Laurence,
You have gotten a lot of great advice here both on tools and process, got to
stick my oar in again (as a wood carver and wood turner as well as making
instruments).
Dana correctly mentioned taking the grain into account, but I'd like to add
a bit (that I know he is aware of). I do relief carvings of Celtic themes
which involve a lot of the "under and over" that is in many rosette designs.
The grain of the wood is not only along it but also in and out of it - and
it's not always apparant in looking at it. You might think that if you are
getting a good cut in one direction along the grain you will get the same
cut in the opposite direction - but you probably won't as the grain will
"run out" in one direction and "run in" in the other. This can be a problem
with an "over and under" pattern as on one side of the "over" you will be
able to chisel down a "stop cut" and chisel (or carve) into it. On the other
side you want to go in the other direction coming into the stop cut, but you
may will find yourself digging in as you are following a "run in grain". The
solution is a cross or diagonal cut so that you are severing the fibers.
All this is practice and feel, and you will get it easily if you just think
of the grain as three dimensional (and always not in the exact direction
that makes the cut easiest - Murphy's Law). Stop cuts are important, and
they don't have to be "cuts". On my relief carvings I often use a small
pistol grip Dremel with a burr bit to establish the depth and end points of
an internal cut, but I wouldn't recommend that for a rosette (I'm going a
lot deeper in a high relieve carving). A modelmakers "pin drill" with a fine
bit (millimeter sizes) can be operated with one hand to establish the corner
points of a cut-out (as well as a couple more holes along the perimeter to
avoid splitting along the grain). A purist might consider it a bit of
cheating, but I think the ancients would have used anything that works and
makes it easier.
Which reminds me of a story. When I was a youngster (back in the forties I
have to admit) I was at a YMCA summer camp. On an overnight hike we couldn't
get the fire started. One of the counselors said "let's use the old Indian
method". We campers sat in rapt attention, expecting a bow and spindle or
some other such thing. He broke out a can of kerosene and poured it on the
damp wood a struck a match. Ever since then when presented with a problem
I've thought of the "old Indian method" - if the Indians had kerosene and
matches would they really have spent all that time with the bow and spindle?
When I first started my relief carvings I tried to do it all by hand - could
do it, but what a lot of time removing the gross material. I now have a
small hand router to bring the large area to a level, but as I prefer the
hand tool marking I go with my gauges and chisels from there.
Now, if I may run on (and to quote the cats from Disney's 101 Dalmations -
we are Siamese if you please, we are Siamese if you don't please) - I will
run on. The advice on the sharpening of tools is also excellent, but I
wouldn't be myself if I didn't comment. Knives are knives, they have a
narrow blade with a beveled edge. The bevel is very narrow, sometimes hollow
ground. I don't use the scalpels or the X-actos, but that is personal
choice. Chisels and gouges are another thing, they should have a long flat -
and the conventional wisdom is to sharpen them on a flat stone (and I use a
guide also Tim, and I'm sure I'm not a wuss). As a wood turner I have large
heavy chisels and gouges, it would take months to hone them on a flat stone
as the bevels are a half to 3/4 inches. I hollow grind them on a 10" wheel
(so it isn't very hollow) then hone them on the blade and the heel - I find
a series of diamond hand flat files to work well. I took that to my small
carving gouges as a principle. I use a rat tail hand diamond file to put a
bit of a hollow in the middle of the bevel, I can then hone the blade and
shoulder (they should be parallel) with a series of diamond flat files. This
gives me control, more than I had with my waterstones and honing guides -
and avoids any "reverse belly" that can make the tool "ride up".
I have every sharpening stone or file available to man - sometimes I think
I'm more interested in sharpening my tools than in doing my work (or perhaps
I use it as an excuse because I'm chicken to cut the wood <g>). I do like
the ceramic stones, my final touch on all my tools is a ceramic fine rat
tail - and I have a couple of ceramics I like for my knives. But this is not
definitive, each of us will find his own choice of method that fits his
skills and preferences. I use a buffing wheel and compound, but also a
leather strop and compound. It depends on the tool I'm working with, and
whether I'm sharpening or honing.
Everything you have read in these threads is correct, now it is your job to
see what works for you. BTW, should you choose to buy a "honing guide" ask
me about them first - I have bought honing guides in the way Imelda Marcos
bought shoes, I can give you a list of the plusses and minuses.
Best, Jon
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