii placed on the strop to polish the edge of the blade

The white color is also useful when sharpening micro tool; because, as I pull the tool through the compound, its easy to sec the track where the metal is being removed.

Honing Compound Colors and Grit Sizes

A buildup of honing compound can bo quickly renxjved with the back of a knife blade.

Honing compound comes in a variety of colors. Generally, but not always, thecolor of the honing compound relates to the grit size.

Color Grit Purpose

Black (gray)

Extracoarsc

Fast cutting

Green (dark)

Coarse

All-purpose fast cutting

White

Medium to fine

Good all purpose

Bruwii

Rue

Slower culling

Green (light)

Extrafine

Polish only

Yellow

Ultrafine

Polish only; leaves little residue

Sharpening Techniques

I’m convinced that more peop e stop carving because of dull tools tliai for any other reason. Once you carve with a sharp tool, you will never be satisfied with anything else. A sharp tool allows you to concentrate on the ait you want to make. Use a dull tool and you'll find yourself concentrating on how much force is required to drive the tool through wood. In this section. I will show you how to get your tools sharp each and every time you attempt to sharpen them, no matter what medium you use.

Tip: When to Sharpen

When your tools are properly shaped and sharpened, it will take you very little time to keep them sharp.

All woods contain some natural abrasive materials,

and as you carve, these abrasive materials will take off the ultrasharp edge to where you will need to go back to a stone from time to time. When your tools don't flow through the wood and don’t leave a smooth, shiny surface where you cut, you need to put that iazor-starp edge back on the tool. Stropping will normally put it back on; but if it doesn't, go to yourfine stone to reshape the blade and then to your sl'op, and you'll be back carving in very little time with a sharp tool.

Tip: Test for Sharpness before Carving

Before I begin a cawing session, I select all the tools I will be using for that session and test each of them on a piece of wood similar to the type HI be carving. Any tool that is not ultrasharp is sharpened. By doing this, I know that when I pick up any of the tools, they will cut ihe way I want them to. After all the tools are sharp. I wash my hands to get off any dirt or grime so I won’t get my carving dirty—and fm ready for a relaxing carving session.

The method presented here is not the only way to sharpen carving tools, but I've developed these techniques by talking with numerous experienced carvers and by doing a tremendous amount of research and experimentation over my 30-plus years of carving.

These techniques have worked well for me ami for the thousands of carvers I've taught through my classes and my very popular video Sharpening Simplified.

There are two very important fundamentals to getting your tools sharp: 1) know what a tool looks like when it's properly sharpened so you know wha: to achieve, and 2) make sure each sharpening step is specific and

u Sharpening tools is like learning to play an instrument. The more you do it, the better you get. **

repeatable. Focus on the fundamentals and then practice until they become second nature. Master the fundamentals, and you master sharpening.

Sharpening tools is like learning to play an instrument. The more you do it, the better you gc:. Sharpening may feel cumbersome at first, but each time you sharpen, it will become easier until it will be fun to see how sharp you can get a tool. The key is practice, practice, practice.

Sharpening Straight-Edged Carving Knives

In this section, well look at evaluating and sharpening knives. You need to sharpen your knife when you first purchase it or if you nick or otherwise damage the blade. Under normal conditions, you won't have to go through the entire sharpening process every time your knife gets dull. If your knife has a good edge hut seems dull, use your strop to hone the klade.

1 Evaluating the Blade

Check your knife visually.

O Does it have straight sides from the cutting edge and up the blade about V* inch? A lighted magnifying glass is very helpful for this step.

0 Is the blade polished so it looks like a mirror?

You should actually be able to read in it.

0 Does it have a small secondary angle (called a microbevel), about the thickness of a fine hair, along the total cutting edge of the blade? To see

the miaobevel tilt the blade back and forth in bright

light, and look fora small reflection of light, about the thickness of a fine hair, on each side of the cutting edge of the blade.

Before you bet;in sharpening your knife, determine wh< t needs to be done. You can easily check the condition of the blade by doing a quick visual and physical check- If the answer to any of the following questions is no, your knife needs to be sharpened

©

O Is the cutting edge of the blade free from nicks or flat spots? A nick looks like a small sparkling diamond on the cutting edge. A flat spot looks like a shiny line. When your knife is slvarp, you can't see the cutting edge.

Check your knife physically by cutting across the grain

of a piece of soft wood, like basswood.

© Does it cut through the wood easily?

© Does it leave a smooth, shiny surface where you cut?

© Is the cut free of small lines? If you see any lines, the blade has a nick in it.

ef Visualizing the Final Form

Your knife should have straight sides from the cutting edge and jp the blade about 'A inch.

J The blade should be polished so it looks like a mirror.

_l There should be a small secondary angle (called a microbevel), aaout the thickness of a fine hair, along both sides of the cutting edge.

J Tlve two surfaces should meet at a single point.

J The knife should be so sharp you can't see the cutting edge.

J The blade should be properly contoured to minimize the metal mass going through wood.

J The blade should be polished to cut down the resistance of the blade going through wood.

J The blade should have a razor-sharp cutting edge to cleanly slice the wood fibers, leaving a smooth, shiny surface where you cut.

By cutting a knife blade in two. we can see the shape and bevel of the blade.

Cutting a carving knife in half is not a practical way to determine whether your knife needs to be sharpened, but it is a good aid in visualizing the proper shape of a knife blade.

If you look into a cross section of the blade it should look like A. If your knife looks like B, you

need to remove all the metal shown in red so it looks like A. Unfortunately, if your knife looks like B. no matter how sharp you get the cutting edge, the knife will not go through wood easily.

Think of your knfe as nothing more than a sharp little wedge, and as the wedge goes through wood, it's displacing the wool The more mass the blade has, the more wood must be displaced and the harder it is to drive the tool through wood. When a blade looks like B—even if it's sharp—it tends to tear the wood fibers before it cuts them

If you don't want to get rid of your knife, follow the knife sharpening techniques In this section with the following adaptations:

Lay the knife on the sharpening stone, as shown, with the ape* of the high spot on the stone. You need to remove all the metal in red to attain a Hat surface on the blade. When your knife is sharpened properly, it will be straight on both sides of the blade

Knife Rescue

Let's Sharpen

Before you begin, decide what grit of sharpening stone to use based on your evaluation of the blade. In the demonstration, I will start with a coarse stone and take you through the full sequence from shaping the knife to sharpening to stropping, You can start with any type of stone. I am using an oilstone. Please note that the instructions are given for a right-handed carver. Simply transpose the instructions if you are left-handed.

■    Use a coarse-grit stone to reshape a tool. (Don't use this unless the tool needs major work.)

■    Use a medium-grit stone for normal sharpening.

■    Use a fine-grit stone for slight tune-ups.

■    Use an extrafine-grit stone to prepare the blade for stropping.

1 Place the sharpening stone on a piece of nonskid material, and treat the surfaceof the stone accordingly in preparation to sharpen. If you use sandpaper, use it dry.

2 Lay your knife on the ieft end of the coarse sharpening stone, with the blade's cutting edge facing to the left (away from the direction you are going). Ne,er run the cutting edge into the abrasive.

4 When you reach the right end ofthe stone, flip the blade over so the blade's cutting edge is fac ng to the right.

5 Repeal the same sawng motion from the right to the left end of the stone. Continue this sawing motion until the waste metal has been removed rom both sides of the blade and the abrasions on the blade are uniform along the entire surface. A small burr should form along the entire cutting edge on one side <J the hlarte If you h»H a sick In the hWle. live hnrr must gn past the nick.

6 To test for a burr on the left side of tb? blade, hold the knife handle In your right hand, and turn tfe knife so the cutting

Se of the blade is facing toward the palm of your left hand.

e your left-hand thumb pad from the top of the blade down across the cutting edge, as shown. If a burr has formed, you will feel a rtt¹q tin your tluimh p»H r«utli»n; Meuer mn ynnr fhumh nr fingers into the cutting edge.

7 To wst for a burr on He right side of the blade, hold the knife handle in your n'ght hand, and turn the knife so the cutting edge of the blade is facing away from the palm of your left hand. Slide your left-hand thumb pad in the direction shown. Again, if a burr has formed, you will 'eel a drag on y-our thumb pad

8 When the blade is

properly contoured, wth straight sides, and a burr B formed along the total culling edge, wipe the honing oil from the coarse stone and go to the next finer stone. La,1 the blade flat on the surface of the finer stone. Using the sawing motion, work the jlade across the stone until you have removed the coarse abrasions on both sides of the blade and left finer stone abrasisns. Watch for the burr to roll from one side of the blade to the other in just a couple of strokes.

Troubleshooting

■    If you can t feel a burr on e ther side of the blade, continue the left-to-iight, right-to-Icft sawing motion until you feel a burr.

■    If the burr is formed in onearea on the blade and not another, you need to move your left-hand fingers over the area that does not have the burr and continue the left-to-right, right-to-left sawing motion until you have a burr along the total cutting edge.

I .1

9 Wipe the surface of the finer stone ■vitli a soft doth or paper towel to remove tic fire metal particles that were abraded from the knife tlade, and go to the next finer-grit medium.

Rub bulling compound untu >uui sliup.

With the finer grit stone, start with the burr side down on the stone, f you were using an oilstone, you need to switch to a diamond stone, a water stone, an Arkansas stone, or sandpaper for the fine stone. When you've removed the abrasions left by the fine-grit stone and the burr flips from one side to the other vath|ust a couile of sawing strokes, go to an extrafme store and do the same procedure as with the other stones,

When both sides look polished, you're ready to strop. Note: It is important that the burr roll from one side of the blade to the oth?r svith just a couple of sawing strokes. This way, any remnants of a burr on the blade should fall off during stropping.

Aflei stropping llie blade un llial side, lay llie ulliei side of the knife blade at the bottom end of the strop (with the blade's cutting edge facing the bottom), and pull It through the honing compound about eight to ten times. Be suie to keep the blade flat on the strop through the entire stropping stroke.

^ VI Do a couple more ight strops on both sides of the blade I nr and you should be ready to carve. Your knife blade should be so polished that it loots like a mirror. This technique should also automatically form a small microbevcl.

1 C Wipe the blade clean with a soft cloth or paper towel, and I D wash your hands so you don't get metal filings, honing oil, or honing compound on the wood you will carve. Test your knife by cutting across the grain of a soft wood, like basswood. Your knife should flow through the wood easily and leave a smooth,

shiny surface where you cut. Your knife should also be so sharp that you can cut a shaving thin enough to read through.

Troubleshooting

■    If after sharpening, your knife doesn't (low through wood easily, tears the wood fibers, or leaves little lines in the wood, check to make sure you've removed the entire burr while stropping.

■    If after stropping, it still doesn't cut properly, the microbevel is too wide, creating too much metal mass on the cutting edge of the blade. If the microbevel is wider than

a fine hair, go back to your fine stone and sharpen the blade until the microbevel disappears. 'You don't need to form a burr again.) Ther\ strop the blade again.

■    If you nick the blade, you’ll need to use the coarse stone to remove enough metal from the blade to where the nick has disappeared; then, go through the entire sharpening sequence.

■    Over time, the abrasive properties in the wood take off the ultrasharp edge. If your knife doesn't leave a smooth, shiny surface where you cut. strop it again and the razor edge should be put back on.

Quick Ref: Sharpening Starters

If

Then

The blade has nicks or

Start with a

needs to be reshaped

coarse stone

The knife tears the wood fibers

Start with a

or does not cut smoothly

fine stone

The blade needs to keep an

Strop

ultrasharp cutting edge

The knife cuts properly

Do nothing

Keeping the Blade Flat Preserves the Contour

If you always keep the blade flat on each of the sharpening mediums, the blade vail always retain a shape that is easy to maintain. The blade will wear back, but it v/ill always maintain the correct contour.

Sharpening Curved-Blade Carving Knives

< 'arvitig knives with .1 curved blade along the cutting edge are not ns popular a* those with a stnight-edged blade, but many carvers prefer these tools.

The sharpening technique differs just slightly.

Evaluating the Blade

The same criteria used to determine what needed to be done to sharpen a straight-blade knife apply to the curved-blade knife (see page I05).fhen. decide which stone you need to start with (see page 110).

Visualizing the Final Form

J Your knife should have straight sides from the cutting edge and up the blade about '4 inch.

J The blade should be polished so it looks like a mirror.

J There should be a small secondary angle (a microbevel), about the thickness of a fine hai'₍ along the total cutting edge of the blade.

J The blade should be properly contoured to minimize the metal mass going through wood.

J The blade should be polished to cut down the resistance of the blade going through wood.

_J The blade should have a razor sharp cutting edge to cleanly slice the wood fibers, leaving a smooth, shiny surface where you cut.

Let's Sharpen

ILay the front end of tie blade flat on the left end of the sharpening stone, with the cutting edge facing to the left Hold the knife so you get straight sides from the cutting edge and up the blade about V* inch.

2 While holding the handle with your richt hand, apply pressure to the blade with your left index finger in the direction of the arrow shown In Step 1. Slide the blade from the left end of the stone to the right end of the stone, following thecontour of the blade.

The only difference when sharpening a curved-blade knife is the motion you make across the sharpening stone.

4 Load a strop with honing compound. Lay the knife so the flat surface, from the cutting edge back, is flat on the right end of the strop, with the blade's cutting edge facing to the right, and pull It from the right end tc the left end of the strop. As you pull the knife across the strop, rotate the blade to follow the contour ol the blade. Keep the knife blade flat as you pull it across the strop. Do this about eight to ten times on one side. ²

Sharpening Chip Carving Knives

Normally, a chip carving knife is driven straight into the wood and then pulled straight hack out of the wood to compete every cut. Because of this motion, the entire body of the tool supports the cutting edge so you can apply a tremendous amount of pressure on the edge. To minimize the amount of wood displaced as the chip carving knife is driven into the wood, the blade of a chip carving tool is normally much thinner than that of a regular carving knife and has almost no microhevel. If you're doing conventional chip carving, never twist the blade through the wood.

!vj Evaluating the Blade

The same criteria used to determine what needed to be done to sharpen a straight-blade knife apply to the chip carving knife (see page 105). Then, make a decision about which grit sharpening stone to start with (sec page 110).

Visualizing the Final Form

J The blade should be shaped so it is straight from the cutting edee to the top of the blade.

J The blade should be po ished like a mirror.

_l There should be very little microbevel.

Let's Sharpen

It the blade needs major rework, start with a coarse stone to shape it, and thin step through the sequence of finer and finer stones ur.tll it is properly sharpened. Use the same sawing moth n that’s used to sharpen a straight-edged carving knife. Once the blade is properly shaped and sharp, many chip carvers use white and black ceramic stones because they stay ilat and are fine abrasives. An extrafine diamond stone, an extrafine water stone, or extrafine sandpaper glued tc a Ilat surface also works well.

2 Go to the white ceramic stone and continue the nght-to-left and left-to-right sawing motion until the blade looks Ike a mirror.

ILay the knife flat on the left end of the black ceramic stone, with the cuttingedge facing to the left. Week the blade across the stone In a sawinc motion. Keep the blade, from the cutting edge up to the backof the blade, flat on the stone. Continue the left-to-right. nght-to left sawing motion until the blade is polished on both sides. ³

Sharpening Gouges and Veiners

Gouges arc one of the most used carving tools. The sharper they are. the more enjoyable carving will be. The keys to getting your gouge properly shaped and sharp are knowing what it should look liks to make that optimum cut and then implementing a simple and repeatable process to achieve that end result.

Evaluating the Blade

O Gouges and veners have one of three different shapes along their cutting edge:

0 A. Nose out slightly across the cutting edge. If you do relief carving, you may want to sharpen a couple of gouges with this shape, where you slope the wings back from the nose of the tool. This shape allows you to cut all the fibers up to a vertical stop cut.

□ B. Flat across the cutting edge with slight

rounding at the edge of the wings. This allows a little latitude before the v/ings dip under the wood, but it does not cut cleanly in tight corner areas.

■ C. Flat across the cutting edge from wing to wing. This shape is the most popular because it allows you to get into tight comers. Strive to sharpen mest of your tools like this.

© A properly sharpened gouge or veiner must be flat from toe to heel, with a cutting angle of about 23 degrees. It should look like A. A tool shaped like 8 (rounded from toe to heel) requires you to raise the handle to an uncomfortable angle before the cutting edge enters the wood. If the face of the tool looks like

B.    you need to remove all the metal shown in red on

C.    Angle D is too blunt and requires you to raise the handle of the tool to an uncomfortable level before it enters the wood. It needs to be shaped to look like A.

0 To test tf the angle is correct, fold a sheet of paper into the shape of a triangle—you have 45 degrees. Fold it again—you have 22V5 degrees.This is the approximate angle you want at all your gouges arvd veiners.

O Set a gouge or veiner on a piece of wood with the paper you folded to 22V? degrees between the wood and the tool. The tool should want to cut into the wood. If you need to raise the handle higher than the paper, the angle on the face of the tool is too blunt and needs to be reshaped to about 23 degrees.

0 Another way to evaluate the condition of your tool is to check the cutting edge. Ifyours looks like the tool on the right, the angleon the face of the tool is too blunt, which forces you to raise the handle to an uncomfortable angle before the tool enters the wood.

0 If the angle from toe to heel looks good, but v/hen you set the tool on the wood, it slides across the surface until you raise the handle, There's a good chance the area from toe to heel is rounded like 8.

Visualizing the Final Form

Whatever shape you have along the cutting edge of the blade, your objectives areas follows:

J The blade must be flat f-om toe to heel with a cutting angle of about 23 degrees.

_J There should be a micrc bevel on the inside of the blade.

J The blade should be po Ished to look like a mirror.

Quick Ref: Do a Visual Check

Quick Ref: Do a Test Cut

A    B    C    D

If Then

Looks oluy (A)

Make a test cut

Wavy cutting edge (S)

Major rework

Comer missing (C)

Major rework

Nick (0)

Major rework

If

Then

Shiny, smooth cut IA)

No action needed

Leaves linels) (fl)

Nkkls) in the blade; major rework (start with the coarse stone)

Dull or slow cut (C)

Minor repair (start with a fine stone)

Tool Rescue

If you have a tool that is deformed or nicked the fastest way to correct the problem is to remove metal from the cutting edge until the deformity or the nick is gone; then, start the sharpening process.

ITo remove metal, lay a coarse sharpening stone vertically along the edge of your work surface on nonskid materi.’l Prepare a coarse-grit stone for tools larger than Si Inch wide or a medium-grit stone for smaller-tvdlh tools. Hold the too vertically, at abcut a 90-degree angle from the surface of the stone, with the concave side facing toward you. ⁴

2 Pul I the tool toward you to remote the metal from the cutting surface. This is scary the first time you do It, but It Is the best and fastest way to remove the deformity. Continue to set the tool at the top end of the s:one and pull it to the bottom end until the deformity has cisappeared. Holding the tool so the concave surface is towardyou removes metal from the cutting edge of the tool and forms a burr on the outside of the tool It is easier to remove a burr from the outside of the tool than from the Inside of the tool. This a simple rule, but one that saves you time in the sharpening process.

Let's Sharpen

Rotate left to right

-V

yj

V

Rotate right to loft

^ -

2 You should maintain the same 23-degree angle from the toe to the heel across the total blade from wing to wing.

If your tncl needs major work, the width of the blade will determine which stone you’ll use to start the sharpening sequence. For a tool wider than '»inch, start with a coarse stone. If the too is 'i inch or smaller, start with a fine stone. Start by placing a coarse stone on nonskid material, and treat it for sharpening (see page 123 if you’re sharpening a tool larger than one inch).

1 Approach the center of the sharpening stone with your gouge as If you were going to carve the stone. This angle should bo about 23 degrees. Lock your wrist. As you sharpen, the radius and ulna bones in your arm rotate, but your wrist should remain still. You'll be amired how well this works to maintain the sharpening angle. Place the first two lingers of your left hand on the inside of the tool to maintain controlled pressure on the tool as you rotate it across the stone.

4 Continue to evenly reduce the metal thickness until you have formed a small burr along the total inside cutting edge of the blade. To test to see If you have a burr formed, side your thumb or a finger from the handle side across the cutting edge of the blade. Never run your thumb or finger into the cutting edge.

5 When you've fomed a burr along the cutting edge of the blade, you need to roll the burr to the other side of the cutting edge. You can use a slip stone to accomplish this

6Wet/dry sandpaper that is 600 grit also works well. Wrap the sandpaper around a dowel that is the same diameter as the inside of the tool.

w⁷

A D

V/

D    E

9 You can now start the actual shapemng process by removing the aggressive abrasions, plus begin to make the cutting edge ultrathin so it flows through wood wth mirimal effort. Prepare a medium-grit stone and do the same process you used with the coarse stone:

• Establish the proper angle of the tool on the sharpening stone (23 degrees)

• Lock your wrist.

• Slide the tool across the surface of the stone, following the contour of the tool.

Continue this until you have once again rolled the burr back to the inside of the blade and removed the major abrasions on the blade surface. (The face of the tool should have the same pattern of abrasion. If you see deep abrasions Intermixed with the finer abrasions, stay with this stone until you have all finer abrasions across the face of the tool.)

1 ^ RoJI the burr from -.he inside of the tool to the outside of I \J the tool again by using the 60O-gnt wet/dry sandpaper, as In Steps 5 through B. Go ta your finest-gn't stone, or fine sandpaper attached to a flat surface.and do the same procedure as in Steps 1 through 3. Your too! surfare. from the toe to the heel, should now

3n to look polished, ard the burr should flip back and forth just a couple of passes across the stone and the slip stone.

nload the cardboard strop with honing compound Because I want the face area of the blade, from toe to heel, to remain perfectly flat. I use cardboard rather than leather for my strop. The cardboard is flat and firm and strops the blade without changing the outside contour of the tool. It also helps me put a microbevel only on the inside of the tool.

«| Place the tool at the top of the cardboard Maintaining the I £m proper angle (23 degrees), slide the tool from side to side while rotating it to followthe contour of the tool. Notice the metal that was removed as the tool was moved back and forth across the cardboard strop from the top to the bottom of the strop.

*| ^ Po this process from top to bottom, maintaining the I O 23-degree angle, until the blade losks like a mirror. By starting at the top of the strop and workirg the tool to the bottom, you never run the cutting edge of the too! into the abrasive. Each stroke is sharpening the tool.

•f A To strop the insideof the gouge or vemcr, conform the I *T cardboard to the inside contour of the tool, raise the handle slightly,ond pull the tool across the loaded cardboard.This process polishes the inside of the cutting surface and puts a small microbevel on the Inside of the tool.

C Test the tool for sharpness by cutting across tho grain on a I J piece of soft wood, like basswood The tool should begin to cut immediately when it touches the wood, flow easily through the wood, make a curl of the wood it cuts, and leave a smooth, shiny surface where you cut. with the area between cuts intact

Cutting Angle

Troubleshooting

If the wooc tears, the tool Is not sharp enough and may require more stropping.

You may have read or heard that you slrould put one angle on the cutting edge of your chisels, gouges, veiners, and V-tools when you carve soft wood and another angle when you carve hard wood. The theory says that asyou drive a tool through wood, soft wood will not put as much stress on your tools as hard waod. I use about a 23-degree angle on the blades of my chisels, gouges, veiners, and V-tools for all woods I carve. Rather than changing angles every time I change woods, I use this angle because it works well for all woods. You will sec how I achieve this angle as we sharpen each type of tool.

Sharpening Large- or Small-Size Tools

When sharpening a gouge greater than 1 inch (25 mm) wide, it is many times easier to sharpen it in small segments as you move the blade across the stone. Move the blade backand forth in small segments as you slowly rotate the toolacross its total sweep. By doing this, you have much more control than if you try to move the tool from wing to wing in one sweep.

Wh«n sharpening a small tool (less than 'A inch from wing to wing), never use a coarse srone.The less metal there is in a tool, the finer-grit stone you should use—even if the tool needs major repair. A coarse stone removes metal too rapidly, and you can easily deform your small-width tool. The coarsest stone I ever use on my narrow tools is not more than 300 grit. (Remember, the smaller the grit number, the coarser the grit.)

When removing a burr from a very narrow gouge or veiner. such as 'A or Vi* inch wide, fold the 600-grit sandpaper to fit the inside of the tool.

To strop a very narrow gouge or veiner, rub honing compound around the edge of the cardboard strop, and lay the tool over the edge to strop.

The beauty about using sandpaoer and cardboard in sharpening gouges and veiners is that one size fits alL You can conform sandpaper and cardboard to the inside contour of any gouge or veiner. You don't need a number of different slip stones in your sharpening kit. All you need is one sheet of 600-grit sandpaper and a piece of cardboard.

Sharpening Flat Chisels

Flat chisels arc not used as often as many of your other tools, but they must he sharp to give you control of any cut you make. The Hat chisel most used In a flat skew Learning how to sharpen a flat chisel is a good precursor to sharpening V-toolt.

Evaluating the Cutting Edge

Check the condition of the chisel visually. A lighted magnifying lamp helps you to

view the cutting edge.

■    The tool should look like A.

■    If the edge is blunt (8(, it will not go into wood easily, and you will need to reshape the cutting angle, from the toe to the heel, to about 23 degrees.

■    A nick (C> looks like a small sparkling diamond.To remove the nick, place the cutting edge vertically on the top side of a stone and pull it toward you until the nick disappears. (Use the same process as you do to shape gouges and veiners, see page 119.) Then, go through the complete sharpening process.

■    An uneven edge (O) needs major repair. To shape the cutting edge, do the same procedure that is done :o removed nick.

.J Visualizing the Final Form

J The cutting edge should be 90 degrees from the side of the blade.

_l The cutting edge should be straight across from wing to wing.

J The cutting edge should have a cutting angle from the toe to the heel of about 23 degrees.

Tool Rescue

If the tool needs major repair, approach the stone at an angle as If you were going to carve it (This is normally about a 23-degree angle.) Upon establishing the proper angle on the stone, lock your wrists so you maintain that angle while sharpening.

With your richt hand holding the handle and your first two fingers of your left hand controlling pressure on the blade, move the blade across the stone in a figure-eight motion. Doing the figure eight uses the stones entire surface while sharpening and minimizes the potential cf creating a hollowing in your oilstones or water stones.

As you slide the tool across the surface of the stone, your wrists on both of your arms should remain locked and your arms should swing like a pendulum. After a few figure-eight strokes, look at the surface you arc sharpening to see if you are removing metal evenly across the total surface of the tool If you're removing more metal from one side of the cutting edge titan the other, move your fingers over the area that needs more metal removed. I check the surface from toe to heel often to make sure I'm removing metal evenly.

Continue the figure-eight sharpening motion until you've formed a burr along the total cutting edge of the blade. Test for a burr by runnlrg your thumb or finger from the handle side of the blade across the cutting edge. Caution: Never run /our thumb or finger into the cutting edge.

When you've formed a small buT along the total cutting edge of the tool, turn the blade over and lay It fiat on the stone. Pull the tool toward you until the burr flips back toward the beveled side of the tool. Upon achieving this, go to your next finer stone.

Sharpening Skew Chisels

Use the same criteria to evaluate the skew as you did the flat chisel (see page 124).

To sharpen skew chisels, use the same process you use with the fiat chisel (see page 126), but keep the edge of the bUde parallel to the top of the stone as you sharpen and on the top of the strop as you strop. I find by keeping the cutting edge parallel to the edge of the stone and the strop, it is easier to keep the proper skew angle across the cutting edge of the tool as you sharpen.

Sharpen a double-bevel skew the same as you do the regular skew, except maintain the angle on both sides of the tool.

Let's Sharpen

If the tool doesn't need major repair because of a blunt cutting edge, nicks, or an uneven edge, the best test Is to cut across grain on a piece of soft worn, like basswood. If it cuts but leaves the fibes torn, start with a medium grit. If it cits but doesn't leave a smooth surface where you cut, start with a fine stone. Then, go to the extrafinc for final preparation before stropping.

Ilay the face of the toal on the finer stone at the proper angle (about 23 degrees), a'id do the figure-eight motions again to remove the coarse abrasions made by the coarse stone if you had to do major repair work (see Tool Rescue on page 125) and to make the metal thin aithe cutting edge of the blade. This also, once again, rolls the burr over to the outside of the blade.

2 Lay the flat side of the blade on the stone and pull it across the stone to flip the burr back. Go to your finest stone and do the same sequence again. The face of the tool should begin to get polished, and the burr should have fallen off or should flip back and forth with just a pass across the stone. Pull the flat s'de across the stone.

4 Test the tool by cutting across the gran on the edge of a soft wood board, such as basswood Once property sharpened, If the tool gets dull from carving, all you should need to do is stron with the honing compound on cardboard. If it Gets a nick or a flat spot, shape the cutting edge and go through the entire sharpening process.

Sharpening V-Tools

V-tools arc one of :hc more difficult carving tools to sharpen because of their shape and the various angles you need to deal with when sharpening. You’ll find it much easier to sharpen a V-tool If you think of it as being three tools in one: two llai chisels and a small gouge. Each wing is a flat chisel, and the bottom cutting surface is a small gouge.

! J Evaluating the Cutting Edge

To determine if any sharpening is required, evaluate the V-tool physically and visually.

If the tool's cutting edges look good and have the proper cutting angles, test the

tool by cutting across the grain on a piece of soft wood, like basswood. Does it

■    Slice throuch the wood and leave a smooth, shiny surface where you cut? If it does, you're ready to carve.

■    Go through the wood but doesn't leave a smooth, shiny surface where it cut? It needs stropping.

■    leave a little line or lines in the wood? If it leaves a Ihe in the wood, the tool has a nick or nicks in the cutting edge of the blade. Go to your fine stone to remove the nick. Take out any burrs from the inside with your sin stone and then strop.

■    Tear the wood at the bottom of the V? Work the little gouge section on your fine stone. Clean up the inside with your slip stone and then strop.

Visualizing the Final Form

When <1 V-tool is properly sharpened, it has the following characteristics:

_i Each of the wings is straight from the gouge portion to the top of the wing.

_J The gouge portion is blended into each wing.

J The angle from the toe to the heel on both wings, and the gouge, is about 23 degrees.

J The wings and no gouge are polished to look like a mirror.

You can sharpen a V-tool with three different shapes on the cutting edge.

Wings at a 90*degree angle from the bottom of the blade. This is the most common way V-tools are sharpened and is the shape most tools have when you buy them.

Wings sloping back from the bottom of the tool.

If you sharpen like this, the angle should slope back about 23 degrees.

This is a useful argle if you do much relief carving because it allows you to cut flush up to a vertical stop cut. The Wade meo:s square with the face of the vertical stop cut.

A is sharpened with the cutting edge 90 degrees to the bottom of the tool. You can see that when the wings hit the top of the stop cut. the bottom is not near it. The wood will not be cut cleanly up to the stop cut. B has the wings back about 23 degrees from the bottom of the tool.This shape allcwsyou to cut flush up to a stop cut.

Wings sloping forward from the bottom of the tool.

This angle is helpful when making decorative cuts. This contour is used lest than the others.

Let's Sharpen

Take your time when sharpening a V-tool. Check the surface you’re sharpening often to sec if you're abrading it evenly across the entire surface. Sharpen in sequence: flat chisel, flat chisel, small gouge. A V-tool is one of the most difficult too* to sharpen, and the smaller the V-tool. the more difficult it s. Don't rush, and it trill be well worth the effort.

Ilf the tool needs sharpening, lay the left wing on a fine-grit sharpening stone at about a 23-degree angle. Holding the handle In your nght hand, place the first finger on your left hand Inside the wing that is on the stone. Wove the tool across the stone with the same figure-eight motion you use to sharpen a flat chisel (see page 126).

2 Check the wing you're sharpening often to make sure you are abrading evenly across the total iurface. Sharpen this wmg until you have a burr formed along the total cutting edge

4 When you have a burr along the total cutting edge on both wings, remove it from the insideof your V-tool with a slip stone If the angle is 60 degrees or greater, I use an India taper triangle slip stone.

If the angle is less than 60 degrees, I use a tight taper shape stone.

6 Lay the tool flat on the slip stone. Apply pressure on one side of the tool and pull it across the slip s.one to puH the burr out from the Inside of the tool on that wirvg.

Important to keep the tool flat on the slip stone as you remove the burrs. If the tool handle is raised osyou pull the tool across the slip stone, you can abrade m«al from the gouge portion and end up with your tool looking like a D.

way you do any gouge (see page 1201, bu; carefully blend the gouge into the flat chisel on both sides of the tooL

91 find the best way to see where you may need to focus your sharpening efforts Is to place the V tool vertically on a piece of soft wood and push the cutting edge into the wood. You'll see where it may be tearing the wood and where it is cleanly cutting the wood fibers.

Any area where the fibers tear is where you need to concentrate your sharpening efforts. If the tool is sharp along the total cutting edge, it makes a cit kke this.

nWhen your is properly shaped and begins to cut wood ^ ^ Strop the bottom of the V as you would a small gouge easily, go to your strop to put on the ultrasharp edge. I use    I /L (see page 122),

cardboard for my strop. Load the strop with honing compound and strop each winqthe wav you strop a flat chisel (see page 126).

nFor the inside of the tool, tub honing compound on

live edge of tie cardboard, tay the inside of one of live

wings over the edge, raise the handle slightly, and pull the tool through the honing compound.

Turn the tool around and do tie same with the other wing. Dy having tlve honing compound up to the edge of the

cardboard.asyou strop.lt simultaneously strops the insides of the wings and the inside of the small gouge.

Four Common V-Tool Problems

A. Tho angle is greater than 23 degrees from the toe to the heel. If the tool doesn't cut properly, or you need to raise the handle at a high angle before it begins to cut, the angle from the toe to the heel is incorrect. To correct this problem, reshape each of the wings and the gouge portion so the angle from toe to heel is 23 degrees on each of the wings and the gouge portion. Usea coarse stone to shape the tool, and then go through the complete sharpening process to put on the razor edge.

B.The bottom of the small gouge portion has multiple angles. This problem is easy to fix and makes a world of difference for carving. Don’t try to reshape the tool and blend the gouge portion with the flat chisels in one operation. This is an area of the tool that can very quickly be deformed Do this procedure in four steps:

1.    Get the proper contour established from toe to heel on the small gouge portion, as shown in the illustration.

2.    Blend one side of the small gouge with one flat chisel.

3.    Blend the other side of the small gouge with the other flat chisel.

4.    Using an India taper triangle or slip stone, remove burrs that may have been formed on the inside of the tool, and then use a cardboard strop.

Use a fine sharpening stone to correct thri problem because you want to remove metal very slowly. Remember, approach the sharpening stone as if you arc going to carve it. With just a slight side-to-side motion, remove the abrupt angle and form the correct angle from the toe to the heel of the tool.

Use light pressure on the tool, just enough to have control of the tool. Make a couple of passes across the stone, and then check that you're beginning to straighten the angle. It is important to check this often because all you want is to straighten the angle from the toe to the heel If you take off too much metal, you can abrade the small gouge portion and create a problem like D. Once you have the proper angle established, blend each side of the small gouge with the flat chisels.

C.    The small gouge portion has a protruding point.

This normally occurs when you don’t remove enough metal from the gouge portion as you sharpen. If the protrusion is not too large, it can be carected by simply removing metal from the bottom of the gouge portion of the tool. Carefully remove this meta until this area is parallel with each of the wings. Do this slowly and remove burrs from the inside of the V often.

If this procedure doesn't work, place the protrusion vertically on the sharpening stone and pull the tool toward you until the protrusion is gone and the gouge portion is even with each of the wings Then, contour the gouge portion the same way you do in correcting B. Remove any burrs often with a slip stone.

D.    The best way to correct this problem is to place the tool vertically on a stone (the same way you remove nicks or straighten a blade, as described on page 119) and remove metal from each of the wings until the tool Is properly shaped. As you do this, remove any burrs from inside the tool often. When a burr forms on the cutting edge, the metal rolls over, making the metal at that area look thicker titan It actually is

Once the tool is properly shaped along the cutting edge, follow the sharpening procedure (see Let's Sharpen on page 129). It is not unusud to have one of the wings slope back more than the other onaV-tool. It's aesthetically nicer to have both wings straight with one another, but if this deformity is not too bad. it will not po'-c a problem for most carving. If it I: a problem, follow the instructions for D.

Sharpening Micro Tools

Micro tools haw wry little metal at the cutting edge and can he ruined quickly if sharpened with a coarse stone. I almost exclusively sharpen my micro tools by just using a cardboard strop loaded with white honing compound. The only time my micro tools see a sharpening stone is if they need to he reshaped, and then the coarsest stone I use is 600 grit.

Evaluating the Cutting Edge

Micro tools are just small versions of any of your other tools. Do the same physical and visual test- as you would on any of your larger tools.

Visualizing the Final Form

J Flat chisels should be flat from wing to wing.

J Gouges should have two wings that look the same. One should not be set back from the other.

J V-tools should have both wings and the little gouge portion on the same plane. The little gorge portion should not be abraded away.

Let's Sharpen

The best way to determine if you need to do any sharpening is to cut across the grain on some soft wood, like basswood. Each tool should flow through the wood and four a little ringlet of wood where you cut. f il doesn't do this, it needs sharpening.

Flat Chisels or Skews

Ilood a portion a the strop from top to bottom with honing compound. I use white honirg compound for all my micro tools. That way. as I pjll the tool through the compound, I can see a track where metal is being removed. If the track is the full width o) the tool I know the total width of the tool is being sharpened.

lay the face of the tool flat at the top end of the cardboard (with the handle raised about 20to 23 degrees), and pull the tool through the honing compound. Look for the track of the tool in the honing compound. Check that you're seeing the total width of the tool in the honing compound If you don’t, rotate the tool so the total w-dth is being stropped Turn the flat tool over and do the other side

Gouges

Iload an area of the cardboard with honing compound Lay the face of the tool on the cardboard and establish the proper cutting angle of the tool on the cardboard strop. Move the gouge back and forth through tfe honing compound, while rotating the tool In your fingers. This sharpens the outside of the gouge

2 To strop the inside of the gouge, loadan area of the cardboard with honing compound and fold the cardboard to fit the Inside contour of the gouge.

4 Place the inside of the tool over the cardboard and pull it through the honing compound.

V-Tools

1 Sharpen the outride of each wing as you would a flat chisel    When    your    micro    tools    are sharp, they should flow easily

(seepage 126) a id the gouge portion as you would a gouge A. across the gram, making little ringlets of wood as they cut. (see page 120). For the inside, rub honing compound along one edge ofthe cardboard strop, lay one of the wings over the edge of the cardboard and pull the inside of the tool through the compound. Lay the inside of the other wing over the cardboard and pull that one through the compound.

BTOpCKWM

Correcting Major Problems

If the cutting edge on any of your micro tool* get* damaged, you need to correct the problem hy using a sharpening stone. Remember to use only a fine stone, about 6iX> grit, because coarse stones can ruin a micto tool quickly. If the tool is chipped or has a nick, remove the deformity using the same technique you do for larger tools. Place the cutting edge on the stone at a 90-degree angle from the stone's surface, and pull the tool from the top of the stone to the bottom until the deformity has disappeared; then, shape the face of the cutting edge to the 20- to 23-dcgrce angle.

As you’re shaping the tool, check often to make sure you’re removing metal evenly aciu*» the lot.l cutting edge. Once the tool I* shaped, remove any burr from the inside of the tool using 600-grit sandpaper, then, use about a 1000-grit stone or sandpaper, and begin to polish the face of the tool. Remove any burrs again and go to your cardboard strop.

Flat Chisels and V-tools

Repairing a deformity in flat chisels or V-tools requires special treatment. Use the same technique as with a gouge, where you set the cutting edge on the stone and pull the tool across the stone until the deformity is removed (see page 119). When you’ve removed the deformity, you now need lo shape tlusc small blades, and

c< If the cutting edge on any of your micro that creates the problem. The blade* tools gets damaged, you need to correct the    narrow    on    these    tools    that    it    is

problem hy using a sharpening stone. ” a,most ""possible to -feel" the shape of

the blade on a stcnc. You can see the blade's track in honing compound, but the tool doesn’t leave a track on a sharpening stone.

There are two methods you can use to shape these tools.

Method 1

Flat chisel or skew: Lay the tool on a fine stone, establish the proper 23-degree angle, and then pull and push the tool slowly, and carefully, to remove the waste metal. Keep the cutting edge parallel to the top of the stone.

Check often to see where you're abrading and make sure the abrasions are evenly across the total face of the tool. When the tool is shaped and you've formed a small burr across the total cutting edge, flip the tool over. Lay the tool flat on the stone and pull the tool to flip the burr to the other side of the tool. Go to a 1000-grit stone and do the same push/pull mi lion. This begins to polish the blade and flip the bun back to the olhvi side. Flip the bun back to the other side and then go to your cardboard strop. Load the strop and pull the tool through the honing compound.

V-tool: A V-toolis two Hat chisels and a small gouge. Use the same technique as you do with a Mat chisel for both of the wings (sec above method used for flat chisel). When you've shaped and formed a burr on one of the wings, use your India taper triangle to pul the burr from the inside to the outside of the tool. Do the same with the other wing. Carefully shape the small gouge and again pull the burr out from the inside of the tool. Go to the extrafine stone and do the same sequence, wr.h the final .step on the cardboard strop.

Method 2 (For Flat Surfaces Only)

Hold the tool stationary and slide the stone across the stationary tool This procedure allows you to sec where you’re abrading on every stroke across the tool.

Gouges

If a micro tool gouge needs to be shaped, use the same technique used with larger gouges (see page 123). hut never use a stone coarser than 600 grit. Once you have the tool shaped, use cardboard to sharpen it.

■

j

Using Power Sharpeners

curve. Learn how to correctly tool quickly.

A number of power sharpeners are available to assist you in shaping and sharpening your carving tools. The key word is 'assist' Don’t think you can place a tool on a power sharpener and it automatically becomes sharp. Like most things we do. there is a learning

use the power sharpener, because if you don't, it can ruin a

The most important step is to know what the tool you’re going to sharpen should look like when it’s properly sharpened, and then take your time to achieve that end result. Going through the previous sections, learning how to sharpen your tools by hand, and learning what the properly sharpened tools should look and feel like will be useful even if you decide t» use a power sharpener.

Power sharpened can ass st you in sharpening your caiviog tools as long as you learn to use them correctly.

In addition to sharpening machines, many different types and shapes of wheels and disks are available as attachments for a standard power grinder to strop your tools. These wheels and disks are available in felt, leather, muslin, and cotton. Whatever material they’re made of, they are nothing more than hinders to hold honing compound to strop your tools. You can also find some that can be attached to your drill or drill press. If y ou power strop using a converted grinder or drill, be aware that it is capable ol rounding the cutting edge of your tools very quickly. Most grinders spin at about 3500 rpm. If you replace the grinding wheel with j stropping wheel, which is |U't one foot in circumference, the wheel is traveling at a speed of about 58 feet per second. Lay a tool on the strop for only one second, and it is like pulling it across a strop that is 58 feet long.

If the cutting edge gets rounded, nc matter how sharp it may be, there will be too much metal mass to efficiently

u Learn how to correctly use the power sharpener, because if you don't, it can ruin a tool quickly.w

drive the tool through wood. Remember, a tool is nothing more lluin j sharp little wedge, and li e more metal at the cutting edge of the wedge, the more difficult it is to drive it through wood. When stropping, what you want to achieve is to polish the blade, put on a razor sharp edge.

anJ develop a inioubevd uu lliltk.i llian a fine hair. If yon accomplish the first two and get the microbevel too wide, you've defeated your purpose in stropping.

Let's Sharpen

Use a I ght touch when sharpening or stropping your tools It's easy to fuln a tool quickly wtth a power sharpener.

IWith a much-abused tool, the first step Is to remove rust and grime using a wire wheel.

2 Square up the edge and

remove nicks on a coarse wheel, frequently cooling the tool in water.

3 Wire brushing, buffing, and stropping take place on the pan of the wheel that travels away from the tool, not toward it.

Whatever type <i power sharpening or stropping you may do, use a light touch. Donl ever let your tool get hot enough to lose the temper. If you ever see the metal change color at the cutting edge of the tool, you’ve lost the temper, and until you remove the metal past the spot that turned color, that area of the tool will not hold a sharp edge. Take your time and don't let the tool get hot.

n

Chapter Se

Tool Practice

Get to know your tools, and they’ll become your best friends.

Carving isn't just removing pieces of wood. You also need to know what your tools can and cannot do, and then apply the right tool in the right situation. Sounds complicated, doesn't it? It doesn't have to be. Start by learning the basic cuts for your favorite tools and how to properly work with the grain of the wood. Soon you'll find that no carving is beyond your capability.

Every cut you make should have a specific purpose. If you don’t know what you want

to accomplish with a specific cut, don't make it until you know what you want to achieve. Take time and learn with each cut you make.

Let’s take a look at knives, gouges, V-tools. and chip carving tools individually. We will study the basic cuts, and then I’ll present some exercises that will give you a bit of practice. Remember: Keep focused on developing good habits and safe practices as you work your way through this chapter.

Knife Cuts

Most of your hand carring work will likely he done with a carving knife. Master these basic cuts; they are the foundation of any carving project.

Puli. Cut and Push Cut

You muss learn at least two primary cuts to work proficiently with your carving knife. These cuts, the pull cut and the push cut, will he used time and again as you carve. Before you start, put on a carving glove and thumb guard. Even when wearing protective gear, never put your hands or fingers in a location where they could he cut.

Tip: Cut with Your Hand

Every cut you make with your knife is done using the muscles in your hand or fingers. Never use your arms to make a cut

Exercise #1: The Pull Cut

The first cut we'll do is the pull cut. tlve cut most often made with a carving knife. It is sometimes called a parng cut because the knife is held as if yoj were paring an apple. Note: Use the muscles in your hand to pull the knife through the wood because you'll have more control over the knife, making the cut far safer.

2 Wrap your fingers around the handle.

1 Place the knife in your hand with the cutting edge facing your thumb.

3 Set the blade at the beginning of the place where you want to    /% Pull the knife through the wood with your hand muscles by

remove wood. Make sure your thumb is in a safe location near    *T closing your hand,

where you want the blade to exit the wood.

Exercise #2: The Push Cut

3 Hold the object you're carving in your left hand and place ycur left-hand thumb next to your right-hand thumb

4 Using your left-hand thumb as afulcrum, push the blade through the wood by pulling back with your right hand and wrist.

The other cut you make with a knife is a push cut. Making this cut may feel somewhat uncomfortable at f rst. hut it’s a very useful cut that gives : high degree of knife control. Note: I’ve removee my glove and thumb guard only so yoi can better see how my hands are placed on the knife.

Exercise ft3: A Lesson on Grain

Whether using a pull cat or a push cut, always cut so your knite blade docs not have the opportunity to go between the vessels (the grain) of the wood. He member, because the Made of a carving tool s shaped like a thin wedge, the wedge tends to go between the vessels, Then, the walls of the vessels tear apart and the wood splits with the grain.

I've cut this piece j! an angle across the grain to expose the ends of the vessels

If you always cutocroii the exposed ends of the vessels, you’ll get a clean, controlled cut. The result shoe Id be a smooth, shiny surface.

The line on the piece in the photographs that follow shows t ie direction of the grain. Visualize how the vessels run through this piece of wood and what direction you need to cut so the tool is never given the opportunity to go between vessels. If a carving tool wants to go between the vessels, stop and make the cut from the other direction so you’re always cutting across the vessels.

Tip: Finding the Grain

If you can’t see the direction of the grain in a piece of wood, lightly pull your knife into the wood to cut it If your knife wants to go between vessels, you're cutting the v/rong direction and need to cut the other direction.

If you cut into the exposed ends of the vessels, the knife will attempt to take the path of least resistance and go between the vessels, causing the piece to split or tear. When that happens, you've lost control of the cut.

Exercise #4: Negative and Positive Transition Points

There arc also what I call "negative and positive transition points" in wood. A transition point is where you need to change the direction you cut sc the cutting edge of your tool cannot go between the vessels. You cut toward a negative transition point to get clean cuts; you cut away from a positive transition point to get dean cuts. It you attempt to continue the cut when you reach the negative transition point, you will start cutting into the exposed ends cf the vessels and your knife will try to g:i between them.

Notice how I used a pull cut toward the negative transition point on one side and a push cut toward it from the other side. By using a different cut, I didn't need to turn the piece around to make the second cut.

I’ve cut this piece to create negative and positive transition points. Every carving will have a number of negative and positive transition points.

1 Make a dean cut by I coming down toward ne negative transition point Tills will give you a dean, controlled cut across the grain up to the transition point, When you reach the regative transition point from tils direction, the knife will attempt to go between the grain. You now need to cut from the other direction to tie negative transition point so your knife is never given an opportunity to go between the grain. ⁵

¹

1 Lay yusir knife blade flat al llie lup end of die sliup (wills I £m the blade's cutting edge facing the top). Never run the cutting edge of the tlade into the leather. With your finger puttirg controlled pressure cn the blade, pull your knife through the honing compound about eight to ten times. Keep the blade flat on the strop at all timesduring the stropping stroke Note: Each time

Ej reach the end of the pull, raiiethe bbde j freight up and moveit :k to the top end of the strop. Never roll the bbde when you corr.e loiheendollhe Hr op. if you roll the blade, you will round the blace, You want the blade to remain flat from the cutting edge to the tep of the bevel.

²

Flip the knife over and do the same procedure going from the left end to the riqht end of the strop. Give the knife a couple of light strops on each side of the blade. Test the knife by cutting across the grain on a piece of soft wood. If it cuts cleanly and leaves a smooth surface where you cut, you're back to carvirsj. If it doesn’t cut cleanly, you may need to strop some more or re-evaluate the blade edge (see Troubleshooting on page 110).

³

For o strop, tty cardboard from the back of a tablet or the    A Wipe the blade clean with a soft rag. and test the knife by

inside of a cereal box because very little microbevel is needed.    “T doing some chip carving in soft wood

load the strop with honing compound far enough so that you can strop the entire blade. Place the cardboard on a surface where the handle of the knife has clearance between it and the benchtop lay the blade flat on the strop, with the blade cutting edge facing away from thedirecton you will go, and pull it from one end to the other, keeping it flat at all limes. Repeat this motion about sl» to eight times on both sides until the blade is highly polished.

⁴

If you want to shape the tool so the wings are back from the toe of the tool, lay the tool on the stone, as shown, with the handle at about a 23-degree angle from the face of the tool Pull the tool across the surface of the stone until you have it shaped the way you want it. Ybu need to set the tool at the top of the stone and pull It toward you a number of times until it Is shaped correctly.

⁵

At this point, you hove reached the negative fansition point and need to cut from the other cf.rectlon so your knife continues to cut across the vessels. Use a push cut to cut from the center of t ie Indentation down toward tie bottom of the indentation.

j

Strength in Splitting

If you want maximum stiength in a thin piece of wood, split it with the grain. To make the golf club shaft. I split a pieceof wood from a straight-grained scrap piece of wood and then formed it into the shaft. This procedure ensures that all of the vessels are aligned and rurning parallel to one another, which gives maximum strength to the piece of wood. This method is called a controlled split.

Controlled Split

You'll not use this cut often, but it can be helpful it you want to remove wood quickly or achieve maximum strength in a piece of wood you're going to carve.

You already know that if a wedge-shaped object is given the opportunity to go between the vessels in a piece of wood, the wood will split. You can use this phenomenon to your advantage, if you know which direction the vessels run through the wood.

Do a thin test cut to make sure the piece will split in the direction you want. If it splits properly, you can then do a controlled split to remove large amounts of wood quickly.

Another time you'll use a euiiliolkJ split is if y«.u wont to carve something where you need the strength of long vessels running parallel through a pie;e. To achieve this.

u You’ll not use this cm often, hut it can he helpful if you want to remove wood quickly or achieve maximum strength in a piece of wood you’re going to carve.)y

select a piece of wood that has straight grain. Clamp the piece and split it using an old knife ora gouge with a shallow sweep. Move the tool over .slightly more than the thickness of the piece you want the long vessels running through. Split this off. The piece you split off will have long vessels running through the entire piece, giving it maximum strength.

After splitting the wood, remove any fibers that arc loose and, using normal controlled cuts, shape the piece into the desired object.

Stop Cut

A stop cut is made when you want to remove wood only up to a certain point, .t’s a way of controlling a cut. You can make a stop cut with any tool that severs the wood fibers; knives, V-tools, and even saws make excellent stop cuts.

The process is the same for any tool. The depth of the stop cut is determined by how much wood you want to remove at linn specific aiea. The more wood you want to remove, the deeper the stop cut needs to be. If you need a deep stop cut, make several passes.

When you cut up to a stop cut, all the wood fibers should be cut so the waste wood falls out. If all the fibers arc not cut, don’t try to tc;r out the piece using your carsing tool. If you try to tear out the piece, two things will happen:

1.    You'll end up with "fuzzics" because the wood fibers were torn rather than cut.

2.    You will be prying with your carving tool. Never pry with a carving tool. Prying can damage the cutting edge.

If the waste wood doesn’t fall out, make a light cut to sever all the fibers so the waste wood will fall out.

Plki-lct Siui* Cuts

How a tool is shaped makes a big difference in how the tool cuts up to a stop cut.

Imp#>rf»rt: If th«* rutting    nf    thn    tnrd    is    shnjv'H

to 90 degrees from the bottom of the tool, rt will not cut up to a vertical stop cut. leaving the finished cut looking like figure A.

Perfect: If you want the tool ta cut flush with the vertical stop cut. the tops of the wings need to be shaped back about 23 degrees from the bottom of the tool. This angle allows the tool to cut flush with the vertical stop cut. like figure B.

IHold the kmfe the way you hold a pencil. Press down on the knife with your index finger and pull the blade through the wood. lo help jink the bbde into the wood, add prejjure to the blade with the first and second fingers of your left hand.

2 When the stop cut is the proper depth and wood is removed up to it. it should took like B. If the step cut Is too deep, it will look like A. The stop cut and the wood removed up to it should meet cleanly.

Exercise #5: Making a Stop Cut

Strong and Weak Points

To slice through wood, yoir carving tools must have almost invisible thin cutting edges that make them ultrasharp. Being thin at the cutting edge mikes a knife fragile and vulnerable to b eaking if improperly used.

Strong: If you drive a tool straight into and out of the wood, you have the total metal mass behind the blade protecting the cutting edge With this cutting technique, you can apply a tremendous amount of pressure to the cutting edge without it breaking.

Weak: However, if you pry with the tool, there is nothing protecting the thin, fragile cutting edge, and it can easily be broken.

Prying wood out at the end of a cut is a very easy habit to got into, and it's one of the quickest ways to dul your tools. If you make a cut and the piece doesn't fall out, don't pry it out. Go back and cut all the fibers so the waste piece is free to fall out on its own.

Holding a Power Carver

As with a hand tool holding a power tool correctly is key to making a dean, controlled cut. First, take a look at how the bit is spinning. It should always turn so the wood being removed is coming toward you. This rotation allows you to see the cut as it's being made and gives you good control of the tool.

Second, check your fingers. Depending on the type of cut you're making, either your thumb or little finger should be in contact with the wood at all times. There are two basic grips used for power carving.

Paring grip: This grip is used when roughing out a carving. Hold the power carver the same way you hold a carving knife when you do a pull cut Place your thumb in a position on the wood where you pull the cutter toward it. and then pull the tool

through the wood by rinsing yntir hand. This rut Is mostly used to remove large amounts of wood.

Pencil grip: This gup gives you the most control while carving and allows you to carve as if you were writing with o penal. Place your thumb and pointer finger on the sides of the tool, and your middle finger under the tool. Rest your little finger on the wood to control the tool as you use a stroking motion to remove wood

Exercise #7: Making Long Cuts

This simple exercise is an excellent project for developing knife control.

IDraw a lazy S on the surface of a board Set the tip of your knife about Vto inch from the line, and tilt the handle about 60 degrees away from the line. Sink tlie tip of the blade into the wood until it is under the lazy S line. Make a pull cut through the wood from one end of the line to the other, keeping the same distance, angle, and depth throughout the cut. When you get to the end of the S, let the knife rise out of the wood.

2 Turn the knife over and do the srme type of cut about Ht inch from I ho othor sido of th« llrw Vour goal is to make the piece fall out intact, with tte S line through the center of the piece you removed.

Gouge and V-Tool Cuts

Sometimes, using a carving knife may not he the most efficient way to make a cut. At these times, you'll want to turn to your gouges aril V-tools.

Palm Tools

There are two way's to hold a palm tool as you carve.

Exercise #1: Holding a Palm Tool

In this first method for holding a palm tool, the handle of the tool lies in the palm ol your hand with your pointer finger on the hlade pointing toward the cutting edge. Drive the tool through the wood ay pushing it with the palm of your hand. You will use this same grip whet In i you hold the piece you arc carving or you place tie wood in a vise.

1 Lay the tool in the palm of your hand    Wrap    the    last    three    fingers    on    that    Lay    your    pointer    finger    on    top    of    the

with the cutting edge facing away    dm hand around the handle J blade and your thumb on the side    of

from you.    the    blade.

Exercise #2: Holding a Palm Tool, Variation

In this second met.nod, the palm tool is facing you. and the back and forth motion of your wrist removes the wood. These two grips are used like pull cuts and push cuts with a knife. Rather than turning the carving around, you can change grips on the tool to get the blade direction you want.

2 Lay your pointer finger across the top of the handle and your thumb on the face side of the hsndle.

ILay the palm tocl in your hand with tho cutting edge facing toward you.

3 Lay the side of your hand pad on the wood, and drive tho tool through the wood using your wrist to create a shearing action.

Long Handled Tools

You can hold a long-handled tool in one of two ways.

Exercise #3: Holding a Long-Handled Tool

The only difference between this grip and how you hold a palm tool is that the handle of the long-handled tool lies across the palm of your hand rather than being in the palm of your hand. If you were to place the end of a long-handled tool in the palm of your hand, you would not have good control because the cutting cdjc would be too far away from vour hand. To have control of the tool, it’s important to have your hand near the cutting edge. When you arc holding a piece of wood in your hand, place the knuckle of your pointer finger on :he wood as you drive the tool through the wood.

IUy the tool in your hand with the cutting edge of the blade facing away from you.

2 Wrap your fingers around the tool as .hown, with your thumb on the top of the blade.

Exercise #4: Holding a Long-Handled Tool, Variation

In this alternate method, the cutting edge of the tool faces you, and the motion of your wrist remove* the wood.

1 Lay the tool in the palm of your hand with the cutting edge I facing you

2 Wrap your fingers around the shank of the tool with your thumb pointing up and pressing down on the tool. (Normally, your thumb is on the ferrule.)

3 Carve by laying the side of your hand on the wood, and remove the waste wood by uvng wrist motion to push the toot through the wood.

Exercise ft5: Holding a Long-Handled Tool, Stationary Piece

If you're right-handed, your right hand is the driver hand and your left hand is the control hand.

IWrap your left hand around the tool near the cutting edge.

2 You can also place your fingers on the top of the tocl with your thumb under the tool.

3 Position the tool handle in the palm of your right hand, with your pointer fingei facing the cutting edge and your thumb on the side of the handle with the rest of your fingers wrapped around the handle. As you came, the pad of your left hand rests on the work surface.

If you're left-handed, your left hand is the driver hand and you* right hand is the control hand. These Instructions are for right-handed carvers. Note: If you’re following a line for any distance, the pad of your left hand will slide across the work surface, or you will reposition the pad about every half-inch.

Exercise #6: Long-Handled Tool Practice, V-Tool

When carving, practice holding your tools in one hand, and thzn in the other hand. If you can become ambidextrous using your gouges, seiners, and V-tools, it will save you time. If, for example, you're carving on the right side of a carving with your right hand and want to carve something on the lefl side, you can simply switch hands rather than physically moving to the left side.

IDraw a lazy S on a bcord. With your V-tool, remove the >ne in ore intact piece with the kne down the middle of the piece you removed. (It should look similar to the one you did with your knife on page 150.)

2 Draw another lazy 5. If you removed the previous line with your right hand, put the tool in your left hand and remove the line.

Exercise #7: Another Practice Cut

This exercise will show you the difference in how a tool feels cutting across the grain and with the grain.

IDraw four tines, each about Vi inch long, across the grain anc four with the grain. The arrow shows the direction of the grain In this piece of wood

Set your V-tool at the end of one of the across-the-grain lines, and push It into the wood, with the line In the middle of the cut. As you push the tool through the wood, about halfway through the cut, continue to push the tool forward and slowly drop the handle down toward the surface of the board, and push the tool out of the wood. You should remove a sliver of wood lhc length of the line, with tie line in the middle of the sliver. Repeat this for each of the Kross-thegraln cuts. Now remove the lines running parallel win the grain, lust as you did those running across the grain.

I'm sure you noticed that the lines running parallel to the grain were mote difficult to remove. When you cut tin lines across the grain, you were cutting across the vessels both on the way in and out of the wood. However, when you cut the lines parallel to the gram, you were cutting across the vessels toward a negative transition point as the tool was going into the wood. When you had cut as deep as you wanted and started to push the tool out of the wood, it didn't wart to come out easily. You had reached the negative transition point, and as you attempted to push the tool out of the wood, it wanted to take the path of leas, resistance and run between the vessels. You were then cutting away from the negative transition point. Cutting across lilt- grain, your tool never had the opportunity to gi between vessels because it was always cutting across them. When the tool was cutting parallel to the gram, it had the opportunity to go between the vessels because the vessels were parallel to the tool.

inan. aauiKLiit

155

Exercise #8: V-Tool Flower

This intriguing project will show you the versatility of the V-tool.

ID raw five lines, each about H inches long, at the top end of the board. These mars where each of the flower petals will be carved. Make your cut starting In the center of the flower and move toward the outside. Push the tool into the wood, with the line in the middle of the cut

2 About halfway through the cut, slowly drop the handle toward the surface c/the board, and push thetcoi out to remove a sliver of wood. Repeat this process for each of the lines you have drawn, being extra careful with the I ne tur ning parallel to the grain.

4 About halfway up the right side of the stem, make the first leaf. Set your V-tool near the stem and begin making a cut by pushing the tool Into the wood

5 As you push thetool into the wood, rotate it clockwise, and as    Do the same procedure on the left side of the stem, but this

you continue pushing the tool forward, rotate it back to the O time rotate the tool counterclockwise, level position and push It out of the wood. You've made a leaf on the right side of the item.

g You've made your first carving. Don’t forget to sign and date it.

7 Make a few smal in and out cuts at the base of the stem to simulate grass. These cuts are similar to the petal cuts In Steps 1 and 2

Exercise ft9: Gouge Practice, Circle

In this exercise, you'll carve a circle and round off the surface. Remember that all gouges are a segment of a circle and the circles radius is determined by the sweep and width of the tool. If you want to carve something round, you can use this gouge characteristic to your advantage.

As you work your way through the steps, you'll make stop cuts with the gouge and learn to use the gouge facing up and facing down. See the Flower Relief Carving project on page 22-1 for an example of a finished ss⁻ork that includes this technique.

To start, select a gouge with a sweep that will make the width you want the circle to be. I will use a H inch {10 mm) *9, so the circle will he K inch in diameter.

ITilt the handle of the gouge over the piece of wood where you want the circle tc be and sink the gouge Into the wood to make a stop cut.

2 Tilt the tool so the front of one wing comes out of the wood to eipose about one-third of the cutt ng edge Keep the wing out ol the wood, and with the rest ol the blade remaining in the wood, slide the blade forward about half the ratios of the tool and sink the tool back into the wood. Continue this process until you’ve completed a circle.

4CarefuRy push the tool into the wood up to the stop cut then, move tho handle from side to sldo to cut the wood from around the radius. Do Steps I through 4 again until you have removed wood about '4-inch deep from around the button you’ve made.

Exercise #10: Clean Gouge Cuts

This project is simple, hut its one that will affect every cut you make with your gouges, vomers, and V-tools. To haw a clean cut, never allow the wingof a tool to go under the wood. This is a simple *ulc, hut it's one that will always give you controlled cuts.

1 Use your Vt inch (13 mm) *5 gouge to cut across the grain As you cut, male sure you can always see both wings of the tool so you have a clean cut.

2 Cut across the grain again, but this tine rotate your

gouge so one wing dips under the wood's surface. Notice how the wood tears whete the wing went under the wood.

3 Any time a wing of your tool dips under the wood, you've lost control of the cut, and the wood splits where the wing went under. Notice the difference In the two cuts.

This is a phrase coined by one of the premier relief carvers, William (Bill) Judt. He specializes in relief carvings with religious themes. Four-quadrant carving is based on the some principles as working with negative and positive transition points but describes them from another perspective. It notes what happens in wood when working with gouges, veiners, and V-tools on a flat surface, such at a relief carving.

For example, if you’re carving a circle or a curved segment in a carving, one wing of the tool will always be cutting across ’.he wood grain, and the other wing will attempt to go between the wood grain.

Practice four quadrant carving techniques to help you become familiar with wood grain and quadrant direction so you can make dean cuts on the piece you want to save.

1.    Draw a circle and divide it into four quadrants, with the vertical line running parallel to the grain in the wood, and the horizontal fine running across the grain (left photo). ¹

3.    By cutting this direction on each quadrant, the wing on your gouge, which is n?xt to the area you want to save, will always be cutting across the vessels.

4.    The other wing v/ill be cutting into the exposed ends of the vessels and will attempt to go between them. Notice how the wood nest to D is cleanly cut and the channel is torn to the outside. The tool cuts across the vessels next to D, but by attempting to go between the vessels on the outside of the channel, it tears those vessels, leaving a ragged edge (right photo).

5.    For the inside of the circle, the tool must go in the direction of the inside arrows on each of the four quadrants so the wing next to tiat segment is always cutting across the grain.

Four- Quadrant Carving

6.    To have the outside channel cleanly cut between quadrants 3 and 4. tilt the gouge and cut along the wall in the direction of the arrow. This cut removes wood across each of the exposed ends of the vessels on the outside, leaving a dean cut on both sides of the channel.

Chip Carving Cuts

/

( .'hip carving is removing selected chips of wood with a knife. You can use a standard carving knife; however, a chip carving knife is more efficient at removing chips because the blade is thinner and is shaped with a 20-degree angle. This angle makes it ergonomically more efficient to remove the chips.

Chip carving requires only a couple of knives and a piece of wood. It is one of the least expensive forms of caning. Normally, chip carving is done using basswood.

Exercise #1: Chip Carving Practice

The key to mastering chip carving is to cut slowly and precisely, keeping your cuts uniform. Never try to pry a chip loose; all chips should come away clean.

IDraw two Irtes V« inch apart Place marks every V* inch on the top line. Mark the bottom line every inen, staiting the first mark v» Inch over fron ihc top mark. You want a series of equilateral triangles. Draw lines connecting the top marks to the bottom marks. Do the same In the opposite direction.

2 Number the first triangle 1.2. and 3. hold the knife as shown, with your thumb on the wood surface Place the tip of the knife at I. and tilt the blade to a 05-degree angle

4 Turn the knife over, with your thumb on the back of the handle. Set the knife at 1, at a 65-degree angle to the wood's surface. Push the blade into the wood toward 3. The shallowest cut is where the knife entered the wood, and :he deepest cut should be halfway between t and 3. This cut should meet the cut you made in Step 2. Back the knife out of the wood.

5 Place the tip of tie knife at 2. again tilted away from the Ine at about 65 degrees. Press the knife into the wood from 2 to 3. The chip should fall out. Remove the chips across the piece, repeating the same sequence as you did with the numbered triangle.

"J Continue this same process across the board, removing chips

8 When you've removed all of the chips across this direction also, use a toothbrush to clean the carving.

Exercise #2: Stab Knife

The stab knife is also considered a chip carsing knife, but vou don't remove chips with it. You do just as the name describes—make stab cuts.

IHold the kn.fe a< shown. Press the knife into the wood, making a straight stab cut

2 Using this process, you can make interesting designs with a stab knife.

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Chapter Eight

¹

   Label the top of the vertical line with the number

I. and progress clockwise with 2, 3, and 4. Label the quadrants A 8. C, and D. If you want to have clean cuts on the outsides of quadrants A. 8. C and D, you must cut in the directions of the outside arrows (left photo).

Getting Started

The best way to get started ... is to get started.

Many carvers have an idea bouncing around in their head but have problems getting the idea into a piece of wood. If you find yourself in this situation, there are a number of things you can do to help you get started.

The most important step is to take time to develop a clear mental image of what you want before you start to actually carve.

Preparation will save you time and give you a much better chance of achieving what you really want. It's not unusual for me to spend more time preparing than carving.

In this chapter, well take a look at the various items and techniques that will help you to solidify your idea and prepare you to start carving.

Developing an Idea

To develop a menial imaged what you want and prepare to put it in wood, you can use almost anything. Clay, plastic or composition objects, sketches, pictures, photos, models, props, and even the Internet are all excellent resources.

Clay

( lay is an excellent medium for developing a project. As you create a model in clay, you can add to it, subtract from it, and easily change it until you have a design you like. Once the design is developed, it’s easy to use your clay model as a guide to your carving. With it, you can sec exactly what you want to transfer to tic wood. And il your clay model is dimensionally accurate (full size, half size, etc.), you can take measurements from the model to get an accurate representation of the subject in the wood,

I use extra firm oil-based clay to make models. Oil based clay will never harden, so you can use it over and over again. Extrafirm clay also allows you to put more detail in your sculpture than you can with softer day. Various professional sculpting tools are available, or you can make your own from dowels or wooden craft sticks. A wire loop and secondhand dental tools are also helpful, but the most usclul tools are vour hands.

I made a full-size clay model poor to carving Ha/vea liHKh so I coukl take one-to-one measurements.

Professional clay sculpting tools are available, but I still feel the best tools arc your hands

any material that will support the clay. I recommend plastic-coated aluminum wire for armatures. You tan buy aluminum wire in various gauges at

If you're going to make a day modd. consider building the model on jii armature, or a skeleton of wire, wood, or

On this armature, I utcd pipe and couplings to support the v/ire.

most hardware stores. I find that 14-gauge wire with a plastic coating makes a good skeleton. Wrapping lighter-gauge wire around the heavier-gauge wire gives a good bate for the clay to grip. If vour subject has a lot of mass, tty wrapping aluminum foil around the armature to save clay.

Before you purchase clay, check the label. Some clay contains sulfur. If the clay you’re working with has sulfur in it, never use an uncoated copper wire for the armature. The sulfur will react chemically with the copper wire, and the clay will break away from the wire in a short period of time.

Tip: Use a Metric Ruler

If you transfer dimensions from your model to the piece of wood, it is much more efficient to transfer them using a metric ruler. For example, if you want to enlarge your model three times, it is much easier to expand 10 mm to 30 mm than H inch to% inches.

I used an armature like this one to model a dog. The wire was Inserted Into holes drilled in a board and theewy was built upon the wire.

Do a Test Carve

When you start a carving and you’re unsure about a specific element, carve it in a piece of clay or scrap wood. When you have the part as you want it, it’s then easy to carve into a piece of wood It's much better to take the extra time and get it right than to try it m the carving and not end up with what you wanted. The clay or scrap wood can be thrown away, but your carving is forever.

I carved the hand for this golfer in a piece of scrap wood before doing it In the final carvfrg.

Plastic or Composition Objects

Toys and knickknacks nvsle great Herts for n»Jels-

This hat .mil pipe \wr*« propsI used when carving Voyagcui.

Don’t limit yourself when looking for models for a carving. Even knickknacks or toys can he useful. When I’m shopping or going to garage sales and see gomc:hing that has the potential of being a prop for a carving. I pick it up for future reference.

My wife tied a scarf on a mannequins head to give me a visual for carving the scarf for iiawu lunch. To get on accurate representation of the covered basket my subject's carrying, I laid a cloth over a wicker basket and used that as my prop.

Sketches

You don’t have to be an artist to sketch what you have in mind. A sketch should be nothing more than a vehicle to get your thoughts on a piece of paper. Once you get the initial sketch made, you’ll he am axed how the ideas begin to flow. Then, you can use pictures from books anJ tnjga/.ines, props, models, photos, or anything else to help you refine your idea.

Photos

Photos arc an oxcc lent way to develop your model. By taking pictures, you can get exactly what you want, Photos are not only helpful to use as visuals, but they can also he used to take measurements for an accurate reproduction.

It you take photos of the same subject from various angles, make sure each phato is taken from the same distance.

Internet

The Internet is a powerful resource for finding pictures and information on almost any subject. The Internet was where I found pictures of the wooden bucket my Hnnvsl Lunth lady IS holding (>»•< tup photo on pagi 160).

Subject Library

You'll find it helpful to develop a library of various subjects and carving books. I remove pictures from magazines, take photos, and collect brochures, and then put them in a folder labeled with the subject title. I have folders on numerous subjects, such as dogs, cats, deer, male faces, female faces, and so on. Many o: these pictures 1 may never use, but I may use a specific :ype of eye or nose from one picture and another feature from another picture. My subject library has become an excellent reference source.

Taking your own photographs or using other photos for reference can help you to curate a more lifelike carving

If you want to focus on a specific clement in a picture, its helpful to mask out the entire picture except the item you’re interested in. for example, if you want to carve a specific eye, you'll sec not only the eye but also the nose, the mouta, the hair, and the rest of the face as you study the picture. Covering everything but the eye will keep you focused.

Mirror

If you're carving a .ace or a specific pose, a mirror is another helpful foul. You don't have to rely on someone else or attempt to find a picture of what you want. You become your own model.

169

MaTepnan, 3ai

Putting It All Together

Often, you'll need to combine technicues to completely flesh out an idea fora carving. I used a number of elements to create a carved rocking horse.

O I made some drawings of what I wanted my rocking horse to look like.

0 I then did the head in clay.

0 Next, I made a pattern of how each section of the horse would he cut and glued. As you can see, I drew arrows showing Iiu\v the giam urns through tliv Ivgs to give them maximum strength. (Patterns for this project appear in the Appendix on pages 262-266.)

Working with Patterns

Patterns are probably the carvers most useful tools for laying out a carving. Once you develop your initial idea, there are a numbei of ways that you can create a pattern. You can also use provided patterns, such as the ones found in the project section of this hook, beginning on page 199.

Materials

Cardstock.

For the projects in this book, we'll use three different materials for patterns: regular paper, cardboard or cardstock, and tracing, carbon, or graphite paper. Which one you choose to use will depend upon the type of carving and your personal preference.

Regular paper is probably the easiest material to find and use. You'll use this paper when you are tracing a pattern or using a pattern for reference.

Cardboard or cardstock is ideal for making templates, which will be used over and over again. Like regular paper you’ll use cardboard or cardstock to trace simple shapes onto the wood.

Carbon paper.

Tracing, carbon, or graphite paper is great for making complex patterns that can’t simply be traced around or for copying detailed puts of a pattern.

Transferring Patterns

A template makes It easy :o transfer the same pattern many times.

Each pattern material also has its own method of transfer and its own purpose. We'll take a look at the most common techniques used in this hook.

Paper patterns are often glued with temporary glue and taped down on the wood for sawing out blanks with a band saw, a scroll saw, or a coping saw. Photocopiers or your computer make it easy to enlarge or reduce the patterns to the size you need. Simple patterns can also be cut out in paper or cardstock and traced onto the wood. Then, they can be sawn out or used for reference.

Drawing patterns freehand is another common method ot* transfer. Tliis tvclmiquv allows you to modify sections as you go, if needed, using the patterr as a guide. Often, freehand drawing is supplemented with rulers, compasses, and other measuring devices. Measurement marks, reference lines, and centerlines can sometimes be more helpful than drawing the complete pa:tern on the wood.

Chip carvers often use ma king instruments and measurements to create geometric patterns and have no reference pattern at all

Tracing a pattern onto the wood using tracing, carbon, or graphite paper is easiest for complex patterns in which you need all of the lines. If possible, tape the pattern and the tracing paper to the carving so the pattern stays in place but can be lifted up to check your progress.

When the carving surface allows for it,you can tape the pattern and graphite paper to the wood for easy transfer.

Choosing and Preparing Wood for Carving

Select your wood based on the criteria described in Chapter 3, “Wood for Carving,' on page 23). You can also purchase prepares! blank* or roughouts. Blank* arc cutouts made by removing the major amount* of waste wood from around he object you want to carve. s Having much of the waste wood removed give's you a predetermined shape to start a carving and will save you time in creating the project. You can buy blanks of all sorts from most w’oodcarving catalogs, or you can make your own.

V

A roughout also h;s the majority of the waste wood removed, but it normally has much more wood removed than a blank. For many rougheuts, all you need to do is clean up the piece by removing the cutter marks, and then put in the details. Roughouts are made by a machine that cuts out shapes by using an existing carving as the model.

A IS >uiin?tinnr> lielpful to craw grain direction arrows on the wood, so you have a quick reference for which ejection you need to carve.

Wood Grain and Gluing

ihe direction of the grain running through a piece of wood has a major impact on the wood’s strength. Taking grain into consideration is an important issue in creating a successful carving. You’ll want most of the pieces you’re going to carve to have straight grain. Lay out the parts that need the most strength in the area of straightcst grain. It is also important to consider wood grain in the aesthetics of your carving. Lay out your carving so the wood gram enhances the carving. If needed, use glue to add wood lor specific parts, to make the entire wood piece the correct size for your carving, oi to add strength.

Removing Waste Wood

Once you have chosen wood and determined the best layout for your pattern, you’ll w ant to transfer the pattern and possibly remo»c waste wood with a band saw, a scroll saw, or a coping saw. If you’re using a band saw, keep the blade guard no mere than !4 inch from the top of the wood. Whatever type of saw you’re using, never put your fingers in harm’s way.

Mounting the Carving in a Vise

As the final step in picpaiiug fin cat s ing, mount the wood in a vise whenever possible. Remember, this is also a great way to keep your hands safe because you w on’t have to hold tlie carving in one hand as you carve.

< Part of preparing to carve esn involve assembling extra wood, such as the pieces needed here for a snowman’s hit When gluing, rubber lands mate great damps for small pieces.

To mount a carving on a vise, drill a hole in the body of the carving arvd insert a lag bolt using a vise gnp pliers. Mount the blank with a wood buffer between It and ihe vis? mounting plate to protect your tools from being driven into the metal plate.

A simple lest proves ilwu it* UirciUun o( llie vessels lui a profound impact on the wood's strength.

How Grain Influences a Carving

To show how grain direction influences how you lay out a carsing, I conducted an expenment. I cut 'Vinch-wide pieces from a piece of tt-inch-thick board. The arrow on each piece shows the direction of the wood grain.The pieces from the top of the board are composed of short vessels lying next to one another. The pieces from the side of the board have all the vessels running the full length of each piece. (Remember that vessels form the grain in the wood.)

The three pieces with short vessels running through them were my first test group; the three pieces with long vessels were my second test group. I placed a metal bar across the test piece of wood and attached a hanger to the metal bar and to a container. I added sand to the container until the test piece broke.

The sand used to break each test piece was weighed, and an average for each group was calculated to see how much weight it took to break each piece of wood. The short-vessel pieces averaged only 2 pounds and 13 ounces before they broke. The long-vessel pieces averaged 30 pouncs and 11 ounces before they broke.

From my results, we can deduce the following: On the pieces with shoit vessels, the fibers that make up the vessel walls are very short (meaning the grain is running up and down), so they split apart from one another under very little stress. The pieces with long vessels have the grain running the full length of the ptece, so each of

As you can see, the pieces with short vessels split apart under very little stress. The pieces with long vessels broke under much more stress.

the fibers that make up the vessel walls had to physically tear before the piece broke. This physical structure is what makes these long-vessel pieces very strong.

Carvings can be laid out so the wood grain enhances the carving. Notice how the grain lines match the natural flow of the face. The thin feather was carved separately by using a controlled split to align all the fibers for strength.

k

Through this experiment, you can see how important it is to lay out a projectso the wood grain runs the length of the most fragile area to give it maximum strength.

Having thegiam balanced on the face of a carving makes it more pleasing to the eye- Notice how the grain sets off the nose of the cat, making it more interesting and adding another dimension to the carving.

Not all carvings will work out so nicely. For example, in the carving of a dog. the wood grain runs parallel through the head, body, tail, and the top part of the raised leg, leaving the area below the knee (whore the short vessels run) as one of the most fragile parts of the dog. To move this fragile part away from the normal viewing area, I turned the head of the dog so it looks away from that side. The leg that is up is to the back of the carving and is less likely to get bumped.

The most fragile part of this carved dog is the tail. To give It strength, I laid out the carving so the grain ran parallel through the tail.

The raised leg posed another fragile area

Chapter Nine

Chapter Nine

Painting 8 Finishing

If you ask one hundred carvers how they finish a carving, you’ll get about one hundred different answers.

Painting and finishing a carving is an art in and of itself, and these processes incorporate an almost unlimited number of mediums and techniques. The first step in painting and finishing is to decide what you want as an end result. There are three general choices:

■    No finish, where you see the natural wood without anything on it

■    Some finish, where you see th? natural beauty of the wood, like butternut, catalpa, walnut, cherry.

and mahogany, enhanced

■    Paint, where you see some or no wood grain and mostly color

If you choose to go with no finish, your carving will be bare, -with no protection from the oils and grime on hands or from the natural collector of dust, all of which can make the carving look dirty over time. While bare wood is a valid choice, we'll spend most of this chapter looking at the two other options: seme finish and paint.

funs!it» Iian- muiv flattening    making    them    Ira

Varnish Pros and Cons

Pros

■    One of the most durable finishes

■    Heat, water, and chemical resistant

■    Long lasting

■    Available in gloss, satin, or flat finishes

■    Gives a slightly golden tint that enhances some woods

Cons

■    Slow drying

■    Petroleum based

■    Gives off an odor until dry

■    Requires solvent for cleanup

■    Gives a golden tint to wood

shiny. The flattening agent is heavier than the varnish, so it will settle and appear as a white residue in the bottom of the can. This agent must be completely mixed and kept in suspension to achieve the satin or flat finish.

Varnish is available in liquid, brushable form or in spray cans. If you prefer not to brush on your finish, spray is a convenient way of applying a topcoat over stain or paint. Follow the manufacturer's directions on the spray can. Most important, don't spray too much at a time. Hold the spray can about 12 inches from the carving and apply just enough to coat it without actually seeing any on the surface. Allow a. least two hours betvn-cu coats and apply three to five coats. Remember, after each coat, clean the spray nozzle by turning the can upside down and spraying until no varnish comes out,

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Ibis butternut carving wav finished using vatin-flnlvh varnish

To apply liquid

O Thin the varnish slightly, if desired, using the

manufacturers recommended thinner. The thinned varnish will penetrate slightly more and stay workable longer than thirk varnish.

© Liberally spread varnish over the carving by brushing. © Allow it to slightly penetrate into the carving for about Five minutes.

O Wipe off the vjccss varnish with a rag.

© To remove all the varnish from any crevices, use a dry. soft-bristle brush, wiping the brush off on an old terry cloth towel as you go.

© Take your time removing the excess varnish. If it is

allowed to build up on the surface, the carving will look as if its been coated with plastic.

© Allow the carving to dry for 21 hours.

© Repeat the sequence each day for three days.

To apply spray

O Apply at least three light coats.

© Each lime you spray, lurn the carving so you spiay ii from another direction to fully cover the carving.

Water-Based Varnish

Water-Based Varnish Pros and Cons

Pros

■    Durable

■    Water and scuff resistant

■    Easily cleaned up with water

■    Environmentally friendly

■    Hasan absolutely clear finish

■    Does not have much odor

■    Fast drying

Cons

■    Must be applied in thin coats

■    Needs to be in an environment where the temperature is over 73 degree* Fahrenheit when applied

■    Fast drying

■    Should not be thinned

Use over: an/ dry surface Use under: wax

Do not use: with other brands of varnish, with water

Made of microscopic beads of acrylic and poIyure:hane resins dispersed in water, this varnish is milky white in solution bu: will dry absolutely clear. Water-based varnish will also no: change the color of the base it’s covering.

Never add additional water to water-based varnish; it has a fragile formula that can be disturbed by thinning it with more water. If the directions on the can say "clean brushes with water,"you can rest assured that you're working with a water-based varnish.

To apply

O Use a synthetic brush (poly or nylon) with split ends.

0 Because water-based varnish dries fast, apply it in

thin cofts. Remove any puddles of varnish immediately. 0 Don’t apply another coat until the base coat is entirely dry, or you may drag some of the semidried finish. You’ll usually need three coats.

This locking horse was coated using water-based varnish. The saddle, blanket, breast collar, and bridle on the horse were stained using aniline dyes, highlighted with artist oils, and then the entire horse was coated with three thin coats of wate'-based varnish. I wanted the natural colors to come through.

Shellac

A natural resin, shellac forms a shiny, hard coating on wcodcarvings.

Use over: bate woo<t painted sulfates, non-akohol-based stain, varnish

Use under: any finish that does not contain alcohol Do not use: If wood is damp, on a humid day

Shellac ts a natural resin secreted by the lac hug.

Iii.ilfli.il, and then formed into thill shifts and broken into

This insect attaches itself to certain trees, primarily in India and Southeast Asia, and deposits the resm on twigs and branches to form a protective cocoon for the developing lac bug larva. Lac bug resin is scraped from the twigs and branches, melted, strained to remove foreign

flakes. Shellac is available premixed or in flake form. The flakes should be stored in a cool, dry place until needed. If you buy premixed shellac, check the date of manufacture on the can. If it's more than six months old, don't use it.

Because shellac has a short shelf life after being mixed, it’s best to purchase the flakes and dissolve them yourself in denatured alcohol or shellac thinner. Mix it well, and then strain it through a paint strainer before using. A concentrate of shellac in its dissolved solution is called a cut. I recommend buying dewaxed shellac. If the natural wax in shellac has not been removed, it may create adhesion problems when other Finishes, such ;is varnish, are applied over it.

A cut is H ounces of dry shellac to 8 fluid ounces of alcohoL A number 1 cut is 1 ounce of dry shellac to 8 ounces of alcohol. A number 2 cut is 2 ounces of dry shellac to 8 fluid ounces of alcohol, and so on up to a number 4 cut. A 'i cut is an excellent sealer as an undercoat for staining or painting. Apply it liberally and let it soak into the wood. A finish coat will nonnally be a 2 or 3 cut.

Shellac is available in colors from yellow to garnet. You can also buy white shellac, which is obtained by bleaching orange shellac. Shellac can be colored and used as a stain by adding alcohol-based stain or aniline dye. When applied, it cxilois the wood jiid seals the wood at the same lime. (Always test the stain on a piece of scrap wood before applying it to your carving.) Fresh-mixed shellac is easy to use, dries fast, a id leaves a nice finish on the wood, but because of the effort required to prepare it, its not used by

Shellac Pros and Cons

Pros

■    Easy to apply

■    Adds warm luster to wood

■    Can be used as a base to minimize end-grain absorption of paint

■    Fast drying

■    Derived from renewable material Cons

■    Should not be applied in humid weather

■    Has a short shelf life when mixed

■    Has a weak resistance to heat, water, solvents, and chemicals

■    Only available in gloss sheen (sheen could be flattened with steel wool cr a flattening agent)

To apply

O Apply with a brush. Work quickly because the alcohol evaporates fast.

O Allow about two hours belwixn coats. Noimallv, you will apply three coats.

© If you’re applying it as a scale: coat, a 'A cut is

recommended. Apply one coct liberally and let dry.

many carvers.

Lacquer Pros and Cons

Pros

■    Easy to spray to coat a carving

■    Fast drying

■    Excellent for a dear coating

■    Provides a good base to seal end grain for staining

■    Provides a durable finish

Cons

■    Highly flammaUe in spray form

■    Air polluting in solvent form

■    Musi be appllec in a well-ventilated area

Lacquer

Use over: bare wood, shellac, water stain

Use under: wax. stain (if lacquer is used o', a sealer)

Do not use: with varnish or oil-based stain, in co!d temperatures with high humidity

Lacquer is a clear coating that dries by solvent evaporation. Originally, lacquer was a derivative of the lac bug. Today, most lacquers arc made from nitrocellulose, which consists of cellulose fibers from cotton and wcod treated with nitric and sulfuric acids and a plasticizer resin.

Lacquer dries fast and is normally applied as a spray. Drusli-on lacquers arc available, but il you’re putting a lacquer finish on your carvings, I recommend you spray it on. Because it dries fast, lacquer is difficult to control when brushed on. l.acqucr in spray cans is available at any hardware or paint store.

Lacquer is easy to use and gives a nice, fast-drving coat. It also works great as a base to seal end grain before staining. Caution: The solvents used to make lacquer are toxic and very volatile, so only use it in a well-ventilated area away from any open flame.

To apply

O Spray a thin coal over the entire carving.

0 For best results, apply a number of thin coats and allow each coat to dry about 20 minutes before adding the next. © Rotate the carving each time you put on a coat so you spray the carving from a different direction each time.

If the carving is small, a handle with a screw attached works great for holding the carving while spraying it. You may also use a glove to protect your hand from getting sprayed.

I aquer is a fast drying clear coating.

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Paste Wax

Use over: bare wood, any other finish Use under: nothing Do not use: under vrrnish

Wax is one of the older finishing compounds knowr. It is inexpensive and easy to apply, hut i: docs require more elbow grease than most other finishes. Though it is normally used over an existing finish, such as varrish. shellac, lacquer, or oil, paste wax can also be used on Its own as a liuisli.

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Paste wax is rubbed on a carving to $ivc it a dust-proof, fingerprint-proof finish.

Paste wax starts as a solid and is made into a paste by being dissolved in a solvent of mineral spirits and/or toluene. Most commercial paste waxes are much the same, whatever brand they may he.

If you want to gr»e your carving some color as you’re applying wax. look for a wax that has color added. Whatever type of vox you use, apply it in thin coats using a brush or a rag, and don’t wait too long to remove the excess, or the solvent will evaporate and the wax will again turn into a solid. If you do haw buildup, apply more wax and it will dissolve the previous coat, allowing you to easily remove any buildup,

To apply

o Rub the brush ar rag on the wax to collect some of the polish.

0 Apply a light coat over the total carving, getting into the crcvices.

0 Reload the bruih as necessary, o Allow the wax to set for about five minutes.

© Buff the carving with a dry brush to bring out the sheen of the polish. Again, get into all of the crevices.

© Buff the surface with a soft, lint- free rag to deepen llic shine on tlx: high ureas uf your curving.

© For more shine, apply another coat.

Paste Wax Pros and Cons

Pros

■    Easy to apply

■    Can produce a satin to bright sheen

■    Keeps natural color of woed

■    If colored, can be used like a stain

■    Protects from dust and grime

Cons

■    Dries soft

■    Least protective of all finishes

■    Least durable of all finishes

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boilec linseed oi

Linseed Oil Pros and Cons

Pros

■    Easy to apply

■    Can be mixed with varnish for a more durable finish

■    Provides a good medium to mix with artist oils to thin them or to make your own stain

■    Gives nice color to wood

■    Transparent, so t shows the wood grain

Cons

■    Has an odor

■    Not very durable

■    Not water resistant

■    Not UV resistant

■    Slow drying

■    Will continue to yellow

■    Can cause rags lo spontaneously combust, so rags need proper disposal

Penetrating Finishes

Penetrating nil finishes go on easier than surface finishes ami are absorbed into the wood. They penetrate and harden the wood while allowing the natural grain color and texture of the wood to show through. These finishes become part of the wood rather than hulldtng on the surface of the wood. Unfortunately, penetrating finishes dent have the durability of surface finishes.

Unseed oil penetrates the wood of your carving and leaves it with a beautiful soft gloss

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Linseed Oil

Use over: bare wood

Use under: linseed oil stain, varresh, paste wa*

Do not use: if thick in can

Linseed oil is a derivative of flaxseed and is available as raw and hoiled oil. All of the linseed-based oils must penetrate the surface of the wood to dry. It’s im sortant that you wipe any excess off the surface, or the residue will get gummy and never dry properly.

For best results, use only fresh linseed oil because after a container is opened, it can become thick and gummy over time. Don’t use it in such a state because it will never dry properly.

■    Raw linseed oil is not recommended because it can lake well over a week lo cure. Il has a natural golden color that will change the color of the wood slightly and continue to darken over time.

■    Boiled linseed oil has chemicals aided, called dryers, to accelerate curing and is the recommended linseed oil to use. It also has a natural golden color that will change the color of the wood slightly and :ontinuc to darken over time.

To apply

O Saturate the wood with the oil and keep it wet for about 13 minutes.

0 Wipe uff the excess with a clean, lint-free clolh.

© Dry brush to get any residue out of the crevices.

O Apply additional coats every 24 hours. Usually, three coats are enough. Make sure you don’t have buildup on the surface of the wood. It must penetrate the wood to dry properly.

Penetrating finishes consist of:

■    Linseed oil

■    Tung oil

■    Danish oil

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Tung Oil

I'ung Oil Pros and Cons

Use over: bare wood, stain, shellac

Uso under: cxl-based stain, oil-based paint, paste wax

Do not use: with varnish or thinner, with water-based varnish

Extracted front the nut of the tungtree, which was originally grown only in the Orient hut is now cultivated in South America and the Gulf States in the United States, pure tung oil penetrates deeply into the wood, providing a tough, flexible, ami highly water-resistant coating. It is the most durable of all natural oils. Tung oil cures by oxidation to a soft matte finish. It will never give a shiny gloss finish, no mallei lion many coat* you add.

Tung oil gives a beautiful matte finish

Most tung oil so d is not pure hut has additives, normally a varnish. If the container says "contains pure tung oil" there is a good chance that tung oil is only an additive. When you apply tlat type of product to the woo J. you may end up with a gloss finish. To be sure you get pure tung oil, look for a container that says “1(10 percent pure.” Pure tung oil has a slightly paler color than linseed oil and will not darken as it ages.

Artist oil paints can be mixed with tung oil to make your own stains. For a more durable finish, mix lung oil with varnish. Apply straight lung oil first for deep penetration; then, apply two to three coats of a 50:50 mixture of lung oil and varnish.

To apply

o Saturate the wood with the oil and keep it wet for about 15 minutes.

© Wipe off the excess with a clean, lint-free cloth.

0 Dry brush to get any residue out of the crevices.

O Apply addition.il coats every 2-1 hours. Usually, three coats are enough to create a low sheen.

Pros

■    Enhances the natural color of the wood

■    Easy to use

■    Cures to a hard, flexible finish

■    Water resistant

■    Will not darken with age

■    Has a long shelf life

■    Is FDA approved for food contact (pure tung oil) Cons

■    Cures slowly

■    Requires several coats

Danish Oil

Danish Oil Pros and Cons

Pros

■    Easy to apply

■    Durable

■    Inexpensive

Cons

■    Requires multiple coats

■    Not as durable « film finishes

Use over: bare wood, stained wood Use under: paste wax, varnish

This stylized butternut cat was finished with three coats of Danish oil applied over a three-day period. After the last coat was applied, it v/as allowed to dry for one week and then coated with a paste wax and buffed to highlight the lines of the carving.

Safety

Care must be taken to properly dispose of rags or paper towels that have wet varnish, paint, or ofl on them, because they have the potential of spontaneously combusting. Spontaneous combustion occurs when cloth or paper towels are coated with varnish, paint, or oi and are put in a loose pile. When the drying oils in varnish, paint or linseed oil are exposed to oxygen it creates the chemical reaction of oxidation, which creates heat. A cloth or paper towel with a thin layer of combustible material on it exposes a large area to oxycen and generates more heat If the rags or paper towels are stacked and the heat cannot escape, the interna heat continues to rise until it ignites the rags.

When using rags or paper towels with any varnish, paint, or oil tliat contains drying oils or is petroleum based, never leave the rags in a pile. Either hang them individually, lay them flat where there is good airflow to allow the sheets to dry. or better yet, soak them in water. I have a gallon can, painted red, about half full of water. Any potentially dangerous rags or paper tov/els are put in the can and when fully saturated, I wring them out and hang them outside to dry. Once the cloths and paper tov/els are dry, they are totally inert and can be disposed of without any concern of them spontaneously combusting.

Also remember, r you're working with media that have fumes, make <ure you have good airflow taking the fumes away from you

To apply

O Saturate the wood with the oil and keep it wet lor about 10 minutes.

0 Wipe ofl the excess with a clean, lint-free cloth.

0 Dry brush to get any residue out of the crevices.

O Apply additional coats every 12 hours. Normally, two to three coats arc sufficient.

Danish oil is a commercial finish made by Mending a small amount of varnish in curing oil, such as tung or linseed, and thinning it with mineral spirits. Because Danish oil gives the protection of varnish and the easy application of straight oil, it is a popular finish.

Coloring the Wood

Stains include:

■    Prestain wood conditioner

■    Pigment stain

■    Dye stain

■    Aniline dye

■    Gel stain

■    Shoe polish

Stains

A stain will not protect wood; it only colors the wood by either collecting in the pores of the wood or actually staining the surface of the wood. To protect the wood, you need to apply a final finish of some kind. Two basic types of colorant are used ta make stain: pigment and dye.

Prestain Wood Conditioner

Use over, bare wood Use under: stain

Do not use: with statu that aren’t compatible

Carvings are very susceptible to unevenness In stain absorption because many cuts expose end grain, the open ends of the vessels. These vessel ends absorb more stain than the vessel walls, creating a blotchy appearance. Conditioners can include linseed oil, tung oil. shellac, water, or commercial prestain conditioners. Any of the prestain conditioners will penetrate deeply into the wood and seal the open ends of the vessels to promote a more uniform acceptance of stain, giving a more even color appearance

Prestain Wood Conditioner Pros and Cons

Pros

■    Helps eliminate blotchincss in soft woods

Cons

■    Creates another step in the finishing process

Carvers add color to their projects through two main products: stain and paint. Within each category, there are products ami methods that allow you to see more or less wood grain. Let's take a look at each of the categories.

Basswood often gets blotchy when stained without conditioner.

to the wood, l est the effectiveness of the wood conditioner by applying it on a piece of scrap wood with cuts similar to those in your carving. Then, apply the finish you plan to use on your carving.

To apply

O Liberally apply the pre-stain wood conditioner with a soft brush or cloth and

allow (lie condltionci to

absorb into the wood.

0 Wait 15 minutes to 2 hours before applying the stain. From my experience, it is better to stain closer to the 15-minute time than to wait 2 hours.

Pigment Stain

Pigment Stain Pros and Cons

Pros

■    Available premixed at any paint store

■    Allows wood grain to show through

Cons

■    Prone to blotching or mottling

Use over: bare wood, wood sealed with conditioner Use under: paste wax, varnish

Do not use: with incompahble condilionm and topcoats

I'igment stains are made from finely ground pigments.

To apply

O Apply the stain with a soft brush or a linl-frcc cloth.

© Remote- excess stain witli a lint-free rag or a dry brush. 0 The harder you rub, the more stain you will remove.

These pigments don’t dissolve; they stain wood as the pigment collects in the pores and scratches of the wood. Pigments arc normally opaque, so the)⁻ add a semi-opaque color to the wood and highlight the wood grain.

Always test a stain on a scrap piece of wood with cuts similar to your carving before using it on your carving to *ce if you need to apply .1 prvstalu conditioner. In soft woods, like basswood, if the vessels aren’t sealed, more pigment will be trapped in the open ends of the vessels than in the walls of the vessels, creating a mottled look on the carving. Mottling can ruin a carving.

Dye Stain Pros and Cons

Dye Stain

Pros

■    Available in powder or liquid

■    Available in many colors

Cons

■    Masks wood gram

■    Can be darker in some areas than in others

■    Water-based dye stains will raise wood grain

Use over: bare wood, shellac, sanding seaer, mediums compatible with liquid the stain is mixed with

Use under: paste wax, varnish, any oil

Do not use with: mediums other than recommended on container, on damp wood

To apply

© Wet the wood with the base solvent before-applying the stain.

© Apply the stain in I ght coats using a brush.

A dye stain penetrates everywhere and soaks into the wood. It will color all of the wood, so in some woods, it will mask the grain. This may be okay for some woods, but if you want the grain to be prominent, test the stain on a scrap piece of the same type of wood before putting it on your carving to see if you like the result.

Dye stains arc available in ready-to-use form. They arc also available 111 liquid or powder, which you mix with a solvent. The solvent medium can be alcohol, oil, or water based. Dye stains can also be added to 100 percent oil products, such as tung oil or boiled linseed oil, Pre wet ting the wood with the base solvent, shellac, or sanding sealer is useful before applying the slain.

Gel Stain

Gel Stain Pros and Cons

Use over: bare wood, conditioned wood

Use under: paste wa«. oil finishes, varnish, shellac

Gel stain Is a dye Incorporated into a thick carrier about the consistency or mayonnaise. The stain will not be absorbed into the wood like a liquid stain, so you normally won’t have as much blotching as you would with thin liquid stain. Also, because of its thick consistency, gel stain wont run when applied the way thin liquid stain docs. Again, test it on similar wood, a id if there is any blotching, use a prestain wood conditioner. The earner for gel stains is normally pilioliunt based, *u any rag» must be disposed of prupvil). The fumes can also he toxic. Use this product in a well-ventilated area.

To apply

O Apply the stain with a brush or lint-free cloth.

0 Leave it on the surface a couple of minutes, and then remove it with a lint-free cloth or a dry brush.

Shoe Polish

Use over: bare woexf wood sealer, paint Use under: paste was. shellac, varnish

Shoe polish is stair, in a wax binder and will not be absorbed into the wood; instead, it tints the surface fibers. You are limited by colors, but it can be an effective stain.

To apply

O Apply the shoe polish with a suit brush or soft cloth.

A blush works best because it will get into deep crevices, allowing a more even application.

© Remove the excess from crevices immediately after applying.

© Allow the polish to dry lor about 10 minutes.

O Huff with a soft brush and a soft rag.

© If one coat doesn’t give you the depth of color you want, apply another coat and do Steps 1 through 4 again.

0 To achieve a very high shine, apply a few drops of water and buff with a soft cloth.

Pros

■    Easy to use

■    Less blotchy than liquid stain

■    Docs not penetrate very much

Cons

■    Stain pigment is opaque

■    Difficult to get out of crevices

Shoe polish is a viable option for finishing carvings, but it is available in only a small range of common earth tones and white

Shoe Polish Pros and Cons

Pros

■    Easy to apply

■    Readily available

Cons

■    Limited colors

■    Not durable

Paints

Paints include:

■    Acrylic paint

■    Artist oil paint

■    Oil pencils

If you decide to p.unt pur carvings, you can choose from acrylic paint, oil paint, and oil pencils. Each type of paint offers a wide variety of colors ami options for how much the medium will cover the wood.

When you want color on your carving, choose from acrylic paint,oil paint, or oil pencils.

Whatever type of paint you use to finish your carsing, when the paint is dry, i:'s always good practice to put a protective coating on it. However, he aware that some paints and spray finishes will make the paint underneath wrinkle. Before you apply any protective coating, test it on a piece of scrap wood.

Color Terminology

Hue is the property of a color that distinguishes it from other colors.

Shade is a darkened version of a color created by adding black or a small amount of the color's complement.

Tones are created when one color is added to another. A tone Is any step as the color passes from a light shade to a dark shade, or vice versa.

Tints are lighter shades of a color that are created by adding white.

Value distinguishei a light color from a dark color. It refers to the lightness or darkness of a color. You change the value of a color by adding white or black. Adding white will give a coor a higher value, often referred to as 'tinting up' the color. Adding black will give the color a lower value, referred to as'shading down' the color.

Black and whit* are considered neutral because they don't make a new color when mixed with another color: they simply change the value of the color.

White is the absence of all color, but adding white to any color v/ill make a lighter tint. White has strong pigment, so it will not be opaque but will look milky if added to a color, even if thinned.

Black is made from mixing equal amounts of the three primary colors, red, yellow, and blue. Adding black to any color will make it a darker shade.

Brown is made by mixing a color with its complementary color.

Colors can be further classified:

■    Transparent Light can travel through. Colored cellophane is a good example, where you can vividly see an object behind it ev?n if you're looking through the color.

■    Translucent. Some light can travel through.This is like looking through a frosted glass where you see the outline of an object but not any detail.

■    Opaque. Light cannot travel throjgh. The natural color of the object on which it is applied is obscured

Color Theory

When you star, working with colors, you don't have to be an expert at color mixing, but it does help to know some of the terminology used and how you can mix various colors to achieve the desired results you're looking for. Let's take a look at why some colors work better with others and how they affect your carving.

When you see a rainbow, you're seeing every color in the spectrum, and if you examine each color carefully, you will see that the colors fall into a specific pattern. Si-Isaac Newton recognized this pattern and was the first person to develop a circular diagram of how colors are arranged sequentially.The arrangement he developed is called a color wheel. You will see some variations from one color wheel to another, but the color pattern will always remain the same.

All colors are derived from only three pnmary colors: red, yellow, and blue. There are no colors you can mix to create any of these colors; however, you can create all other colors with combinations of these three primary colors.The colors created from mixing primary colors are called secondary colors, which are created by mixing equal amounts of the adjacent two primary colors, and tertiary colors, which are created by mixing equal amounts of one pnmary color with an adjacent secondary cola. Secondary colors are orange, violet, and green. An example of a tertiary color is red orange.

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Primary

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Complementary colors are thosecolors directly opposite one another on the color wheel. They complement each other because they share no common colors. For example, red is a primary color, and its complementary color, green, is made from yellow and blue.

Complementary colors make beth colors look brighter when they are placed next to oneanother. However, you can make any color less bright by -nixing it with a small amount of its complementary color. If you mix any of the complementary colors together in equal amounts, they will make a neutral brown.

Understanding how colors work together is extremely important when you are choosing colors for and applying them to your carving. A beautiful carving can be enhanced by color or ruined by it if color is applied without regard to the color wheel.

Acrylic Paint Pros and Cons

Pros

■    Easy to use

■    Fast drying

■    Vast array of colors

■    Easy cleanup

■    No solvent smell

Cons

■    Opaque

■    Fast drying time makes blending difficult

■    Will rum brushes if it dries in them

ft wjih eual of diiylic painl should be lliin enough llwil you tail see color yet be able to read through it if you paint a coat of it on a piece of newspaper. If you only want to give a hint of color to a carving, this type of wash will do that.

This carving was done using acrylics, but done using wash layers of pai nt to achieve the beaunfuI color depth you see The lines on the breast of the pheasant were done using a micro line marker.

Acrylic Paint

Use over: bare wood, wood primed with gesso Use under: paste wa», shellac, varnish

Acrylic* are opaque water-bated pains* made from pigment mixed with acrylic resin and an emulsion. Acrylics can be applied in a variety of ways, from straight from the tube to in a thin wash. You have a lot of latitude in how thick or thin to apply acrylics.

If you want to see the wood grain through acrylic paint, thin the paint with water. It will make the acrylics semiopaque, but they will never be transparent.

You can also use nasties to build up colors on top of one another, giving depth to the painted carving. If you do this, make sure the previous wash is completely dry before applying another one over it. or they will blend together and you’ll lose the depth illusion.

You can speed up the drying process by blowing warm air from a hair dryer across a painted carving. Under normal conditions, you won't need a hair dryer to dry the paint because acrylics are water-based and the water evaporates rapidly, causing the paint to dry fast.

When you start painting using acrylics, don’t put too much paint on your palette, or it may dry out before you can use it. Once acrylics dry. they are water resistant and can’t be reconstituted, so if you want ,o blend the colors on the item you're painting, you must work fast. There are retarders that can he added to acrylics to slow the drying process somewhat, but don't add too nuch, or the paint will never dry properly.

To slow the drying process of paint on your palette, place a dampened paper towel between the paint and the pallet. (Artist supply stores sell stay-wet palettes, hut they are not necessary unless you're doing a major project.) You can also

Practice

If you're going to use paint practice on some scrap wood before actually painting the carving. Play with the medium to learn its characteristics, and when you do paint, don’t rush. If you take your time, you’ll be far happier with the results.

This carving was painted with acrylics. When the acrylics were dry, it was coated with satin-finish polyurethane varnish and allowed to dry. To give the carving an antiqued look, it was then coated with burnt umber artist oil thinned to a wash, left to set for about five minutes, and then wiped with a soft cloth and dry brushed to remove any puddling. It was allowed to dry again and then coated with flat polyurethane varnish. When this last flat-finish coat was completely dry, it was buffed with a soft cloth to give highlights.

Tip: Paint and Finish Compatibility

No) all paints and finishes are compatible with one another. Check the label if you aren't sure. V'ou can’t mix acrylics with artist oils; however, you can apply oils over acrylics if the acrylics have dried.

A Carver's Color Palette

If you choose to use acrylics or oil-based paints to finish your carvings and don’t want to mix your own, include the following colors in your collection for a good selection.

Primary colors: Red, yellow, blue

Secondary colors: Green, orange

Earth colors: Yellow ochre, raw umber, burnt umber,

raw sienna, burnt sienna, Vandyke brown

Neutral colors: White, black

■    Raw umber is a cool brown made of blue-green and red. When mixed with white, it produces a cool, neutral gray.

spray a fine mist of water on your paint from time to time to slow the drying process.

Acrylics are available in nearly every color imaginable. Or you can buy some red, yellow, blue, and white and mix your own colors. They arc relatively inexpensive and easy to use.

Because acrylics are water based, brush cleanup is easy, requiring only water; however, don’t allow the paint to dry in your brushes. If it dries, aggressive solvents, which may ruin your brushes, will be required to clean the dried paint from the brush.

To apply

O Prepare the surface to be painted.

© Determine how thick or thin you want the paint consistency (thin with water).

© Apply colors with a good-quality brush.

© If you want to create depth, allow the color to dry before applying the next color over it.

© Don't rush.

Seal with a light coat of clear spray finish.

■    Burnt umber is a warm brown composed of red, red-orange, and green. When mixed with white, it produces a warm beige.

■    Raw sienna is composed of yellow, red, and blue-green. Extended with white, raw sienna yields a warm cream color.

■    Burnt sienna is composed of red, red-orange, and blue. White added to burnt sienna will produce a light brick color and with more white, a reddish pink.

■    Extended with white, Vandyke brown will produce a purplish beige.

■    Red and black with a little yellow make brown.

■    Gray added to red will make russet.

■    Gray added to blue will make olive.

■    Light tints of all colors are made by adcing white.

epwar

193

■    Dark shades of all colors are made by adding brown or black.

Artist Oil Paint Pros and Cons

Pros

■    Wide array of colors

■    Colors are easy to mix

■    Easy to blend because of long drying time

Cons

■    Thinners have odor

■    Different colors have different drying times To apply

O Apply straight fron the tube, or tliiu with paint thinner or one of the oils.

0 Blend as you paint.

© Let dry before applying a Imish coat.

Artist Oil Paint

Use over: bare wood, wood primed with gesso, sealed wood, linseed oil. lung oil, dry acrylic

Use under: paste wax, shellac, varnish, oil, lacquer

Artist oil paint is a combination of finely ground pigment, which gives the paint color, and binders, which give the paint its consistency and working properties. The most commonly used binders arc the oils from linseed, poppy seed, or safflower.

Artist oils are more transparent than acrylics. They dry slowly by oxidation, w hich allows you to easily blend colors on tin- object a* you're painting it. Depending on how thick artist oils are applied, they will feel dry to the touch in a day to two weeks.

You can paint directly on your carvings w ith oil paints right from the tube, or they can he th nned. Turpentine, mineral spirits, white spirits, or any ol the oils can be used to thin artist oils. If you thin the paint, be aware there’s a good chance it will bleed through the wood if the exposed vessels aren’t sealed. Bleeding is when the paint migrates through the wood because it was absorbed by the vessels around a painted area. This can cause paint to flow where you don't want it.

If you want m minimise the blccdirg problem and have the wood grain show through. I like a process where you use linseed oil as a base to seal the grain of the wood and then paint with a linseed oil/artist oil mixture. Using this process, the artist oil becomes a stain

This carving was finished ising linseed oil as a base to seal the grain of the wood and then pairted with a linseed orl/artist oil mixture This process must be completed in one sitting so the linseed a I remains in a liquid state to blend with the artist ol. The carving was saturated with boiled linseed oil, wiped off, and dry brushed to remove excess oil.

To dean brushes that were used with oil-based artist paints, use a solvent. When the brushes arc fairly clean, rub the bristles in a container that ha» brush conditioner or human hair shampoo in it. Rinse aid then dry your brushes with the hair or bristles hanging lower than the handle. When they are dry. store the brushes in a protective container. Take care to dispose of any rags properly; many of the mediums used lu (bin point and clean brushes are prone to spontaneous combustion.

Oil Pencils

Oil Pencils Pros and Cons

Use over: bare wood, sealed wood, gesso

Use unden water-based varnish, spray varnish, wax. spray acrylic

Oil pencils are a quick, clean way to put color on your carving. They are similar to colored pencils, hut the lead is softer and is an oil base. Most oil pencils are semi-opaque, so the wood grain will show through somewhat. You can also blend the paint and move it into tight places using a small brush or a toothpick and paint thinner. Artist oils, acrylic paints, or water-based stains of the same base color will fill any places the pencils won't reach.

Oil pencils are available in as many a: 60 ccil<jrs,c» you can blend them together on your carving to make your own colors.

To fix colors so they won't smudge, brush on water-based clear varnish, or spray a couple of light coats of varnish or acrylic on the curving. Never brush petroleum-based fixatives on the carving because the brushing action will smear the colors.

To apply

O Prepare the suiface.

0 Apply the same as you would using colored pencils on paper.

© Colors can be blended as you apply.

O In areas where the pencil won't reach, blend colors using paint thinner or other paints of the .same color.

© fix the colors with a light spray of clear varnish.

Pros

■    Easy louse

■    Easy lo Wend colors

■    Semi-opaque

■    Not messy

■    Pinpoint precision for adcfhq color Cons

■    Lead can break

■    Semiopaque

Painting and Finishing Supplies

Whatever medium you use to finish a carving, here are a ftw accessory items that may he helpful

■    Krylon matte finish: This is an excellent permanent nonglarc spray coating to seal your carving after painting. It dries quickly, is easy to use, and provides a dear, durable, nonyellowing protection.

■    Gesso: This primer base coating cm be applied to wood before painting. It looks like paint but is thinner than paint and dries harder. Gesso gives gripping action (called "tooth") so the paint will stick better. It should be applied thin s» you get tliv gripping action without a buildup on the surface of the wood. Gesso will make the surface opaque so the wood grain will not show through. Applying gesso is not a necessity; however, most carvers who do detailed painting on their carvings will use a gesso base coat.

Palettes give you an easy lo use surface for mliing paint.

■    Work surface cover: l’ut a covering over your work area so you don’t ruin it if paints or stains get on it. You can use freezer paper, brown wrapping paper, or a section from a cardboard box. Don’t use newspaper because the ink can come off and ruin your carving.

■    Palette: This term is the fancy name for the surface on which you place and mix paints prior lu applying them to the object you’re painting. Commercial palettes arc-available, but everyday objects also work well, like plastic lids from ice cream containers and butter containers, freezer paper, wax paper. Styrofoam plates, saucers, a piece of glass, and anything that will keep paint on the surface.

■    Palette knife: If you do any paint nixing, a palette knife is a very helpful tool. They arc available in cither metal or plastic.

■    Brushes: Brushes are available in many styles and types of hair or bristles, such as synthetics, ox. hog. squirrel, camel, sable, badger, horse, and others. Whatever type you're going lo use, buy good brushes fox painting you* carving. Good brushes will retain their shape and allow you to control the paint application. Cheap brushes tend lo lose bristles and leave brush marks in the paint.

■ Rice: Polls Mims' uncooked sice into a small lonlaimi In

Rir«* in the hntrom of a fcottle wll keep your brushes slanding upright.

A jar with thinner and foam is a great setup for cleaning brushes.

hold your brushes while you paint.

■    Container w ith thinner anil foam: <fitting a piece of foam to fit the bottom of a small container works great for cleaning vour brushes. The foam has some gripping action to gently wipe the paints from your brush as you move the brush back and forth through the thinner.

■    B rush carrier: t )ne of the better carriers is made of metal. The springs keep the brushes separated while storing or carrying them.

■    Miscellaneous small containers: You’ll need some to mix stains, to hold water or paint thinner, and to clean

brushes.

■    Latex-type glo.es: Those are great to keep vour hands clean when doing any staining or wiping paint on or off a project. If you have latex allergies, use gloves made of neoprene, nitrile, butyl, or vitron.

■    Rags: Old T-shirts and cloth diapers arc great for wiping off stain or pairt and for general cleaning up. Make sure the rags you use arc lint free. Lint left behind in paint or stain can make a mess of your carving.

■    Paper towels: Paper towels are great for cleaning brushes and for all-around cleaning up.

■    Felt-tip markers: Various colors of felt-tip markers can be helpful U> do touch-ups on a carving. You can also use fine felt-tip markers for making eves and other details on a carving.

This excellent carrier for brushes is msde of metal,

■    Color board: Make one-inch squares on a board of the type of wood you normally paint. In the top row of squares, write the color names. In the second row of squares, apply a color straight from the tube. In the third squares, add one part black. In the fourth squares, add one part white. In the fifth squares, thin with one part water. This is a good way to learn how adding white, black, or water will affect a specific color on your commonly usci wood.

Chapter Ten

Chapter Ten

Stylized Bird

Project objectives:

■    lay out a project

■    Use a carving knife

■    Do pull cuts and push cuts

■    Work with posnve and negative transrtion points

■    Work with the wood grain

- V

Carving stylistically forces you to look at the shape of the object you are carving, not the details like eyes and fur and color. By starting with a simple styliaed project, you can begin to train your eye to seethe basic shapes in every carving. You will learn to focus on the pose and posture of your subject as well.

Materials and Tools

Materials

■    Butternut blank (IMr" x 1VS" x 5“' long)

■    Pattern

Tools

■    Band saw. scroll saw, or coping saw

■    Carving knife

■    Sandpaper (220 320.400, and 600 grit)

■    Pencil

■    Carving glove and thumb guard

■    Narrow base (toflnd balance point)

■    Eye screw

■    Scribe or sharp nail

Finishing Supplier

■    Satin-finish polyurethane varnish

■    Foam brush or bristle brush

■    Soft cloth or rag

■    Pencil or fine tip felt-tip marker

1 Select the wood. I chose a piece of butternut. Because the tail of this bird is very thin, choose wood with straight grain running through the thin area to give it added strength

2 Transfer the pattern. Draw the aattern on the wood with the long wood fibers running parallel to the tail.

3 Cut out the side view.

Use a band saw, a scroll saw. or a coping saw to cut out the blank. Remember to lecp your fingers clear of the blade no matter what type of saw you’re using.

6 Cut the tail. With the tail again flat on the table, cut the waste wood from the middle end of the tall.

5 Remove Use waste wood. Mien the tut yets to tlie body of the bird, raise the tail off the table and. wNIe holding the blank by the tail, pull the blank to cut off the waste wood on both sides.

7 Draw arrows to show cutting direction. If you always cut in the direction of the arrows, you'll always be cutting across the grain so your kni'e will never be given an opportunity to go between the vessels.

8 Draw a centerline on the top of the bird from the beak to the center of the tail Continue the line on the bottom.

9 Round the head. Put on a

carving glove and thumb guard Using a controlled spit, co a pull cut with a carving knife and remove the wood to round both sides of the head Keep the centerline to give you a reference so the head wit be balanced on both sides.

Tip: Keeping Your Carving Balanced

Mark the positive transition point. Draw a Sne from side to side across the top of the head showing the positive transition point at this area of the cawing. Always cut away from a positive transition point

Any time you carve something symmetneal, a centerline helps to keep the carving balanced. With a centerline, you always have a reference so you can carve equal amounts of wood from both sides of the line.

n Shape the head. Use

•1 ^ Don't cut too far toward the tail. When you feel your I 3 knife wants to go between the vessels, don’t cut any farther because you've reached a negative transition point.

Mistakes Happen

Carvinc the tail requires extra caution because of a negative transition point at which you must change the direction of carving. If you don't change direction at this point, the knife will go between the vessels, splitting off the tail. In the bottom left photo, you can see how the knife is taking the path of least resistance and separating the vessels from one another. To stop the piece from breaking cff completely, stop the cut as soon as you feel your knife going between the vessels.

If you haven't lost the piece in a pile of chips, you can rea:tach it with white, yellow, or cyanoacrylate glue spBdally made for gluing wood. Apply glue to one surface. Carefully align the two pieces and hold or clamp them until they're set. It's very important to get them perfectly aligned, or the glue joint will show. Allow the glue to fully cure before you resjme carving.

push cuts done with the carving knife to shape the head into the beak. Be cautious that you don't cut off the beak.

MMark tho negative trainsiliuii point. I've drawn in a line showing the regative transition point in ttis area of the tail Always cut toward a negative t ansltlon point. When you reach a negative transition point, you must cut toward i! from both directions.

1 Check the contours. View the carving from the front to I O check the contours

•1 “f Shape the baak. Carefully shape the bottom of the beak. I / Rnmovo the centeriine and contour both sides around the neck and bottom of (he beak.

Shape the bottom of the bird. Using a push cut. shape the bottom of the bird up to the regative transition point on the bottom of the tail. Do this on both sides.

1 Q Remove ¹he centerline. Shape the bottom of the body. I When it is shaped properly, rut off tho renterline

of the arrows.

Use short cuts as you !! near the negative transition point. Using short pull cuts and push cuts, remove the wood from both sides of the negative transition point and up to it.

22

Shape the body. Shape the top of the body and remove the centerline.

23

Shape the bottom of the tail. Repeat Steps 20 and 21,

remembering to make shorter cuts as you reach the

transition pdnt.

Shape th® ce-iter of th® tail. Place the tip of your knife at the center of the tail and carefully remove the wood from this area of the tail out to the tip of the tail.

^ £J" Remove th® wood from tho tail. Take extra care so you SmJ don't break the tips of the tail. With a pull cut. remove the wood from the other side of the tail. Again, be extra careful so you don't break off the ends of the tail,

Remove any large faced from «h# surface of the bird.

With small cuts, smooth the surface of the bird.

27

Find the balance point. If you want to hang the bird. 4mO Ilk® a Chnstmas tro® ornament, find lh« balance point by balancing the carving on a narrow brse. Mark the center of the balance point and insert the eye screw.

Tip: Keep Your Tools Sharp

Have you checked your tools lately? Remember to keep an eye on how your took are performing throughout the carving process. If they seem dull, take the time to sharpen them.

Before you s:art any carving, test your took to make sure they're sharp. When you pick up a tool to make a specific cut, you want it to cut as it should.

M Flatten the bottom. If you want the bird to sit on a

tabletop or shelf, flatten the bottom by removing the extra wood with the carving krife.

MSand the surface. You can leave knife cuts showing on your project, or you can sand the surface If you choose to sand, start with a coarse grit, such as 220,to remove all the facets left from the knife cuts Tear a full sheet of sandpaper in fourths and fold It so it's easy to hold.

T *| Step through the sequence of sandpaper. When all of the

3 I facets are removed, step through a sequence of sandpaper

Ss. such as 320 to 400 to 600, to get a smooth surface. The •grit sandpaper cuts fast but leaves scratches that need to be removed. The surface should be shiny, smooth, and free of any wood dust before varnlsNng.

Put on a finish. I'll use satin-finish polyurethane varnish on the bird

Make a Simple Brush

To make a simple brush for small jobs, start by cutting a small section from . dense piece of foam. Trim both edges from one end of the foam. Use a dip clothespin ac a handle. (This works great for small jobs, and when you're dene putting on the finish, simply open the clothespin and drop the foam into a container.)

OO Apply varnish. Thin tlie varnish a little and liberally apply it to the fcird. You can apply varnish with a cloth, a bristle brush, cr a foam brush.

M Allow the varnish to penetrate. Cover the entire surface and let the varnish set for about five minutes to allow it to penetrate into the wood. (Varnish is a superficial finish, so it wont penetrate very deep into the wood, but it will seal the wood.)

•5 £“ Remove the surface varnish. Wipe the surface varnish from the carving Ihe only varnish left is wtiat has penetrated Into the wood. There will be no varnish buildup on the surface to mate your carving look like plastic.

Sign your finished JO piece. You start with a blank, such as the one In tie back, and end up with a carving, such as the one in the front. Write your name and cate on the bottom of the carving and enjoy your work of art.

Snowman

This snowman Is an in-the-round carving that is fun and very popular. It can he a stand-alone carving, or it can be hung on the wall or on your Christmas tree.

Project objectives:

■    Lay out a projert

■    Cut out the Wank

■    Add wood for his hat bnm by gluing it on the blank

■    Make stop cuts

■    Use a gouge

■    Work with the wood grain

■    Paint a carving

Materials and Tools |.

Materials

■ Toothbrush

■ Basswood board (314“ x 8W x W to 1" thick)

■ Wood glue

■ Two pieces from board for hat

■ Clamp or rubber bands

■ Piece of wood for nose

■ Carbon or graphite tracing paper (optional)

■ Copy of pattern

■ Vi*-thick piece of board (for work sirfacc)

Tools

■ Nonskid material (2 sheets)

■ Band saw, scroll saw, or coping saw

Finishing Supplies

■ Carving knife

■ Acrylic paints:

■ Vi (13 mm) »5 qouge

• White

■ V-tool

• Red (optional)

■ Saw, any fine tooth

• Green (optional)

■ W drill bit

* Black (optional)

■ Drill

• Yellow (optional)

■ Micro tools (optional)

■ Brushes: or W flat Vi" tapered (optional), script/liner

■    Carving glove and thumb guard

■    Pen or pencil

■ Fine tip felt-tip marker

As you carve his hat. give it some character. It’s old, so make it look old. The body should be painted white, hut the other colors are optional. You can paint the hat, gloves, and boxes any color you want.

ICopy the pattern. Mike a copy from the book to trace or to    *} Put glue on the hat brim. Spread git* on one surface of th*’

make a template. Use a band saw. a scroll saw. or a coping saw    brim    pieces,

3 Attach the pieces to the hat brim. Using a clamp or rubber bands attach the pieces to the brim of his hat and allow the glue to dry for at least four hours.

4 Sketch the outline of the hat brim. Use a pen or pencil to draw the outline of the hat brim. Maks It any size or shape that looks good to you.

to cut out tlie blank. Also cut two 2'/«" long * V." wide x VT thick pieces from one end of the board, which will be added to form the brim of his hat.

6 Shape the hat trim. Put on your carving glove and a thumb    “7 Draw in the top of the hat. Aga n, you can use carbon or

guard Using pul cuts, cut the outline of the hat brim with a    / graphite paper, but I draw it freeiand

carving knife.

8 Shape the hat. Stake a slop c-ul up lo llic point wltere you will remove wood to round his hat. Do this on all four corners You can use your knire to make the stop cuts, but I like using a fine-tooth saw to make them.

9 Round the hat. Do controlled spills v«tlli llie carving knife lo round Ns hat.

•1 *1 Shape the top of the hat. This is an old hat, so make I I it look that way by cutting the top unevenly. Gve it some character.

*| Change the work surface. PI.up .1 V.' fhick piecp of board I between two sheets of nonskid material. The brim of his hat will lay over the edge of the board.

-| Make body stop cut*. Using ihe picture of the finished I O snowman, make stop cuts at all the areas where you need to round to. I find a saw works great for doing this.

-| C Wound the head. Shape the lop part of the tread I D under his hat.

“1 /I Remove the lines drown on the body. Using >1 V-luol, I *T remove all the ines you drew on the body This step creates stop cuts that define each element of the carving. The snowman now has all vertical cuts made for the stop cuts and all the lines carved, as shewn in the Inset photo

”1 Round tho scarf. Think of how a scarf hangs around I / someone's shoulders. Blend tho scarf up to his face with the knife.

1 Q Study the shape of I O Uiv »1<1« f. Look at tlw Cicture and see how the scarf folds over itself. If it will help you see this, physically tie a scarf around something.

"t Q Shape the »c«rl in three (listin'.! Heps. First, sliape the I .7 highest level of the scarf (A) using a V-tool or knife to out line and the '4‘ »5 gouge to remove the waste wood. Any time you something with various levels, focus on the top level first.

20

Redraw the B segment of the scarf, wtncli away in Step 19, and remove the wood so it

carve

part of the scarf comes from under A

-1 Draw and carve the lowest level of the scarf (Q so it looks at. I as if it comes rom tinder B.

Blend the hat and head. Round his head under the hat so it looks as if the hat sets on th? snowball head

•JO Make the buttons with your knife. It you don't have mlcx> X.O tools, use your knife to make the buttons by cutting around the small circles. Th«n. remove the wood around the buttons so

29

Make a stop cut for the hatband. Make a stop cut v\'th your knife all around the hat to the *idlh you want the band.

they stand off the body.

Refine the hatband. Remove the wood so the band stands off the hat

30

T -1 Bland tha band Into the brim of the hat. Use lire kr«fe 3 I to contour wood from the portion of the hat above the hatband down to the hatband, and all around the hat.

Shape the bcxcs.

are two Individual

Use your knife to make it look as if ther; boxes protruding from the bag

O *5 Make sure the front of your tnowman now has tho 33 following features: hat shaped, face rounded, scarf folded over itself, bag and packages defined,gloves shaped, buttons defined, body rounded and showing gouge cuts over the entire carving

lay out the back. Turn tha snowman over and draw the pattern on his back

*3 C Draw tha sida contour. Use the v-de pattern to see how

JJ much wood should be removed from the back near his scarf and to form the back of the bag.

Define the scarf. Use youi V-tool lo make slop cuts -round the scarf.

36

rorm the scarf. Make a stop cut oljng Ote tine you drew 3 / on h<s back. Turn him and cut into:he side line you drew in order to remove the piece of wood from behind his scarf.

J\ 1 Round the head and scarf. Round the back of hi', head.

» I and then round his scarf to make it flow around the back of his head.

Carve the surface. Using your Vi' *5 gouge, make gouge cut facets all over the carving You should see only gouge cuts, not flat spots.

Clean up tho carving. Make sure all cuts are clean and remove any loose chips A good tool to remove any loose chips is a toothbrush. If any chips stll hang on the carving, cut all the fibers so the chips fall out.

Prepare for pointing. Your carving iliould now luuk like this

A *7 Paint the body. Put white paint on your palette and paint ■ / the body white. I'm using a flat H*-wlde brush. Wash the white point from the brush.

/\ Q Point tiro hot. Apply a dob o! black un your palette. Start by *T O paintmg the bottom of the hatband. Be cautious not to get any black on the white you've Just parnlec.

46

/|Q Paint the top of the hat. but don't paint the hatband.

that will be red Remember to wash your brush thoroughly before you move on to the next color.

Paint the hatband and scarf. A tapered brush is helpful when painting up to another color

Tip: Painting Up to an Existing Color

To paint up to an existing color with another color, remove the paint from the side of the brush that will be adjacent to the existing paint by wiping it on a paper towel. You end up with paint on only one side of the brush, which will minimize the possibility of getting new paint on the existing paint.

Paint th* glo/ci green. Cleiin l!te brush. Tone tlotvn sonic green by adding a little black. Paint his gloves

52

C *1 Paint on# ot th* box** in th* bag. I chose red, but you can

J I use any color you like.

c O Paint the bag brown. Thin tin? paint slightly. Use a sutl-

Jj bnstle brush about '/•“ wide to apply the paint. Be cautious that you don't get paint on his white body or on the packages.

Add patches to the bag. To add another dimension to the bag. paint a coupte of patches and add stitches to them.

C fZ Paint the buttons black. Mix water with some black paint Jw to the consistency of Ink. Then, ust a long-bristle liner brush to apply the paint.

Paint ribbons on the packages. I jsc-J green.

Paint a pattern on the scarf. Ttie trier brush works great

D / for painting lines ever a distance and holds the paint like a pen. Do a crosshatch pattern.

Make orange paint. Mix red and yellow to male orange far a carrot nose.

Make the note. Paint the piece for hit note and cut it to length.

Glue the nose. Add a drop of wood glue in the hole for hit nose and Insert the nose.

£ZA Add snow to the surface of the carving. Spread a thin coat of white paint on a palette. Use a toothbrush and dip just the tips of the bristles In the paint. Pull your finger across the brush to spray a fine mist of paint across the carving, creating a snow pattern.

MMake your own designs. When I was finished, I felt the

snowman needed a companion, so I carved him a snow lady The next step is to carve a snow child to make It a 'snow family' Your assignment is to design and carve what you think the snow chid should look Ike. and send me pictures of your snow family.

Flower Relief Carving

Project objectives:

■    Lay out a pattern

■    Work with hand tools

■    Do stop cuts and undercuts

Relief carving is remov ng wood from around the object you're carving to crcau shadows so it looks as though it’s standing off the curacc of the surrounding wood. Ulack-and-whitc photos use varying shades from black to white to create a picture. In relief carving, you're using shadows to create the picture. Rendering a threedimensional object in a collapsed form like this takes practice and skill. The subjects are endless. This flower may look simple, but depending on the amount of surface detail you give it and the .mount of undercutting and shadow* you create, the end result may be astoundingly complex.

Materials and Tools

Materials

■    Basswood board (5" x T x **)

■    Copy of pattern

Tools

■    Carving knife

■    V-tool

■    H" 110 mm) 89 gouge

■    VT (13 mm) »5 gouge

■    V (13 mm) S3 gouge

■    Flat skew (optional)

■    Dental tool (optional)

■    Hand grinder (optional)

■    Carbon or graphite tracing paper

■    Pencil

■    Hammer

■    Nail

■    Sandpaper (320 grit)

■    Toothbrush

■    Tape

■    Lighted magnifying glass

■    3Mpad

Finishing Supplies

■    Varnish, linseed oil, or paint (optional)

ISat up your workstation. II can be any flat surface. K you    Attach tho pattern. Make a copy of the flower pattern. Center

carve on a kitchen or dining room table, make sure you have    the pattern on the board Tape the top edge of the pattern to

a protective surface under the piece you’re carving. The protective the board, piece should be larger than the piece you're carving and be set cn some nonskid materalor a terry cloth towel so the surface of the table doesn’t get scratched

3 Insert tracing paper Place carbon or graphite tracing paper A Trace the pattern onto the board. Check to make sure you've between the copy and the board.    *T    copied    the    entire    flower    on    the board; then, remove the

pattern and the tracing paper.

5 Make the center button of the flower using a V *9 gouge. Place the tool s cutting edge on the circle. Tilt the handle over the piece you're going to cane and sink the tool into the wood. Lift about one-third of the front edge of the tool out of the wood.

7 Remove the wood from around the center of the flower.

Start about V from the circle stop cut and push the gouge up to the stop cut. Rock the tool from side to side so you remove wood up to the stop cut. Do this all oround the stop cut.

SMako the Hop cut Jwapwi a Mil innun more wood. Do Steps 5 and 6 cncc again around the button until you've cut into the wood about V deep all around the center of the flower. Again* remove the wood from around ne center of the flower.

*1    Finish one side. You should end with the handle straight

n Round the other side. Turn the piece around and round off th» other side of the button.

lw up at the edge of the button. You now have one side of the button rounded.

<y ^ Remove the wood from around the flower. Uw your I D V-tool to remove wood around the (tower, starting with the petals. Remember, always cut away from the piece you want to save and toward the waste area

•| A Continue around the entire flower. Keep the same depth I *T of cut so the entire flower will be the same distance above the background.

1 r! Make atop cuta with your knife. When you've (.oiiipleted I O roughing out the background, usethe carving knife and make stop cuts following the pencil lines.

1 ^ Remove more I / background. Use your V *9 gouge and remove wood up to the stop cuts.

1 Q Clean out tight.

I O witliyuur knifw. In

areas that your gouge can t reach, make stop cuts with your knife

r,atlvn ,h® background. Use a VJ" #5

the background ail around the flower, you must always see both edges of the gouge

> gouge and ftaUeii . lo get a clean cut.

*1 Q Continue cleaning up the background. Till the knile I 7 so the blade Is parallel to the wood surface, and slice the wood from between the petal and the leaves, it's areas like this where a flat skew Is helpful. You can also use the V-tool to clean around the flower. Remove wood from between the leaves and flower.

Shapo each petal. With your V ²9 gouge, shape each dm4m petal by cutting from the lip cf the petal to the button. Let it flow to give each petal some character. Look at a real flower to see what petals look like.

Remove the wood

flUIII 111* »I«HI SO I

looks as il It's coming from behind the petals.

M Shape the item with tha carving knife. Mow the grain

runs through the stem will determine which direction you need to cut. Turn the boatd if you need to cut the other way.

C Shape the leaves. Give each leaf Mine contour to make Zj them look real with the hi* 89 gouge. Look at the leaves of real flowers for reference. Cut from the tip of the leaf toward the stem. Give them some movement because leaves don't lie flat.

Creating More Shadows

To create more shadows and make the petals and leaves look as if they are off the surface of the background, remote some wood from under their edges (undercut). However, make sure you have all superficial carving completed before you undercut. Once you remove v/ood from under any area of your carving, you can't change the surface because there will be no wood under it to support changes.

*J"7 Smooth the petal*.

i / U»«* o '//' *3 yoviyc U> dean up the petals so they have a smooth surface. Notice how I'm holding the tool. Get down near the cutting edge so you have good control of the tool, and do small slicing cuts.

Check the result. Notkc howthc top petal is off the surface.

Check your work. A liyhleil mayriifyiny glass helps you see details as you clean up your carving.

M Undercut the petals. Cut at an angle under the petal with the knife. Then, cut flush with the surface of the background to releaie the chip. If the chip doesn't fall out, don't pull on it. Make the cut again to sever all ihe wood fibers so the piece will fall out.

^ •! Remove hanging

O I    A    denial

tool works great to remove hanging pieces from the undercuts. You can also use folded 320-grit sandpape*.

Undercutting Petals

*3^ Shape the stem end.

J Z Using the knife, cut the stem so you expose the end of It. A simple cut like this adds another dimens on to the carving.

You can undercut <*»y petal that has long wood fibers running lengthwise through it. However, if the tips of the petals are located where short fibers run through them, don't undercut the tips of those petals because they will easily break. If you number the petal with the gouge under it as I and count clockwise you can undercut the ends of number 1 and number 4 because they have the fibers running the full length of them, f you undercut the ends of petals 2. 3,5, and 6, which have very short fibers running through them, they could break at the tip.These petals can still be undercut on the sides. I normally flow the tips of the petals toward the surface of the base.

*20 Add texture to the

J J button. To add tome texture to the button In the middle of the flower, use a rail and hammer. Lightly tap in the dimples.

Add veins to the leaves. Using the Vtool, add a vein down the center of each leaf.

OC clean the canring. A 3M pad works great to clean up the 3 J background and undercuts. You can do this by hand or attach a section of pad to a hand grinder for quick removal. To use a hand grinder, cut apiece of pad about 1V4* square and attach it to a mandrel. Put a small washer on both sides of the pad to give more gnpping area in the mandrel You don't need to cut the pac round: it will round as you use It.

Decide whether or not to use finish. You can leave the carving unfinished, as shown iere₍oryou can finish it with varnish, linseed oil, or paint.

¹

1 C Shape the bottom of the bird's body. Shape the bottom I J from the breast to the beak on both sides of the bird using the carving knife. Be careful so you don’t cut off the beak, the bid should now look like the inset photo.

²

Cleon up the loose chips with a toothbrush. The bristles fcO are stiff enough to remove loose chips, yet not so stiff as to scratch your carving.

Stylized Cat

Project objectives:

■    Lay out a large three-dimensional carving

■    Use the wood grain to aesthetically improve your carving

■    Reattach a piece of wood you cut from one side so you can accurately cut the other perspective

■    Remove wood from an internal portion of your carving

■    Carve a clamped carving

■    Work with negative and positive transition points

■    Prepare a smooth surface for applying a finish

This stylized cat has a bit more wood and a bit more complexity than the Itiid we carved earlier (see page 200). lake the bird, the cat curving has smooth, flowing lines that are enhanced by the beauty of the wood grain. Carving the cat will also help you to focus on form above detail.

Materials and Tools

Materials

■    Butternut, walnut, or cherry. (The finished carving is 12' high x SW wide * W thick, but the block ycu start with should be at least 12" high x 61** wide x 4V*“ thick.)

■    Copy of pattern (front and side views)

Tools

■    Bandsaw

■    Carving knife

■    V (10 mm) #9 gouge

■    V*” (13 mm) #5 gouge

■    Vise

■    Drill

■    drill bit

■    Lag bolt

■    Vise-grip pliers

■    Wood block for vise buffer

■    Pencil

■    Carbon or graphite tracing paper

■    Masking tape

Finishing Supplies

■    Various grits of sandpaper (120 grit through 600 grit)

■    Satin-finish varnish, boiled linseed oil, or tung oil

■    Brush

■    Old brush and cloth

■    Fine tip felt-tip marker

IMake copiai of the front- and side-view patterns. You

can make them any sze you want the carving to be, but it is important to make both of the views the same size. Trace a copy of the front view on the block of wood.

2 Leave some wood on both sides of the carving. You will use this when you cut the side view.

Tip: Grain Considerations

Lay the pattern on the wood so the wood grain lies symmetrically across the face. If you can do this, it will aesthetically enhance the carving. It is not always possible, but if you are going to put a dear finish on your carving, you should always attempt to use the wood grain to aesthetically enhance the carving.

3 Cut the front profile. Use a band sav« to cut out the

front profile.

4 Attach the watte wood back to the blank with tape and trace the tide-view pattern. Masking tape works great to hold the waste wooc in position, givfnq you a fiat surface on which to accurately draw the side pattern and cut this side of the blank ¹

EJ Cut out the side view of the blank with the band saw.

7 Check your blank. An angled view from one side shows how the cut-out blank, with the dnl!ed-out area, should look.

9 Mount the carving cn a vise. Drill a hole in the body of the carving and insert a lag bolt using vise-grip pliers Make sure the hole is in the body area and not In the drilled-out area between the front legs ard the body.

rJLi ■ 1J i_.. -

8 Draw lines establishing the front legs. Wood will be removed from both sides of the legs

10

Use a wood buffer. Mount the blank with a wood buffer between it and the vise mounting plate. The wooden buffer must be larger than the vise mounting plate so it will protect your tools from being driven into the metal mounting plate.

nDraw a centerline

.11 ij use llw photos of lie finished project and the patterns as a guide to carving your cat.

>1 •y Whan tha carving I Z. Is complete, sand It.

II you want your stylized carving to have a smooth surface, without gouges and cuts showing, sand it with about 120-grit sandpaper to wmow tha facets and continue wth finer and finer sandpaper, cown to about 600 grit,

Sign the piece with your rame and date so years from row people will know when tils piece of art was created and who created it. Remove •II wwl dust, put on the dear finish of your choice, aid enjoy.

Acanthus

Acanthus carving is an elaborate type of carving based on the acanthus leaf. Its flowing style conveys a sense of movement and is primarily composed of concave and convex cuts. The concave cuts are normally done on the inside of carved areas, with the convex cuts done on the outside of the

curved areas. All acantius carvings will challenge you with a number of negative and positive transition points. The finished designs can he applied to the surface of wooden items, in they .an be incorporated directly into furniture, l>o»c», moldings, picture frames, and more.

Project objectives:

■    Lay out a project

■    Sec how gluing a small or an elaborate carving to a larger piece cf scrap wood will give you more control of the project as you carve it

■    Recognize negative and positive transition points

■    Use a gouge to make cuts with the concave sweep facing up or fating down

Materials and Tools

Materials

■    Butternut (S"xrx’/4*)

■    Copy of pattern

■    Scrap piece of wood (approximately T x 5" x Vf) Tools

■    Bandsaw, scroll saw, or coping saw

■    H" (10 mm) B9 gouge

■    YT (13 mm) #5 gouge

■    V-tool

■    V4" (16 mm) or V.” (19 mm) *5 couge (if available)

■    Flat chisel

■    Pencil

■    Carbon or graphite tracing paper (optional)

■    Piece of cardboard, like that from the back of a tablet

■    Gue or double-sided tape

■    Clamp or nonskid material

■    3M pad or toothbrush

■    Sandpaper (220 and 320 grit)

Finishing Supplies

■    Varnish or oil

■    Soft-bristle brush

Frame pattern appe^s at SC'b of actual size.

1 O R*mov* the

I U ••ilmuuil< The

piece should fall out. tf It doesn't, make short cuts from both directions to sever all the vessels.

6 Draw the pattern. When the glue has dried, remove the clamp and draw the pattern on the blank.

7 Make a stop cut. Use a W #9 gouge to make a stop cut at the button scroll by tilting the handle of your gouge so the right wing of the tool goes into the wood and the left wing remains out of the wood. Check the photo of the finished carving to see what you want to achieve.

8 Remove the wood to the negative transition point. Start from near the stop cut you just made and remove the wood up to the negative transition point at this part of the carving. Check the illustrations, which point out the transition points and the direitions of your cuts.

n Clean the button area. Rotate ll>e idivmy mill yo back to the button area. Clean the wood up to it.

-1 O Define the stop cut. Raise the handle of a '?* *5 gouge I 3 vertically and define the stop cut along this area.

*1 (“ Turn your gouge over and round this area. Check the I J arrow direction.

*| fZ Remove the second concave scroll area with the concave I U Side of your H" »9 gouge facing up. Be cautious that the wnq of your gouge doesn't dip under the wood, but only up to the bottom ©f the stop cut.

Use your V-tool to define this area behind the concave cut. Make sure your tools are sharp so they make clean cuts when defining areas like this.

Turn your */»“ *9 gouge over so the concave side is down, and round this area down to the base Be cautious that the wing doesn't cut beyond the stop cu: and into the adjacent convex area. Always be aware of where the wings of your tools are.

1 Q Use your V*tool to I make a stop cut.

Then, use the V-tool to cefine the area.

20

Turn the pic<c around and make

cut with your V *9 gouge Again, don't albw the wing of the tool to dip under the wood.

"1 Makt a concave cut up to the negative transition point

/m I from this direction.

Turn the piece around and cut from the other direction

to remove the piece.

22

^ Turn the piece around again and do a convex

cut from the positive transition point toward the center of the carving.

Turn the piece around and do the convox cut toward »h? end of the carving.

Round this portion of tho carving from the top positive transition point

Turn the piece around

and, again from the top positive transition point, round the carving in the other cirectioo. A V or V »5 gouge would be helpful. When doing acanthus carving, it is helpful to have tools that will cut the proper concave or convex radius with one cut.

^“7 Cut from thoother direction. When you reach this point, mL / cut from the other direction so your tool is never given an opportunity to go between the vessels.

Round tho edges of the button. Use the %" *9 gouge to mmO round the button edges Here is another transition point where you’ll need to be careful.

Shave any rough

OI *•<*>- l( liflvt

a rough area at any of the negative transition points, you can remove it by placing a gouge at the top of the cut and shaving off the area.

Sand and clean tfe

carving. A 3M-!ype ;hi

pad is helpful to smooth the surface and clean the carving. You can also use a toothbrush to clean your canring.

^ ^ Carefully peel the carving from the base using a flat 3 I chisel Slide the chsel between the cardboard and the base in the direction of tie long grain, and pry off the carving Be careful so you don’t break off any fragile areas.

Peel off any loose cardboard. A light sanding with coarse sandpaper will also remove any remaining cardboard.

pmw lu a »UI la

Tills could be a decorative addition to items, such as a jewelry box, a serving tray, a chair, or anything else where tils type of carving would enhance the object,

MAdd a mirror image. By adding a mirror image of the

carving you jest did, you can create a beautiful decorative acanthus carving like this.

5C Use your creativity.

J J Think of unique ways to use your decorative

S!qu£. such as on a piece irniture or across the top of a picture frame

Chip Carved Star

Chip carving is a decorative form of carving that takes some practice hut results in many applications. Chip carving has decorated homes, jjwelry boxes, ornaments, and other objects for centuries. It is a popular form of carting, primarily because it requires few tools and the techniques are basic. We will lay out a five-point star ornament and then carve it using just one knife.

Project objectives:

■    Lay out a chip carving design

■    Use your chip carving knife to get clean, crisp cuts

■    Remove a chip with just three cuts

■    See the varletyof carvings you can make    VBHBHHHUflHUBBBlBEEBBBIBBEBBBiiHHRBy

with one basic pattern

Materials and Tools

Materials

■    Basswood (3'/>' < 3W x VO Tools

■    Standard chip carving knife

■    Compass

■    Protractor

■    Straightedge

■    Nonskid material

■    Thin lead pencil (0.5 mm)

■    Lighted magnifying lamp

■    Toothbrush

■    White eraser

■    Eye screw (optional)

Finishing Supplies

■    Clear varnish (optional) or an oil

3 Mark every 72 degrees around the circle using a protractor and a straightedge. To make a five-point star, each point will be 72 degrees from the ne«t (A circle is 560 degrees; divide It by 5, and it equals 72 degrees.)

4 Connect the points.Use a straightedge and a thin lead pencil to draw lines connecting every other point of the star. I use a 0.S mm lead pencil so the lines ore thin and crisp.

5 Draw centerlines. When you have the star established, draw a straight line from the tip of ono wing through its center to the intersection of the legs across from the tip. Do this for each leg of the star.

It's All in the Grip

Here's a quick refresher on how to hold your chip carving knives.

Position 1: Hold the chip carving knife as shown, with your fingers wrapped around the handle and your thumb resting on the wood. Place the tip of the blade at the top of the cut Tilt tie blade to a 65-degree angle and. as you pull the blade, sink It deeper Into the wood. Your objective is to make three similar cuts to removea triangle of wood. The first and third cuts are done using this grip.

Position 2: The second cut is done using a different grip. Place your thumb on the back edee of the blade, and place the tip of the knife vertically on the centerline. It's important to start with the blade vertical to minimize the chance of breaking out wood at the center of the triangular cut. As you begin to pull the knife, tilt the top edge of the blade toward you to a 65-degree angle from the surface of the wood, and slow y sink It into the wood as you pull it toward the bottom line.

9 Turn the wood and stall youi second cul eking li»e centerline of the star s point Keep the knife vertical as you Initially start Ihe cut to avoid breaking the star s leg, and then tih the blade to the 65-degree angle

7 Check that your

iumpl*lnl stoi luuks likv

this. Now It is ready to carve.

«| /> Continue pulling I U the blade to the

bottom line as you slowly sink the blade Into the wood, maintaining the 65-degree angle of the blade. The tip of the blade should meet the bottom of the cut you male using Position I.You mayfind it helpful to press on the back of the blade with the poirter finger of the hand that is not on the handle.

Chip Rescue

Remember, never pry with your knife. If a piece doesn't pop out. don't pull it out. Go back into the previous cuts, and cut from both sides until your cuts meet at the bottom and all the fibers are cut.

nRomowo the chip. When your blade loaches the botlom line, back the blade out of the wood and, using Position 1, cut across the bottom of the piece you've just cut from both sides The chip should popout

If you pull the piece out. you will have torn fibers, which are unattractive in a carving. To develop a feel for how to make three cuts ard have the piece fall out, practice on some similar-density scrap wood until you develop the technique.

* Go to the other side I ^ of the star and repeat the sequence. I find it helpful to use a lighted magnifying limp when doing detailed tt-ork like this It will give you focused light on the object you’re carving and a magnified •mage so you can see the lines more vividly.

MGo to the center of the star and remove the chip² from each of the segments, using tho same technique you did on each of the legs of the star. Contlrue this process for each of the segments

*>n Cut th« circle. Use

JUKI Portion \ and link your knife into the wood so tic blade's tip is in the center cf the two circle lines. Cut one s de of the circle between each cf the legs. When you’ve cut <fl around from one d rection, tilt the handle and cut from t le other direction. The piece should curl out I ke this. Then, continue removing the mood from each of the segments until your carving is completed (refer to Four-Quadrant Carvingon page 161).

^ *1 Clean the carving. To remove any pencil lines, use a white JL I eraser Don’t use a colored eraser because it may leave cobr on your carving. Clean off any eraser rubber with a toothbrush.

\ ^ Hang the carving. Your finish'd carving should look like this. If you want to hang the carving, insen an eye screw at

Make your own “ J design*. You can

create a vanety of different chip carving designs using the same basic pattern we used for this carving. It can be used to make Christmas ornaments, cecorative enhancements carved in a jewelry box or raplln holder, or wherever your imagination leads you.

Pierced Relief Horse Heads

Materials and Tools

This pierced relief is carved in a K ‘ thick walnut hoard. Butternut, caialpa, or cherry would also make excellent wood choices. You can really use any type of wood to carve the horse heacs, hut it is best if you can carve them from one board without glue joints.

Unless you have an almost perfect match, the glue joint will detract from the caning.

Note: The pattern will work at much larger or much smaller sizes.

Materials

■    Walnut, butternut, catalpa, or cherry (11" x 11" x V.')

Project objectives:

■    Lay out a project

■    Use a band saw, scroll saw, or coping saw to cut out a project. (A coping saw will take you a period of time to cut out a carving this large.)

■    Remove wood from a carving to achieve the pierced effect

■    Work with various levels in a arving to give It depth

■    Being aware of the anatomical structure of the object you're carving to create a realistic reproduction of the object

■    Carve realistic-looking hair

■    Copy of pattern

Tools

■    Band saw, scroll saw, or coping saw

■    V-lool

■    W (10 mm) s9 couge

■    Vtm (13 mm) S5 gouge

■    Va" (5 mm) vciner

■    Small flat skew

■    Carving knife

■    Drill

■    '/.-drill bit

■    Carbon or graphite tracing paper

■    Pencil

Finishing Supplies

■    Satin-finish varnish, boiled linseed oil, or tung oil

■    Brush

■    Brush and cloth

■    Fine tip felt-tip marker or soft lead pencil

Pattern appears at 50*6 of actual size.

Establish the various levels of the carving and use your V-tool to outline the hair masses If ycu need he'p visualizing the levels, study the picture of the finished carving. Take your time and know what you want to achieve befo e you make any cut. Do not detail until you have the levels established.

IMake a copy from the pattern. Transfer the pattern to the board using carbon caper or graphite paper. Then, use a band saw or a scroll saw to cut :he blank. Drill holes in the pierced areas and remove the wood using a scroll saw or a coping saw.

V

■v

j'f

* :c*

X

2 Transfer the detailed pattern to the surface of the wood

when you Initially lay out the carving, or use the pattern to hand draw the detailed pattern.

Make Use of the V

A V-tool works great to outline the areas where you want to relieve wood:

■    The neck of the horse on the top right is lower than the other two horses.

■    The neck on all of the horses is lower than the jaw and mane of that horse.

Also, use the V-tool to aggressively define clusters of hair. Look at my completed carving to assist you. Give it some action so it looks dynamic. I define the clusters of hair with the V-tool and then detail the hair with a veiner and put in a few highlights with the V-tool. I use the veiner to detail most of the hair because it gives the hair a sober look than if you only used the V-tool.

5 Carve the details. As you begin to detail, review the sketches of howthe eye is shaped and how the lips and nostrib are formed.

6 Clean up any 'fuxzies? and finiih your carving with varnish or one of the oils. Sign and date the carving so IOO years from now people wil know who did It and when To facilitate hanaina the finished carvina drill or rout a hole In the back ol the carving.

A- 3Vr* thick B = 3W thick C = 2H thick D - 2’ thick E=1H thick F = 1" thick G = 3 to* thick

Assembly

Diagram

O F G F

B

C E A E

Top View

Rocking Horse Project Notes

■    These patterns should be proportionally accurate to one another.

■    The outline of each piece was cut. and then glued together. A was glued to S, using a couple of dowels to give It added strencth. (Its Important that each of the surfaces which Join together are straight so they join showing very little seam.)

■    A and B were allowed to dry, and any excess glue was removed from the sides where other pieces were joined.

■    C and D we»e glued on both sides of A and B and allowed to dry. You will notice that Joint A and B and joint C and D are net aligned with one another. They are staggered to give added strength to this area.

■    E was glued to the inside of both of the front legs C.

■    F was glued to the inside of both of the hind legs D.

■    When all pa'ts were assembled, except the tail, I then carved the horse.

■    Tho Uil G wis cjrvod. than Joinod to B by drilling a hole in both pjrtc. Before gluing the tail in place, a dowel was inserted between the tail and the leg it rested against. When all parts fit together snugly, they were then glued.

The rocker can be made to scale to the rest of the horse.

A

m

Front View

Pattern apprars at 50% of actual size.

MaTepnan, 3amwmeHHbifi aBTOpCKUM npasoM

Pattern appears at 50^ of actual size.

Pattern opprarj at 50% of actual sire

MaiepHan. 3ammueHHbifi aBTopcKUM npasoM

Resources

Resources

Chipping Away, Inc.

General inquiries: 519-743-9008 Order line: 888-682-9801 ivwm! chtpptnga way. com (Carving tools, wood, roughouts)

T he Woodcraft Shop

2721 State Street Bettendorf. IA 52722 800-397-2278 www. thevmodt rajuhop.com (Everything for the woodcarvcr)

Moore Roughouts

P.O. Box 193

Kindred. NIJ 58051

800 825-2657

www. roughouts.com

(More than 500 roughouts available)

Wood Carvers Supply, Inc.

P.O. Box 7500 Englewood. FI. 34295 800-284-6229

wmv.tvooiUanvrssupply.com (Woodcarving supplies—over 4<XK) products)

Wood Sources

The best way to find good sources for carving wood doesn’t

have to be expensive. Use common sense, network with othrr

carvers, and you’ll soon find a number of recommended

sources for a variety of woods. Here are some tips:

■    Talk with other carvers to find out where they get their carving wood. I! you don’t know any carvers in your area, try to find a carving club at www.woodltuming.com. Open the carving club section by clicking on "carving clubs.'

■    Some catalogs that sell carving supplies also sell carving wood.

■    Do a search on the Internet for "carving wood sources.*

■    Attend wuudcji ving shows. Many eafving shows have .1 booth where someone sells wood.

■    A good source lo find carving show locations and date* is to look in W'oodcarvhtg Illustrated maga/lne, search "woodcarving show calendar* on the Internet, or look ui Chip Chats magazine.

■    When traveling, leave some extra space in vour trunk for found wood. You never know what you may find.

II you have the space and time to cure wood yourself, try

W oodcraft Supply, Inc.

210 Wood County Industrial Part P.O. Box 1686 Parkersburg. WV 26102 800-225-1153 mm woodcraft, com

(Quality woodcarving tools and supplies)

one or more of the following:

■    Let your friends and neighbors know what you are looking for. You may be surprised what you’ll find on your lawn or driveway when you least expect U.

■    Contact tree removal services in your area and let them know what kind of wood you’re looking for. They remove

Glossary

A

Acanthus carting - A type ol j'.hhwlurjl and relief carving that utilizes styfced dcsqns based on the acanthus

Across the grain - Culling perpendicular lo tlie wood vessel*.

Acrylics - Opaque water-bawd paints made from puyneni nnrd wilt acrylic reunand an emulsion Against the grain - Cutting at ai angle lo the wood sessels.

Air-drying - Drying wood by expos.iv) il lo air allowing natuml evaporation of water until Use internal wutei reaches rqullbtiutivrith the outdoor environmental humidity.

Air Ntratlon system - A dust cdiectoo system that removes microscope airborne dust particles from the air in a room.

Angiosperm - Any of a variety cf towering pdants that produce fruit with seeds nslde. sich as atoms or brrrlev range from small plants to tall tttes.

An illne dye - A stain made ol dry pgments drssolwd In either hot water or alcohol avafaOle in a vast ana/ of colors

Animal caning - A style of rcalsoc carving featutmg (i tumefy delated annuls Annual rings - Concenltic growth lings iivtilt In the cross section of a cut tree Each mg represents a period of growth, normal) one year

Architectural carving - A t)pe cf carving used lo accent furniture and architectua elements

Arkansas stonp - A type of whereng stone made of a soft quaru, called nwacuhte. mined pnmardy In Arkansas

Armature - A skeleton made of wire. wood, or any other matm.il that will support. clay rrcdel Artist oil paint-A cocnblnatiwtol flntfy ground pigment and fcirdets. whdi give the paint its consistency and working proper! cs

B

Back bent - A type ol tool used lo make cuts c«i the outside of curved areas usua l/, only gouges are hack bent Also known as reierse bmt Bjnd SJiV - A large poivei teed with a contmuous blade that is useful for cutting blanks

Bar dam p - A type of damp mounted on a ba¹; the lieads are moseaWt; useful for linger spam.

Bark The oierral protective ccveemg cf a tree.

Bark carving - A viood catvuvg treated in a piece of bilk; usually, only one side of th< bwk is carved. Populw sutg«ts include wood spnts and fantasy bulldogs.

Bas-relief -See law tellef.

basswood - A wood that carvescasily and has a sublie gran pattern.

Bench hook table - Another nave fcca carving tatie;

a putable working surtace for carving

Birch - A nght granted wood with a uniform texture

thatiscasiycarvid

Bird carving - A style of realisticcatvng that features o tremefy detaied brds

Birds eye - Th'satypkol swifting grain pyittem Is IxOnidiiisJ with eyes Iliac l»k I ke iruiwnuie kiwli; most cormcn m maple

Black - A cotot made by mldng equal amounts of Ihe three primary cokxv Adding tlac* to any coloi wll make it a darket shade

Black Arkansas stone - The Arkmsas cliss sharpening stone with tise finest lone, nicknamed if* ’surgical blaik Arkansas'dur lo its ability to put on the ultmate edge.

Blade-The bedyol the tool

Bole - The nun stem of a tw. Aso known as the bulk of the tree.

BoTster-See shoulder.

Bound water - Water thj! situate-. the walls of the weed vessels.

Branch - The part of a tree which rs ccwnec ted to the trunk, branches support the :wgs. wh«h o tun support the leaves.

Brown - A shade made by mtcngacOeewith cs tompWnentaryccfCr.

Brush - Useful for cleaning ihips from a carving, as well os fer paining.

Bur - A wire edge formed Asng thecuttng edge when you sharpen a toot Also, a small cutter used m rotary tools to remove wood.

Butternut - A hghly taswef wood that is easy to carve aivd has a beautiM grain.

c

Calipers - A n>*asunrg tool with legs that can be used to measure either irsrde or outsdc dmenslons of an otyttt.

Cambium layer - The thin laytr of cells between the woed ard bark of a tree where cell dhis«fi takes place to create new wood and bart.

CAMI - Coated Abroshe Manufacturers Institute;

* 9r*ain<j tyttctn used to fli-ljn-li llw qiiI Uk ol sandpaper. If there Is no alpha designation before die numeric i jlu: on the bark of the sandpaper, it is a CAMJ measurenvr.t

Capacltance moisture metre - A device that measures moisture content In wood by generating a rado frequency feid whch meas.tes the capacitance of the wood. The data Is calculated try the device and displayed in penmt neistum content i% VC I.

Carbide cutter - A t/pe of tit fot totary tooh, used for fast wood removal.

Caricature caning - A popular typ* of carving that Mag9eraiesasut|ecrtdis0n:ove features or pecukanties. Caning glove - Ambdcitrous protective gloie worn on the hand holding the caning; made cf Kevlar or stainless-sieri wre,

Caning In the round - Any three dimensional caning where wood rs rroxncd all around the subject giving the work I eight. width, are) depth.

Caning millet - A hefpful tool for carving hard woods, working with large carving owls. 01 worhng with a piece being held «t a vise. In these cases, a caning mallet provdes the extra forward motion to cut through the wood Mallets aie available with wood, brass, or urethane heads.

Catalpa - A r/peef wwdw-th a similar textile to butternut but with a mote dstmcive gram pattern

C damp - Anaffcrdab’ctjpcofclairpuscdtoMd wwU lot yutiyu IujsuifacewlimciilydviMlI clamping span Is needed Central vacuum system - Adis t codec ton system connected to the mayor tiist prtducirg tods in a workshop

Ceiamk cutter - A type of l»t for rotary tools: used for totu'lng feathering and fine finishing. Kncrwn for superior perto’mancc ard long life.

Ceramic stone - A typeof man-made sfurpenng stone resistant to heat and designed to combine fast cutting a< lion w.1h low maintcr ancr.

Check - A spirt n the end grain where vessds separate from one another.

Chemical drying - A piocess in which wood is iMbdjrd artificially by uung chemicals

Cherry - A beautiful wuxlwhich will desktop a beautiful pjano ewer time from ultraviolet ray v Chip caning - fiemorng rtvpiofwood to create patterns, often ri gromrtrk slupes.

Chisel - A tod whkh is flat and does not have any sweep Chisels are .nailiie as flat, flat skew, and flit skew fishtail

Coarse grain - When the annual rings n the woed are far apart gwlrg it an untven appearance. Coarse gran typwal.y has large poms Color board - A teleten.e bead with squares of dfferent tints of paint odors.

Color rendering Index KfU) - An mdci used to nrasirc hmv much a light scutceshifts cokr asccmparod to another kght source of the same cokx temperature. Sunlight has a CRI of 103. the highest level attainable.

Color temperature - Ameasure used to defne the whiteness—or the warmth or codness—of a light serine. Color temperacuie rs measured accotdng to the KehmscaJe.

Compass - A type of measuring device similar to a dvider that has a sharp paint on one leg and a writing instrument at the end cl the othri.

Coniferous - Mostly needle ieaied or scade leaved, chiefly evergreen, cone waring trees or shtuhssuch as pnes. spruces, and firs.

Controlled split - A cut that helps temove wood q jkkty rc select a pieces! wood that goes strength to a long catvmg.

Coping saw - A handuw with a tight cutting radius usrfd fre cutting out bbnta and ocher beta led week

Crack - Separation in w»d thtt creates vivt/e gaps usually runs lengthwise through the piece of woed.

Crown - The tranches, twigs, and leaves tfut make up the fditge pnrtcn of a Bee.

Cupping - Whrtr wood has watped cauvng (he centre of the tcvatd to be lesser than the edges.

Cured wood - See dneo wood Cyanoacrylate glue - A fast banding glue with an acrylate base; seme bands arc made specifca*/ fer wood and leather bonding

Cypress knees - Soft and unique protectors that grow up (torn die loots of the bad cypress tree.

Danish oil - A surface finish made by blendinga small amount of varnish with tung or linseed oil, and then thinning with mineral spirits; easy to apply.

Deciduous - Trees or shrubs that shed leaves at the end of a growing season and regrow them at the bejinning of the next growing season. Basswood, butternut cherry, and walnut are deciduous.

Dental tools - Very detailed tools, available in a variety of shapes and sires, which can get into the mos* detailed areas of a carving. Can be used to clean out areas or. when sharpened, as detail knives.

Detail knife - A specialty carving knife with a sharp point for getting into tight areas.

Diamond cutter - A type of bit for rotary tools. A fastcutting, dog-resistant bit used for stoning and texturing.

Diamond stone - A sharpening tool made of diamonds plated to a metal surface.

Differential drying - When moisture migrates from the higher moisture content in cell walls to the lower moisture content in the cell cavity.

Dishing - The concave portion of a warped boecd.

Dividers - A type of measuring tool with two hinged legs with sharp points at the ends; used to transfer dimensions from a model to a carving.

Dogleg - A tool used for leveling the backgrouid in a relief carving and cleaning out undercut areas.

Dogs - A type of clamp made of wooden pegs inserted into holes drilled In a bench top.

Dried wood - Wood that has had the majority of the internal water removed. Also called cured wood or seasoned wood.

Driftwood - Wood washed onto a shore of a sei or river; usually bleached.

Drill press - A large, stationary power tool used to create holes through wood.

Drills - A family of v/ood removal power tools ised to create holes through a piece of wood, such as sdected areas of a pierced relief carving.

Dust mask - A necessary piece of protective equipment that will decrease the amount of dust breathed into the lungs when carving.

Dye stain - A stain that penetrates everywhereon the wood and will cover all of the wood; may mask the grain.

E

Early wood - The part of a growth rmg produced at the beginning of the growth season. Made of large cells with thin walls.

Earmuffs - An essential protective device that decreases noise damage from loud equipment in the shop

End grain - The pattern you see In the cross section of a piece of wood.

Equilibrium moisture content - When wood has reached the moisture content of the surrounding environment.

F

FEPA - Federation of European Producers of Abasives; a grading standard used to designate grit sire O' abrasive materials.

Ferrulp - A metal ring that strengthens asd prevents the handle of a tool from splitting.

Fiber saturation point (FSP) - The polntat which vesselwallsare fully saturated.

Fiddleback - A type of grain that has curh and waves. Also called curly grain.

Figure - Pattern on the wood surface created by the wood growth layers, rays, and knots.

Fine grain - When the annual rings are snail and close together, creating an even texture. Has snail, closely spaced pores.

F ish carving - A style of realistic carving featuring extremely detailed fish. Special tools exist to carve scales.

Fixed router - A router where the depth of cut is set prior to the tool being turned on.

Flame - A type of wavy-grained figure sinilar to

fiddlob.uk, but with widor bindi of color.

Flat chisel - A tool that is flat across the cutting surface.

Flat-plane carving - A type of carving mtive to the Scandinavian countries. It features simple, controlled knife cuts that leave flat surfaces on the finished carving.

Flatsawn - See plainsawn.

Flat skew chisel - A flat tool angled acrois the cutting edge.

F lat skew fishtail chisel - A flat chisel wlere the blade contours back from the cutting edge like a fishtail.

Fluorescent lighting - An excellent source to provide general illumination in a large area. Fluorescent light creates minimal shadows, so should not b? used alone when carving.

Fluteroni - Similar to a macaroni tool, the fluteroni has three working edges; a small gouge on ea:h side and a flat chisel on the bottom.

Found wood - Any v/ood in its natural, unaltered state, such as bark from dead or dying trees, cypress knees, knots, weathered v/ood, or driftwood.

Free water - Water that fills the inside ofthe vessels.

Full-spectrum lighting - Artificial light that mimics sunlight by containing all colors of the rainbow in equal amounts; good lig hting for coloring a carting. Full-spectrum lights are measured by the color rendenng index and color temperature.

G

Gel stain - A stain that incorporates a dye into a thick carrier the consistency of mayonnaise.

Gesso - A primer base coating that gives gripping action, called tooth, so paint will stick berer.

Glazing - Occurs when metal particles dog the pores of a sharpening stone.

Goggles - An essential protective device ihat prevents objects from flying into the eyes.

Gouge - A tool that has curvature on the :uttmg edge of the blade.

Grain - The pattern or figure formed by the distinction between the spnng wood and summer wood. Wood grain has a variety of meanings. May be called coarse, fine, straight, cross, spiral, curly, wavy, irregular, interlocking, etc.

Green v/ood - See wet wood.

Grip stick - A handmade tool, made of a screw glued into a dowel. Usually inserted into tie bottom of a small carving piece to make a larger gtlppng area.

Gymnosperm - Any seed-bearing plant v/ith ovules exposed on the surface of leaves or feaflike structures that bear spores. Conifers are gymnosperms.

H

Handle - An Important part of any :arvmg tool; handles come in many shapes and sizes, indiding long handled or palm handled.

Handsaw - A v/ood removal tool that can remove a lot of excess wood in little time. A large handsaw v/ith fine teeth will help when preparing a caiving blank.

Hard Arkansas stone-A sharpeniig stone v/hich will produce a keen edge on tools.

Hard translucent Arkansas stone - finest grain and

moil dome of tho niluial iharponirg ilonm. Hardwoods - See deciduous and aagiosperm.

Heartwood - The central core of a tree. Ho longer required to conduct water. It is composed of dead cells filled v/ith extractives and tanrins. Heartwood is normally darker in color than sap/zcnd.

Heel - The back portion of the cutting surface.

H Igh relief - A type of relief carving where at least half of the object's circumference projects off the wood.

Honing compound - A fine abrasive material which is rubbed into a strop to polish a tool'ssurface and shape the razor-sharp cutting edge,

Honing oil - A lightweight oil used to dress some sharpening stones; it keeps metal sfavings from sharpened tools in suspension.

Hue - The property of a color that distinguishes it from other colors.

Human figure carving - A style ofreallstic carving featuring extremely detailed humati figures, often concentrating on facial expressions ind body language.

I

Incandescent lighting - Standard :>ulb lighting; particularly useful for relief carving, as shining it at a -15-degree angle to a working surface creates shadows to gauge depth.

Incised carving - Only the outline »f an object Is carved. Used on furniture, wood block printing, and carving letters.

India taper triangle - A type of slip stone that has a 60-degree angle used to remove bu rs from the insides ofV-tools.

In-lap dust collector - A dust-collecting system that con be re>led in the lop during the power carving process.

Inside bevel - A small secondary angle on the inside of the cutting edge used to add strength to the cutting edge. Also called a microbevel.

Intaglio - Negative relief carving: a recess is carved, and then a subject is carved Into the recess. Used mostly for molds (butter and candy) and furniture.

Into the grain - Cutting between the vessels.

Irregular grain - When the wood f bers wrap around knots or other irregularities in the wood.

Glossary

J

Jigsaw - See saber saw.

JIS - Japanese Industrial Standard; a grading system used to designate the grit size of sandpaper.

Juvenile wood - The pith, together v/ith a tree's first few annual rings.

K

Kiln-drying - Removing moisture from wood by using a thermally Insulated chamber in which airflow, humidity, and temperature can be controlled.

Kiln schedule - A controlled sequenceof adjusting the humidity and temperature when kiln-drying wood. The schedule is based on the wood reaching specific stepsin moisture content.

Knot - The base of a limb enclosed in the bole of the tree. Dead ponderosa pines yield the best and largest knots.

Krylon matte finish - An excellent permanent non-glare spray coating to seal a carving after paintinj.

Kutzall cutter - A type of bit for rotary tools. Very1 aggressive and available in many shapes; best for fast wood removal.

L

Lacquer - A type of surface finish that is made from nitrocellulose; usually applied as a spray. Dries quickly Available in gloss and semigloss finishes.

Late wood - The part of a growth nog produced later In a growing season. The cells are smaller and have thicker cell walls than early wood.

Leaves - The flat green structures that produce nutrients for a tree or plant through the process of photosynthesis.

Limb - The part of a tree that grows out from the trunk. Branches connect to the limbs, twigs to the branches, and leaves to twigs.

Linseed oil - A penetrating finish derived from flaxscpd and available as raw, boiled, or stand oil.

Loading the strop - Rubbing a fine abrasive compand Into the strop.

Long-bent tool - A tool that has a gently curved blace to allow for cutting into recessed areas without the handle interfering v/ith the surface wood; useful for relief carving.

Low relief - A type of relief carving with the least amount of wood removed. Usually, low relief doesn't have any undercutting. Also known as bas-relief.

M

Macaroni - A multipurpose tool with three working edges: a flat chisel on the bottom and a V tool on each side.

Mahogany - A wood favored for deep relief carvings; easy to work.

Maple - A beautiful, but difficult to carve, wood. Its density requires a mallet and sharp tools to carve.

Medullary rays - Vessels that transport food horizontally across the tree and act as food storage areas.

Microbevel - See inside bevel.

Micro took - Small took used for fine detail wrrk.

Moisture content (MC) - The weight of the wa:er in the cell walls and cavities of a piece of wood, compared to its dry weight.

N

Nagura stone - A fine-grained chalk stone used in combination with water stones to create a polishing solution that polishes the tool as it is being sharpened.

Negative transition point - A transition point hat requires cutting toward it to get clean cuts.

o

Oil pencils - Similar to colored pencils, but the lead is softer and is an oil base. Most oil pencils ere semi-opaque, so the wood grain will show through somewhat.

Oilstone - A type of sharpening stone; though r is the slowest, it produces the finest edge.

Opaque - Blocks the passaged light and radiant energy. Obscures the natural color of the object ipon which it is applied.

Ouachita stone - A second grade of Arkansas sharpening stone; softer and coarser than most Arkansas stores.

Outside bevel - The angle ground on the front of the tool that forms the cutting edge.

Oven-drying - Removing the water from a piece of wood by drying it in an oven at a temperature of about 220 degrees Fahrenheit.

P

Palette - The surface upon which you place anc mix paints before applying them.

Palette knife - A tool used to mix paints togetfer on a palette.

Paring cut - See pull cut.

Paste wax - Inexpensive and easy to apply surface finish.

PEG 1000 - Polyethylene glycol 1000; stabilizes »vood by replacing water molecules with wax-like glycol imleculev.

Penetrating finishes - A family of finishes easier to apply than surface finishes; penetrating finishesare absorbed Into the wood and become part of thewood rather than building on the surface.

Pentacryl - A liquid composite of siliconized polymers used to treat wet wood.

Phloem - A thin layer of cells between the bark and cambium layer, which is a food supply line to cairy sap from the leaves to the rest of the tree.

Pierced relief - A type of relief carving with areas of the carving completely removed.

Pigment stain - A stain made from finely ground pigment. Collects in the pores and scratches in tie wood and highlights the wood grain.

Pith - The soft center part of the trunk, branches, and twigs. Normally softer and darker than the icst of the wood.

Plainsawn - Boards created by making a seriesof parallel cuts in the log. The curved parts of the asnual rings are visible on the ends. Also called flatsawi.

Plunge router - A type of router that has a bit that lowers itself to the correct depth as it spins.

Positive transition point - A transition point that requires cutting away from it to get dean cuts.

Prestain wood conditioner - Used under stains to promote even absorption of the stain.

Pull cut - One of two basic carving cuts. Ftrformed by pulling the knife through thewood, as f peeling an apple. Also called paring cut

Push cut - One of the two basic kinds of knife cuts.

Q

Quartersawn - Made by first cutting a log into quarters, then creating a series of parallel ruts perpendicular to the tree's annual nngs. TTe boards have straight gram lines on the face and end.

Quick-grip clamp - Also known as a speed clamp, (an be operated with one hand; best for low-impact tasks.

R

Rasp - A tool v/ith many individual teeth that can cut wood or metal. Rasps are curved on one silo and fiat on Ihe other.

Reaction Wood - Abnormal v/ood formed in leaning trees and branches. More prone to cracking than normal wood. In hardwood trees, reaction wood is known as tension v/ood.

Realistic carving - A piece intended to piesent its subject as true to life as possible. Includes bud, animal, fish, and human figure carvings.

Relief carving - A type of carving where v/ood is carved away from around an object to make it lock as if it is standing off the surface. Includes low, high, and pierced relief carving styles.

Resistance moisture meter - A device that determines moisture content in wood by measuring the resistance between pins which are driven into the wood. The meter then converts the measured resistance to percent moisture content (%MC).

Reverse bent - See back bent.

Rlffler - A small file curved and angled towork In bard to- reach places, such as undercut areas; rlfflers feature a different head on each end.

Riftsawn - Each board is sawn in the sane relation to the center of the log, giving it a si ightly wavy grain pattern. Because of the way it is sawn from the log. It provides very poor yield.

Rockwell scale - A standard that determries hardness. Used to grade the hardness of tools; the lower the Rockwell number, the softer the steel usee in the tool. Steel used for carving knives should be beiv/een R58< and R63c.

Roots - Grow into the ground and anchora tree, keeping It erect. Also absorb water and minerals from Ihe ground.

Rotary tool - A handheld power tool used to perform a variety of carving tasks, from roughing ou’ to detailing to sanding. A variety of bits are available for the tool, including ruby, diamond, ceramic, carbide Vanadium steel burr, Kutzall, stump cutters, and texturing stones.

Router - A type of handheld paver tool with various shaped cutters that creates a groove in the v/ood as it moves across the piece.

Ruby cutter - A type of fast-cutting bit for rotary tools. Used for feather contouring and detail v/oik. Leaves a smooth surface.

s

Saber saw-A lurd'u-IJ (jw( saw that wo-ls well tor cutting cures as irell is staght lines; capahe of cutting material op to in irch thrt. Also Inown is i jigsaw.

Sandpaper - A reasonably quick and cost effectwe ihirpenmg medium. Also ncd In wood finishing.

Sap - Water m a tree which includes tie nutrients for Pie tree's growth and sustenance.

Sapwood - The otter llnrg ljj«n of vsood In a tree between the bart and heaifwood. in whch water and sap reside.

Scroll saw - A power tool .hat uses a narrow blade that c jn be fed through a hole 11 a piece of wood and used to remove internal pieres Iron a board, such as in a pierced relefcawg

Seasoned wood - See died weed.

Shade - A darkened rerslcn of a color created by addng blac« or a small amount of the (Otoe'S complement.

Shading down - Adding bUck to grre a cctor a lower value

Shellac - A type of surface finish decreed Item the natural resin of the Ucbug It 's easy to app'/and last drying tlioogh it has a sho-t shelf life when mixed.

Shoe polish - A stan ma wai base that can be used to imt the swfate fibers n wood.

Shop vacuum - An affordable dust collection system that cm be wheeled to the source of the dost

Short-bent tool - A ted tut has a genlly curved Wade to alov lot cutting Into recessed areas wstheut the handle ntcrfmng with the surface wood; useful foi relef carving

Shoulder - The "ami section of the blade at the bottom of the tang, prefects the blade from beng breed Into the handle. Also called the bolster.

Slip stones - Small contoired stones made to remove metal from the Irsde ccntoui of tools.

Slurry - A watery mocrureof insoluble material. When sharper.rq. it consists ot water, the met.il bong removed from the tool being sharpened, and abrasive particles being abvaded from the teg ot the sharpening stone Soft Arkansas stone - Thr coarsest grained and least dense of me natural Arkansas sharpening stones; extrafne. SSOgnt.

Softwoods - See coniferous and gym nosperm.

Spalled - A type of figure.vitTi irregular black lines and spots caused by fungal toi Spiral grain - When the g ain of the wood foflorts j spral course. Occurs when a tree grows twisted

Splitting with the grain - Tearing of the wood, width ncvnally occurs when ywi :ut between the vessels.

Square - A measurvng tod that has two straight legs mat Intersect * a right ancle.

Stab knife - A chip carving knife used to make dccceatrre stab cuts.

Sum - A finish that colors weed lire bus* types of toto'antaeused to male -lain, pigment aid dye.

Stamp - A type of ted used to press patterns nto wcod. Often used on baclgrounch in reM carvings Can be tojqh ot made from nails belts, ot mcUl rods.

Standard carving knife - The most commonly used carving knife; ium ejuppn! Willi eilliei slijiglil ix limed blades.

Standard chip can ing knife - The nest commonly used chip curving knife; lus a 20 degree angled Made. Stop cut - A kind ot cittnat macks the end of where you want to cane II rvnspeipetxkulat to the carving you want to male. when the carving tool hits the stop cut the waste wood fil s out and you do not cut farther than you mean! to

Straight grain - The otam of the wood that runs approximately parallel with the rertieil am tf the tree.

Strop - A tool that actsas a bender to hold henmg (impound. The strop, a ong with honng compound, is used to put the final edge on a tod and polish the cutting surf jee of the ktadc.

Slump cutter- A typeof b«t tor rotary tools; feature's serrated edges and rrwves wood with bght pressure.

Styllred carvlnq - A »ork that emphasises form ewer detail. Styliwd carvings feature smooth, flowing lines and are often left unpmied.

Surface finhhes - A hmily of finishes that offer protection from wear and tear wtfout masking the wwd grain. Slight wood prrsetratbn.

Surfomi file - A typeef rasp s*n4* lo a clieese giatei; a hole in front of cads :coth allows the wood chips being r(crewed to flow thnxgh the rasp.

¹

Cut out the legs. Using the front-view pattern, draw the area between the legs and the bsdy, and drill out this area.

²

1 Clean out the chip². When you have all the legs of the star I D carved, a toothbrush is helpful to clean out tho chips

T

Tabletop dust collcctx - A dust collection system that can be posi toned on a table and pjllsdust away from a coding. A gcod system for use in a wevksfop where carvings arc created Inonc genctal area.

Tang - Connects the twl to the handle Texturing stone cutter - A type of bit lot rouiy tcols. Prinarty used fee textiring.

thumb guard - A pneectwe won wens on ibe hand

that holds the knife.

Timing up - Adding white to give a color a hgher value.

Tints -1 ghter shadesof a cdor that are created by adding svhle.

Toe - The front of the cutting surface.

Tones - Created when orse eotoi is added to another. A tone ts any step as thecotor passes from a light shade to a datk shade, or «e wtsa.

Transition point - A pant whAe carving where you need to dunge the <Jrectum of the cutting so the carving tool does not (0 between vessels Translucent - Some light can Uavel through.This is like IccAetg through a frosted 9ass where you see the outline of an cfcjec t but not any detail Ttanspatenl - light cm tiawl through. Cototed «lbph.me is a good rumple, where you tan vrndy see on ohyeet behrvd ncsen d you're leokvng through

thecolor Trunk-Seebole.

Tung oil - A penrtr.it.rg (rush mirxtod from the nut of the tung tree, yields a tough, flexible. *>d hlgbfy svjiet-resistant coiling It is the frost duade of all natural ods

Tupefo - A pcpular ssood with power carvers because it does not fua herww. It Is dlfhoAt to carve by hmd.

Tsvigs - The small parts of a tree tosshich the leaves dvraCLKlwU.

Two-dlmenstonal carving - Refers to carving Pone crify on the surface of a flat piece of wood. Includes chp and relief carving

u

Undercutting - A process w here wood is removed frem under an object Ic mate it lock as though it’s standing off the surface.

Utilitarian carving - A style of carving that yields Items intended to be useful and practical, such as speens, bowK. and drawer pulh.

V

Value - Distingushrs a light cofcv from a dart color Vanadium steel culler - A type ollxl for rou*y tods. Used lot vety aggro sire wood removal.

Varnish - A transpatent finish appied to protect wcod st*laces. II ft avulaMe In gloss, semigloss, and satin hushes.

Vciner - A tool that mates a U shaped cut Vernier calipers - A treasuring tod with legs that can be used lo tncasuie Inside jnd csitsxlc dimensions oT an object.

Vessels - Stravvl *e tubes that transport water and minerals frexn the roots to the leaves.

Vctrap A cloth bandage impregnated with latex; wil stick oat) to Itself. Makes a good thumb guatd.

Vise - A mounted adlustable tool used lo hdd an d*-ct steady.

V-tool - Also called a parwg tool. Available with an^es of $0. J5. SS. 60. J5.90.100. and 120 degrees.

w

Wilnul - A hard, but beautiful. wo>d to cane Water-based varnish - A cleat last-drying surface finish nvidc of mxroscopic beads of acrylic and polyurethane resns dispersed in water

Water stone - A sharpening medium which requres water as the fcjbrxant medium. Wiser. along with abrasive that is removed from the stone while sharpening, creates a slurry which helps to peksh the Wade of the loci Wrg sharpened.

Weathered woo< - Smilar to dnftwood. found wcod that has been exposed to tbe elements wrthout decayng.

Wet wood - W»d that has not had the ntcrnal water removed or rrat bed etjaHibnum with the atmosphere; humidity around it Also called green wood.

Whimsies - HonfjiKtiOftiJ. prlmanly entertaining types

of canirgs. Usuaiy. feature intivlcckng parts caved from one piece of wood.

Wh It# — th# atxev# of all color, (an tw added to are/ color lo mile alltfitet tlnl

Wings - The outu3c edges of the btxde. The daiaicc between wngs is the tool width.

With the grain -CuMng parallel to the weed vessels

Wood damp - A type of damp male of wood.

« damping device made for clampng wcod.

Index

Note. Page references in bold indicate projects.

A

acanthus. 4.14.240-20 "across the gravi.'dcfined. 22 aay* pamt. 122J21 ad hosiers. 87

-against the gram.'defined. 22 au-drying wood. 42=11 air Miration system, 22 animal carvings. 16 annual nnqs.25.2 architectural carving. £5. K 5£

Arkansas stones, 96 97. ]00. J21 artist oil paint, 121

B

hack-henl lonlv SI bandsaws,!] bark, 25, Id bark carving. 15,11 basswood caricature carvings in. 12 carving examples. 10,11. It characteristics cf.2AJ0.ll drying. 42^12 hardness of. 21

heartwood and xipwood, 22 premium, special treatment for. iL projects using. 210 223.224-233,210-252 sealing (conditioning) before staining. !£ 1H testing knife sharpness on, 1& J&lll bench taWe.62 lurch. JO, 11

bird carvings. 16.200-209 bits, for power car ms. Z2 Wade, defined and illustrated, SI Bronte Age. 2 brush earner, 122 brushes. 71196,201 butternut carving examples, 14.179.J2& characteristics of. >3.31 finished rumples. 179, Hi projects using 200-209.234-239 240-249.

258-261 txiying tools, S9-61

c

calpers.Sfi cambium layer. 2122 eancaUirecarving.H carving accessories. 68=82 adhesives, iZ band saws. 11 blushes. 75.196.2M carsing mallets. 21 earring Uble,£2 clamping devices. 83-85

dental tools. Zi drJs. B2

dust collection sistems.22.71-7? handsaws. 21

hand tooh. 21-21 lghnng.20

magmfieis.il measunng devices. 86, 162 painting and finishing applies. 196-19; power carvers and bits, 26-ffl power tools (other). 8J-82 rasps, 21 n(1lcrs.74 routers, 82 sabersaws.il scrollsaws.il stamps. 21 work surface. 68 69 rarwnq in rite "'■ini’. 16-21 SeeeA*r«*alnric carvmij; styflttd carving cancatucecaiwig.H flat-plane carving. 12 history of. l^d Snowman. 210-223 utilitarian carving. 120 whimsies. 7,21 rarw ng table, 62

car sing tools See atso gouges; V tools back bent. Si basic carving knots. SO 51 basic sets (palm ar.d long handle) of. 61 blade specifications. 50

bu/Ing.Sild

chipcatvmgkrm-i. 5U14-113

ChrsHs. *4,55,58,124=176, Jii JlfcJlZ

detail knnes. Si

doglegs. Si

fluterc m. 38

holding. 62=61

long bent and short-beit, Si

macaroni.!!

micro tools. 58.133 13f

parts of, illustrated and described. SI

physical characteristics cf. til

silely lips, 62-65, ZS

shapes arc! sues. 52

specialty. Si

star let set.SJ

steef hardness and qualtr. S2 storage and care. S2 WS,54,56.61,116-173 catalpa. JO, 11258-261 rat (Styli.-ed Cat), 234-239 ceramic stones, 21IQO. 11U chemicals, drying wood wri, 46-4/ cherry

carvmg eiampies. 11.21 characteristics of. 30,12 fumiture.S

projects using. 234-234.258-261 Chip Caned Star. 250-2S7

chip caning

basswood eiampies. 1] characteristics of. J1 creatmg patterns foi. 172 cuts. 162-161 historical pe*spectn?.4

Inlvtt.iLUUli

practice exercises. 167-163 sharpening Imves tor. 114-115 toohfor.il ( hippendale-style fucature, 5_6 Chippendale, Ihomas. i chhris. S4 55, 58,124-126,133, J26-UZ cirdc.exercise,lift li'l il-impinqdcvue¹.. 83-85,173 clay models. 1MJ HI color board. HZ palette. 193 terminology. 121

theory. 121

Common fra woodcamogs. 1=5 compass. 26 controled split. 116 cracks and checks, 36.il crown of tree. 2J curing wood, 18 47 air drying process.42-43 chemical drying pncicss. 46 17 cracks, checks and.il drying tlme.il

elfec ts of dr jlng process. 40-11 equilibrium moisture content ((MO. 41 fiber saturation poet (FSP) and. li (tee water. Wound water and, ii juvenile wood. 11 kiln-drying process.45 measunng moistu re content, 11 with PIG 1000,46,12 with Peritacr)’. 46-17 phases of drying process. *Q foe premium basswood, 46 rcjchmg equilibrium. If. 11 cutting angles, 121

cutting techn guts. Sec aho homing tools avochng bccaling tools, lit avoiding splits. 149 chip carving practice cuts. 162-161 controlled split, lifi cutting with hand, rot arm. 112 tour-quadranwarving.lfd gouge practice cuts. 158-160 gram considerations, 1*4 long cuts. 1 SO

negative and positne transitton points. 145 pracbee cuts. 11LJ61 pull cut. 142 push cut, 143 stop cuts. H7 148 V tool otaitee cuts 154 157 cyanoaryCatf clue.37 cypresslnees.il

Danish olt.186 dentaf tools, 22 Depression fra. I detail to) wn.il developing ideas. 166-1,'Q cla/ models lor. lf£ ii:7 latemet for. 169 mirror for. 122 photo; lor, 1£2

plastic or composition models, 168 putting it all together, 170 sketches lor, 168 subject library for, 162 diamond stones.9?-9l. loo, m JMdm.86 dog'egs.ifi

dogs, damps, and voces. ?4-8S. 121 Dorset culture mask. 1 driftwood, 112 MH.&2

drying wood. See curing »ood

dust colecticn and smtiUtion systems. 79 71 72.BQ

dusl masks. 29,71,72,82

dye stall. 181

E

earmuHs. 7?

Egyptian woodcatvmg. 2.1 equiltbnum moisture con:ent(ENK). 11 European wood carving. 7. t-S.6.2

F

lederal Arts Preset (f API. L

tenulc.il

figure, ol wood, 22

finishing. See painting and finishing

fish carvings. 26

flat plane carving. 12

flowers

flower ReUcf(aiving.?24-233 V-tool exercise. lSfclSZ fluorescent lighting. 22 flureronlJA bund wood 34-35 bur-quadrant carving. HJ lull-spectrum lighting. 2£

G

gel stain, 183 gesso. 122

yelling »Uw ted, J £5—122 Sit uf»v devclvping ideas

choosing wood. 26, 121 preparing wood, 171-171 test carves, 122

working with patterns 12J-I72 Gibbons, Grinling. 4^2 glossary, 2l£z22J gloves, 29,64.122

glues. 82

glu ng. wood grain aid, 121 goggles. 72, £il Gothic period, gouges, 24 cfmractenstksot, in correcting major problems. LIZ tour-quadrant carving. 161 holding andcutting with. 1S1-161 microtools.SH. H4 H7 practice cuts, liilidl sharpening. 116-121.114 specialty styles. Si starter set,£l grain, of wood

board cut types a rd, 2H

carving examples llustratng,12i

cutting lesson, 14-c

defined. 28

figure and. 22

finding. 144

gluing and. 121

importance of. 22

influencing carving. 174-175 onentatlon definioons. 29 patterns (hgurr) ol wood and. 12 selecting, checklist. 16 splitting wood with, lit terms indicating methods of working with, 22 transition points awl. 145 understanding vessels and. 28-29 grips. See holding tools gnp sticks. £1

H

handle',. SI handsaws. 21

hards, protecting. 29.64-£2 hard tools, 7!-7S Wchospecificloab harger bolts, 8i hardwoods. 21 hrartwocid. 95.27.16 heel, defined and ilustratcd, SI history of wocdcaivirg, 1-7 Bron«Age,2 Common Da, 1^2 Depression era. 2

* Egypt. L*

m Europe. 2.3-5 .5.2 Gothic period. 1^1 Iron Age, 2 m North Amenca.kZ origins. 2 overview. ]

Renaissance. 1_4 holding tools, £2_6i Sftaiio techniques gouge and V tools. 151 161 long handled tool;. 61, 122—111

palm tods. 121 power carvers. 60,150 honing compound and strops. 1C2-1Q3

horse heads (Pierced Rcl »cf Horse Hcads). 258 -261 hunsan figure carvings, 12

I

ideas. See develoiing Ideas incandescent liqMing. Z9 incised carving. ^19 msidebeief.il intaglio. 7,12

Inlernet, tor dea development, 162

•into the grain.'defined. 22

Iron Age, 2

J

jigsaws (sabrr va.vs), 2J

K

INn-dryfog wood. 12 knots. 26,, 35. i£a

L

lacquer. 182 lighting. 11 linseed od. 181 long-bent tools, 18 tong cuts. ISO

M

macaroni. S£ magnifiers. 21 mahogany.^22.]0,12 mallets. 21 maple. 10.11

pwacur*kj devices. 86, 167

mKro tools. 58.111^112

mirror, for idea development. 162

moisture content measunng 11 U*oto curing wood

N

negative transitkn points, 145 nonsl*) material,81

Horth Arrerkars svoodcjrvmg history. S_2

o

oil finishes. 184-lfifi oil pencils, 121 oilstones. 91-91 lfl]

Osebergshp. 7J outside bevel, 21

P

painting and horning, 177-197 acrylic pauvt, 122-121 artist oil pant 12i color palette, '91 color terminology. 122 color theory. 121

Index

Danish oil, 165 lacquer. 1LZ linseed oil, lill oil pencils, 122

paint/ finish <oerpanUlty, 193 paste wax. 181 penetrating finishes, 134-136 preparing surface for, 178 pres tan wood condliloner. ]&£ safety ops, 186 shellac. 181 stains, 187-133 supplies. 192 19? surface finishes. 178-183 lung ol.Ui varnrshes. 178-180 Ael wod.12 palette. 126 pile'le knife. 136 paste wa«. 1£3

patterns, working wth, 171-1.'?

PIG 10CO, drying wood with.    42

Pentacryl, drying wool with. 4s-47 photos, for idea development,. 62 pierced relief carving, 13 Pierced Relief Horse Heads, 2S8-261 prgment stain, 18& pth.22

plainsawn (flatw’sawn) wood, 16 positive transition points. 145 pa wet earwig canets and bits, 76-SQ grips. 80.150 power sharpeners. 113-112 projects Acanthus. 240-249 (hip (anedSta-, 210=252 I lower Relief (arvmg. 224=213 ftrrted Priief Horse Heads. 2S8-261 Rockmg Horse. 262-266 Snowman, 210 221 Stylized Bird. 200 209 Stylized Cat, 214 219 pull cut. Hi push cut, 141

Q

Quarterviwn wood. 26

R

rags, 186.122 rasps. 24

reaction wood. 26 realistic carving anlmals.il

birds. 16

characteristics of. 11 examples, 16,12 fish.lt

human figures. It

tools for. 16

In utilitarian carvings.21 relief carving, LI chaiacteiislksof. U flower Relief Catvimi 224=213 four-quadrant carving. 161 hanger bolts for. fii high. 11

history of 5ee history ofwoodcanlng Ighting for, 26 low. 13

negatr/e. See intaglio pierced, 13

Pierced Relief Horse Heads, 258-261 stamps tor, 21

tools for. 13,55,53,74,31=82 semis sauce woodcaiimg. j_i resources. 262 "fttevs. 21 riftsawn wood, 26 Roc ling Horse pans. 262-266 roots of tree. 21 routers. 82

s

iabersaws.81 ufety carving tips. 25

dust collection and icnt lation systems, 29.

71-72.80 dust masks. 22,71, 72, it

gloves for. 29, tl goggles. 72, at health hazards of wood. 22 power laivmj. 82 protective gear. 29,64=65 rag disposal, lit thumb guards. 65 tool, 62-65

working with finishes. 156 iandpaper.22_lCO.ltJ lapvwod. 25.27.16 sawing patterns. 26,14 raws, 71, ai scroll saws. £1

sharpening materials. 89.50-103 Arkansas stones. 96-97 t$Q, lflj ceramic stones. %. I CO. 101 characteristics ol sharpening med urn, 2fl diamond stones.9?-93 ICO. ltU gnt recommendations, 101 iff oho specific maerUUjpe clstores, 90-91.101

pros/cons by matenal<«0,2L2L2*2L^il^ sandpaper. 98 ICO. 101 sip stones, 101

simps and honing compound. ID? 1Q3 using. See sharpening techniques water stones. 93-95. ] W. 101

sharpen ng techniques. 82,104-130 basics, 104

chip taning knives 114-115 correcting major problems. 136 137 curwd-Uade carving knives. 111=111 culling angl*sand.l21

evaluating tfadev/ciqes. 105. U1.114.116=] 17.

174.177.133 tlatcHMs 174-1?b getting proper birrs, 188 gouges and vemers.J 16=123 importance of. 104 nwro tools, 133 132 power sharpeners, lift 132 removing nickv 110.119 slcwchisds. 125.113.132 suiter tips. Llfl

straight edged carvng knives. 1C5 110 root rescue. 106.119.125 troubleshooting tipi. 103.110.123.128 muaIZng final form. 106. U 1114. lia. 174.

I23.II3 V-tonls 127-13? when to sharpen. 104,110 shellac. 161 shoe polsh. 182 sheet bent tools, 56 shoulder, of fools. 51 sketches, 168

skew chisels. 55.58. J 25.133,132 si p stones, 1Q1 Snowman .210=221 softwoods. 2fi specialty tools.55 splits avoiding. 149 controlled split, 146 wood grain and, t4i \pHttmg With the gr^n.'delined, 22 squares. 66

slams. 197-189. Seeoki pamtmg and finishing

sumps, Z4

superset of tools. 61

surfing carving. See getting suited

slop cuts, 147-111

stonnglools.U

strops and honing compound. 102-103 stylized carving cluiaoertstlisof.li ejamples. IT, 166 Styhzed Bird. 2PO-2Q9 Sl/kzrd (at. 234-239 m utrlitanan car/ings. 26 subject library. 166 Super Glue, 32

T

ung.Si

lechmqiaes. See cutting l«hn^u«; holding tools; sharpening technqurs tesuarves. 162

ihumb guards. 65

toe. defined and illustrated. Si

tools and accessories. Seecaiv.ng accessones;

carving toots transferring patterns, 172 transition points. 14S tree anatomy, 2i- Sera'si wood trunk (bole) of tree. 21 lung oil. 1£5 tupelo

charac tensiKS of.30, 2.16 part to use. 16 two-dimensional carving. lfhJS. Wohochip carvlng.rdlrfcarvng architectural carving. <,5, 14, ££ bark carving. l>,2i Incised carving. ifl ir.laclo 2.12

u

iitfiUrian carving. 5,22

V

vdcuwn and ventilation systems, 22, 71-72. SQ

varnishes. 178-180

rtnrvers. 54 56.61, 116-73 16J

vessels. of wood. 2£_£L iee cbo grain, of vxood

Vet rap, 65

wes.clamps, and dogs. M-8S. 173 Wing ships, 2.1

V    tools. 54.60 characteristics of. 12

correcting major proMjtre, 126 liZ four quadrant carving 111 holding and ruling wth. 151-161 micio tools, 53, US, 116-137 pipe t Ice cu is, 154-15i to relieve wood. 251 sharpening. 127-137 115 specially styles. Sfi siariet set &j

W

walnut

carving examples. 20.34. II characteristics of.30.ii diying l«iw. 11

health hoiaidsof.22

projects using, 234-219.258-261 water bused varnish, ISO water stones. 93-95.100.12J weathered wood, 15 wet wood.carving. 12 what lo carve, 2

whimsies, 7,21

wings, defined and ilustrated, 51

'wdh ihe gum.'defiled, 22 wood. 23-47. See also curing vxood; grain, of wood, specific gwfes ttmcod annualilnqs.25.ft bark. 25,13 blemishes, 36.12 cambium layer. 75.22 categories (hardwood and soltweod), IE. colocs by species. iO components, illustated. >3->o crown of tree and. 21 dnftwood.iS found, 34-35

good speoes to ca ve. 2Q_11 health hazards of. 22 hcjrtwood.jS.j7.j6 mrernal growth of 73-M knots.76.35.it measuring moistu'e content, ii nvcroscop* vessels In. 21^22 moistuieconlenls IQ overview. 2i pith. 25

plain sawn (fljlsavm). 2b prepanng torcarvrg. 173175 quarlemvvn, 26 reactio™ wood. 26 riftsawn. 26 roots of tree and. il sapvxood. i5.i7.I6

sawing patterns for caiving wood. 26,31 selec ling. 36,122 sources. 262 spoiling. See splits transition penis, 145 tree anatomy and. 21 Iru nk (bc4r) of tree and. 21 waste, removing, _Zi weathered. 15 wet. carving. 12 working around bid sections, 1Z vxtxdconcklaicr. HZ work surface, 6£ 62 vxvxksuifaecota, 121 worm lo to. 36

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By Shawn Cipa ISBN: 978-1-56523-254-9 $17.95 • 120 Pages

Chip Carver's Workbook

By Dennis Moor ISBN. 978-1-56523-257-0 $14.95 • 112 Pages

Simple Techniques for Carving and Palming Wood By Cyndi Joslyn

All anew vwxxkarwt needs lo gel star led -and no previous cam ng knowledge is necessary This boc* leaches Use basics of carving with the easy to-follow skill-building eiercises and hundreds of color photos Also hduded are clearly defined terms, nformative tips xi choosing tools and selecting wood, and patterns for 6 easy, at tractive projects.

ISBN: 978-1-56523-288-4 • $14.95 • 152 Pages

Halloween Woodcarving

Frightfully Fun Projects By Cyndi Joslyn

Definitely a treat for any woodcarved Offerng 7 ongmal and detailed patterns and open nstnxticnto carve Mnmscal Halloween inspired characters, including a mummy, witch. Uaik cat, ghost, and more. For beginners, all the basic woodcarvng and pattern transfer techniques are covered, while advanced carvers will learn the secrets to add ng color to ther finished pieces.

ISBN: 978-1-56523-289 1 • $16.95 - 128 Pages

Look for These Books at Your Local Bookstore or Woodworking Retailer

To order direct, call 800-457-9112 or visit www.FoxChapelPublishing.com

By mail, please send check or money order + $4.00 per book for S&H to;

Fox Chapel Publishing, 1970 Broad Street. East Petersburg, PA 17520

The Complete Book of

Woodcarving

If you’re a woodworker expanding your talents, a seasoned carver brushing up on your technique,or a beginner newly Introduced to this fun and fulfilling craft, you only need one carving book:

The Complete Book ofWoodeomng. In this comprehensive and fully Illustrated reference, Everett Ellenwood. a popular and nationally known carving instructor, packs 40 years of carving "know how" brimming with expert instruction, insightful bps, and practical advice.

With The Complete Boo* ofWoodcorving as your guide, you will learn everything there is to know about carving, including:

■    How and why to select certain wood for your projects

■    Carving tools and how to use them

■    Sharpening your tools like an expert

■    Designing a carving workspace

■    Every classic carving style, from incised to chip to low rekef to flat plane

■    Fundamental and complex carving techniques,including the push cut. pull cut, stop cut. slicing cut. and chip cut

■    The basics of power carving

■    Paints and finishes and how to properly use them

■    How to develop an idea into a finished carving

The Complete Book ofWoodcamng also includes a valuable resource section and eight classic projects that will confidently build your skills and refine your talents.

Chapel Publishing

1*7! Broal Stn*i • F«l IVtmhrg. 15520

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