Relief Carving

[Acer Saccharum]

If you have questions, you should e-mail them to me rather than posting them.
Thanks, Acer

Remember to Draw! Doodle during the corporate presentation. Sketch on your napkin while having breakfast with your mother in law.

[smokey]

Wonderful tutorial......just what I am trying to learn to do...... any suggestions on where you can find the floral leaf templates for those with absolutely no drawing capabilities?
thanks

[Dave B]

Smoky,
There are a few books that have some great designs in them. Two that I have are from Dover publications. Scroll Ornaments of the Early Victorian Period by F. Knight
ISBN 0-486-23596-3. Then there is Florid Victorian Ornament by Karl Klimsch ISBN 0-486-23490-8
Now it is one thing to draw out an element but it is another to know what tool will give you the best results when executing a volute for a scroll. You must study the real thing to see how the work is done or observe someone ex acute a detail. There are several tapes or CD's now that have some of the best doing the work so you can catch the nuances of the task. I improved greatly by watching Gussler in "Carving a Kentucky rifle" from American Pioneer Video. I was even more impressed by taking a carving class from John Bivins at the Bowling Green KY Gunsmithing courses taught by the NMLRA instructors. I sold every one of my modern guns to pay for that class and it was Money well spent. You really cant beat having someone show you the ropes.

[paa]

Hey Acer - or "Sweet/Sugar Maple - if I remember my Latin aright.  I enjoyed your presentationj, though I don't understand the design, except it be the upper part of a Christian's Spring/ Eaerly Lancaster.  However that be, I have two, or some points to make:  1)  hAVING DECIDED THE HEIGHT OF WOOD ABOVE THE BUTT PLATE EDGE - never more than 1/16", and normally about 1/32", and having drawn your design, why not work from the inside out?  In other words, why not cut your grace notes inside the figures - hollows, chip carvings, incised lines, while the surface is surrounded by supporting wood?  Then, reduce the surrounding wood to your base plane.  That's the way I now do it.  As for the incised line around your figure, a simple knife stab cut is entirely sufficient - you don't need your veiner at all.  Hope this helps - Peter A. Alexander, The Gunsmith of Genville County

[WALLY065]

Acer:
Who could I get a GOOD set of these tools from?
 Thanks...

[Acer Saccharum]

Woodcraft sells the Pfiel tool line of chisels. In my opinion, they are darn near unbeatable. You can make you own scrapers from old bandsaw blades, flat springs, etc.

Many other carving tool choices at Wood Carver's Supply, rifflers, rasps, etc.

http://www.woodcraft.com/
http://www.woodcarverssupply.com/store/

[Ron Scott]

Buying carving tools can be a very confusing project.  I would advise against purchasing a set. Carving sets are most often assembled for some other carving task other than gun carving and you will find some portion of the set doesn't have any application.  My advise would be to determine what style you desire to work in, Colonial American, Germanic, English, etc. and find a accomplished craftsman using that style. Ask them what tools they are using to accomplish their work. Brands of carving tools can be as confusing. The Pfiel tools are a good choice. There are multiple suppliers of that brand that carry a wide inventory  of sweeps and sizes. Some of the other European brands are very difficult to obtain.

[Acer Saccharum]

I have found that just a few tools suffice. These are the tools I used to carve this rifle. Simple Kentucky carving doesn't need much in the way of tools. If you like to use a knife, add one to the set.

across bottom:
Pfiel fishtail #3 sweep x 16mm wide; parting tool, Pfiel 16/1, 60 deg 1mm wide; parting tool, 90 deg, 5mm wide; fishtail #3 sweep, 5mm wide.

top row:
palm tool #11 sweep, 4mm wide; then assorted homemade scrapers.



wrist, same tool set


The tendency is to think that buying an expensive set will improve your carving. Only carving practice will do that, combined with a few of the right tools. The right tool is determined by the kind of carving you are going to do combined with your personal style. By style, I mean this: I outline with a parting tool. Bill Shipman uses a knife. Bill Slusser uses a knife.

Another thing that will improve your carving is to practice your drawing skills. The two skills, drawing and carving, work together as a team. One can only improve the other.

In reference to the tools above, might I add that a long handled tool would be better in place of the palm tool, but this is what I have.

Tom

[Tim Crosby]

 Acer,
  This question may not have one answer, I mean certainly there are times you don't but do you use a mallet with all your tools even the palm tools?

 Thanks, Tim C.

 
 

[Acer Saccharum]

Ah, I forgot the mallet! Yes, I do use the mallet. I have much better control with a mallet than with hand pushing the tool. Even with palm tools I'll use a mallet at times, but only when I don't have a full length tool of the same shape. It's awkward to tap a palm tool. But in the folky carving just above, I did tap the palm tool to make the little crescent cuts in the behind the cheek carving. I would have used a long tool instead, if I had one.

The only time I like the palm sized tools is when I am modeling the relief carved areas, like hollowing out a leaf, or rounding off a stem, etc. They are short and maneuverable for making light paring cuts by hand pushing.

[Tim Crosby]

 Thanks.

 Tim C.