The legendary "Indian Head" or well endowed woman under the forearm.

[LehighBrad]

I want to carve the indian woman or larged mammaried lady under my forearm just north of my trigger guard like so many Lehigh longrifles have. My question is.....Is the design basically just stabbed in? And if so, what size radius gouges are needed to do the job? I'm very limited on owning a lot of the smaller radius gouges and only want to buy what I'll actually need to do the job.

[Tom Currie]

I used my gouges in a parallel fashion taking out thin slivers of wood. If you wanted to go this route work up a design with the tools you have on a practice piece first. An outline can alos be cut with a V tool , then use your gouges for the smaller details.

[smallpatch]

Every one I've seen has been incised.  Not raised.  Use V tools.

[LehighBrad]

Thanks guys......small V tools I DO have.

[Tom Currie]

Brad, This was one with a V tool a little of the outline and then the parallel gouge cuts filling out the rest of the design. Using the gouge cuts to complete the incised carving leaves you with uniform cuts.