One Man's Woodcraft: Carving.

Do I remember that previously I've said something about not cutting in the leaf veins? Well, here are a few. Having plenty of depth of wood to , I bethought me to try one and it looked OK so here are those few. Actually, the major veins are more likely arteries(?). So. That's what we'll call them and the veins run from leaf edges to those arteries.

Well...yes, I bought another tool. Made by Pfeil, a Swiss company well known for high quality. It's a beauty, octagonal (cross-section, for grip) hardwood handle, ready sharpened and honed, it had a highly polished shaft and it Works A Treat.

I said “it had”. It still is a lovely tool to use but I've spoiled its looks somewhat.
Like the four or five other tools I'm using at this stage, I need to be able to hold them rather like a pencil in order to get into awkward spaces, with delicate cuts. So, finding it too slippery in that mode, I've roughed-up its shaft a bit (as for the others) using a diamond file, so that I can get a better grip on it.

My tool sharpening technique is improving, too. Retraining my hands for the task seems to be working, albeit slowly.

Since starting the Green Man after what, oh, 16 or 17 years away from carving, I'd been sharpening on the water wheel and honing on the leather wheel that's on the other end of its drive shaft (dry but oiled and impregnated with honing paste). Now, because of retraining my hands, I'm honing on a flat bench stone and making a quicker and better job of it.

When a tool needs resharpening, I'll probably move, bit by bit, to using bench stones for that, too. If I damage a tool edge then it'll very probably be repaired on the water wheel (much quicker than by hand for more than very minor nicks but more aggressive) then finished on the medium, fine and honing bench stones.

I envisage that, barring damage, in use it will be several (4, 5 or maybe 6) honing operations then a session on the fine stone or perhaps medium then fine and back to a fairly quick-and-often honing (20 or so strokes in multiple V or W shapes on the stone, aiming for complete coverage).

On the internet, I've noticed that one carver stated that she sharpened her tools once an hour but I find that a rather long time for one tool. However, assuming that she uses half-a-dozen selected ones at a time, that would be about 10 minutes use per tool, which is more or less in line with my usage. I tend to use one or two or perhaps three tools of shapes not too dissimilar and hone them individually – and when it seems appropriate, sharpen them individually. Depending on the lie of the wood grain at the time, they get honed more often than that.

Hmm, we're talking sharpen, we're talking hone. Sharpen and hone. Might need some further elucidation? Yes, maybe so but not here and now.

Articles by Rod

10.02.14 Front Page

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