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E S S E N T I A L W O O D C A R V l N G T E C H X I Q U E S

The First Cut

The first excrcise is co make what is che simplesc of chip cucs. This cuc is used co creace efFeccive decail on even sophisricaced carvings, such as locks of hair on lace medieval figures. A No. 8 gouge is used in chis exercise, chough a No. 7 will do almosc as well.

The chiscl cncers che wood almosc vcrtically, wich che grain running from one corner co che ocher (Fig 3.2). Ic is leaned slighcly co avoid undercutcing and co leave che side of che cuc cilced upwards co cacch che lighc. The cut should go as deep as che deprh of che flutc (Fig 3.3). Notę che position of che hands (Fig 3.2). Usc a mallet if the wood is too hard. You will quicklv learn how strongly co drive the chisel to reach thc right deprh.

FlG 3.2 The fint, stahbing, cut showing the angle of the blade, with the flutc fiacing slightly downwards, and the positions of the hands.

The chisel is drawn back a littlc way and thcn slanted down to che boctom of che firsc cut. If thc chip does not pop out at once, repeat exaccly the same cucs uncil it does. Rotating the chisel ac the end of the sideways cut helps. Next rime, start thc second cut fiirther away at a shallower angle (Fig 3.4). In this photograph the chisel is carving along che grain. At the end of thc cut thc chisels corners should be jusc level with the wood s surface. Practice is nccdcd to find the correct angle. The classic miscake is to approach the stab cut from thc oppositc direction. If the chisel edge is square to its shaft the two cuts cannot meet at the bortom. If you need to create this effect you have to grind the end of the gouge to a bullnosc (Fig 3.5). If the chisels corncrs arc submerged when carving across the grain the wood will split or fray. The same cuts should be practised along the grain. They can be varied to the ‘thumbprint’ pattern (Fig 3.6). In this casc, thc chisel enters the wood at a stccp angle on the second cut. As it is pushed forward the handle is dropped quickly until the tool is travelling with the corners just proud of the surface. The neaccst cuts will be produced if the No. 7 or 8 gouge has its end slightly rounded. This means chat the corncrs of the chiscl do not lcavc a hcavy mark when it is stabbed down on thc first cut. It does mean, however, that it is morę diflficult to cut easily to the end when finishing the ‘thumbprint’ unless one has an identical tool with the end left square.

A S IM PLE FLOWER

Hołd the chisel as in Figurę 3.2 and inscribe a circle by rotating the chisel on the surface of the wood, keeping thc leading corner just abovc the surface and leaning the tool slightly across the centre. This is easier to do with a No. 8. If the chisel is pressed well in to start with, it stays easily in its own channel when it is rotated. When the circle is marked press the chisel in as for the first