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THE BOOK OF WOOD CARVING

TECHNIQUE, DESIGNS AND PROJECTS

Dover Publications, Inc.

Position of Hands in Holding Tools

LEFT hand with thumb pointing upward on handle, and the lower part well down to point of tool.

Right hand with forefinger and thumb pointing downward, and end of handle snuggled partly into the palm.

The forefinger should not be on handle, but alongside, and all fingers should be around handle or blade, firmly but freely. The heel of the left hand should rest on the wood.

While the position of the hand is the same on the different tools, it will be found in using the parting tool that if the tool is elevated to an angle, that would cause the tool to cut deeper, as the stroke is made. Then to counteract that by a slight uplift of the fingers of the left hand, the result will be to eliminate friction of metal behind the cutting edge, thus saving effort, and lessening any roughing tendency on curves. With the gouges, on the contrary, the pressure on the tool burnishes the wood, leaving a desirable clean-cut sheen to the work.

The student should avoid stooping over. Rather slump the trunk on hips, and head on shoulders, left leg advanced and both knees bent. It will be found that the feet and legs play an important part, and the body should be balanced at all times. Generally the body weight is back of all cuts, keeping the arm, at any angle, a part of the body rather than working independently. Careless posture means rapidly tiring muscles, and consequently poor work.

The use of a mallet should be avoided at first, having a tendency to make cramped work. Later, on hard woods, it is quite permissable, and almost necessary at times. When cutting with the assistance of the mallet, the tool should be held fairly loosely. This lessens the chance of breaking the cutting edge should the mallet glance off the handle of the tool, or hard grain be encountered.

Cultivating the use of both hands is of great advantage, as one can change to cut the grain, without having to move the work on hand.

Position of Tools on Bench

Have the tools on bench with points toward work. This seems to be awkward for the beginner, but a little practice shows the advantage. Pick a tool up with the left hand ready to use. Lay it down with the same hand. This lessens the danger of cuts, and increases the speed of selection and handling.

Tools

FOR preparatory work, I limit my students to four tools, consisting of:

London Style

1 straight parting tool ½" No. 39 (or 3/8" or 5/8" of same number)

1 straight gouge 5/8" No. 5

1 straight gouge 1" No. 3 (or 7/8" of same number)

1 straight gouge 3/8" No. 7

Later, for relief carving, it will be advantageous to have a straight gouge, 3/8" No. 3 (see Design No. 8).

English tools, Henry Taylor's "Acorn" Professional Line, are recommended as being the finest steel. Their shapes are a development of hundreds of years of craftsmanship and expert workmanship, the balance and temper being of correct quality for the purpose of each tool. These tools can be purchased through dealers, such as many of the better art-supply shops. Request that these tools be ground sharp. If there is difficulty in obtaining them, contact Pentalic Corp., 132 W 22nd Street, New York, New York 10013. You can ask for a quotation or for their price list catalog. If, for some reason, you must substitute, use tools of the same shape as those shown, or as similar as possible. Good steel, such as is used in Taylor tools, is an absolute necessity. Keep in mind that to try to save money on wood carving tools is to waste it. Should you purchase a set of tools, know the quality you are buying, as you can pay dearly for both inferior steel and packaging. The Henry Taylor "Acorn" Sets, though somewhat smaller than Taylor Professional tools, are the same quality.

One of the most important things in wood carving is the correct sharpening of tools, and I think it is better to give full instruction at this time on the care and upkeep.

A piece of leather belting is very suitable for stropping; one edge can be shaped to take the inside of the parting tool, and another rounded for the inside of the smaller gouges.

The slip stone is a hard Arkansas AS22 C. T. Slip.

A large stone is advised, as well as the slip. India Stone No. 29 Combination IB6 is recommended.

Oils recommended for use on the stone are sperm or neatsfoot.

The parting, or V tool, is the most generally used in my method, and is sharpened as follows:

Hold the tool as shown (pictured here with straight gouge), and with a firm and steady stroke, move back and forward on the stone, doing both sides until a slight roughness is felt on the inner sides. Next tilt the tool from both sides, about one-sixteenth of an inch and hold at about a twenty-degree angle and repeat sharpening until the point formed at the intersection of sides is sharp. Next take the slip stone at an angle of about one fourth of an inch in the length of the slip, and move lightly on both inner sides of the parting tool, until a slight bevel is formed. The tool should then be stropped briskly inside and out, until all trace of feather edge—as the rough wire-like edge made by the whetstone is called—has gone. Make cuts of various depths across grain on a soft piece of wood. Pine is generally used. If the cuts made are smooth and without ragged scratches, the tool may be considered fit for use.

It will be noticed that a point is formed at the intersection of the two sides. This should be retained, as it helps to keep the tool in the groove and gives a cleaner cut.

Gouges are sharpened from side to side (diagram) with a rolling movement, the angle to the stone being the same as for a parting tool. Then the rounded edge of the slip is used on the inside, also with a side movement, the angle for the slip being about eight degrees, or one-fourth inch elevation in the length of the slip.

In grinding and sharpening carving tools, a different principle to that used for cabinet chisels is employed. Instead of the straight grind, and straight sharpening angle, with the tool perfectly flat on the face, for carving tools, a series of angles is preferable. The slight angle on the face breaks the shaving, acting like the cap on a plane iron.

The cutting edges of both parting tools and gouges should be at right angles to the wood surface when the tool is held in the cuttings position. In other words, if, when the tool is held at the correct cutting angle, the square end of a strip of wood were placed against the cutting edges, the whole edge would touch.

Incised Carving

FIRST LESSON

FOR the first lesson, work on a panel 1" x 10" x 14" is recommended. This may be one of several woods, but Philippine Mahogany is very suitable, being comparatively soft, and yet having enough decided grain to compel careful cutting in the correct directions, and to teach control. Draw design shown in accompanying sketch, on board, and fix same to work bench. The bench height should be about thirty-eight inches. Fix board down with cleats nailed around the four sides. This enables one to reverse the panel, and facilitates cutting. Hold parting tool as shown in photograph, at an angle of about thirty-five degrees, and proceed to cut around outlines to a depth of about 3/16 inches. Take care not to tilt tool sideways, but to keep it even all the way through, on an even keel, as a sailor would say. Next cut center lines in leaves, starting shallow and quickly reaching a depth of about 1/4 inch, then coming to the surface before quite reaching the opposite end of leaf. This line is close to one side of the leaf. Take the " gouge No. 5, and proceed to hollow the wider side, cutting from the outer edge to almost the bottom of the center parting tool cut. It will be necessary to change the direction of the cut to suit the grain of the wood. Only practice will accustom the carver to know when to change direction. When cutting with gouges across the grain of the wood, the higher point should be kept slightly ahead of the lower. This will leave a cleaner surface.

FIRST LESSON

When the gouge cutting is complete, take the large gouge, hollow side up, and slope the opposite side, cutting from the high center down to almost the bottom of the outer V. Cut around the center circle with parting tool, about ¼ inch deep, and slope away from outer to inner circle, using a large gouge. Then starting shallow from the outside circle, cut each straight line to form petals with parting tool, in three directions, thus making rounded corners. Later this can be done with the 5/8" gouge hollow side down, but for a beginning, practice with the parting tool is important. Take 5/8" gouge No. 5, and hollow petals as shown, leaving a ridge between cuts. In starting gouge cut, hold tool almost perpendicular and flatten out as you proceed with the cutting. This will give what is termed "dish" to the petals.

Now round over the center ball. The flat gouge is used for rounded surfaces, hollow side up, until one is proficient. Then frequently it will be advantageous to use it the other way. Should the beginner not feel sufficiently confident to go ahead with the next lesson, it is wise to practice carving similar leaves and flowers until sufficient accuracy is obtained, but avoid fussy, too exact cutting. The desired effect is that of bold, easy cuts, rather than mechanical perfection.

The rosette formed in this first panel is the beginning of conventional flower forms such as the Tudor rose, and has great value in wood-carving design. The leaf form in this same panel is a base for many types of leaves and scrolls.

This is known as incised carving, where the outline is followed and the background not removed. This particular style can be used successfully on panels where shallow and primitive designs are required.

This first panel, if fairly successful, can be used for the top of a small footstool, or if reduced in thickness to 9/16 of an inch, can make the front or back of a guest-book cover.

The simpler type of book cover is made by boring two holes through the front and back covers, about 3 inches from either end and ½ inch from the edge, the holes being made to take easily strips of rawhide.

The paper filler is made by folding sheets somewhat smaller than the covers, and punching holes in line with the holes in the covers. So-called butcher paper, generally known in the trade as "screenings," is very suitable. The edges of the paper should be torn over a sharp edge of wood or metal, instead of being cut. This gives a better effect.

For the purposes of study, Designs Nos. 1-6 should measure no less than 2 ½" to 3" vertically, excluding borders.

Design No. 1

SECOND LESSON

The second lesson is in the main a repetition of the methods in the first, but with a different application.

This design is suitable for borders, aprons of tables, and chair and bench rails.

First cut the border lines with the parting tool, taking care to cut to the inner side of the line, leaving borders intact. Next, cut around the arcs, cutting outside and inside lines to leave the border intact. The reason for this will be obvious, as the line remains, whereas if the cut were made down the line itself, one could be at either side and have no check. A parting tool cut should then be made down the straight center line, starting shallow at the top, and to the full depth of the tool at the bottom. Next, slope both sides down almost to the bottom of the parting tool cut, as shown in the accompanying plate on the page opposite, using the large flat gouge. For the curved lines shown, use the parting tool. Start shallow and cut deeply toward the finish. Take the 5/8" gouge and cut as shown around the arc, pushing home with one cut of the tool, then using the edge of the tool to cut off chips. This method should be studied closely as it is used all through this type of carving.

Make three intersecting cuts with the parting tool in triangles between arcs, starting shallow, and deepening to the intersection, then slope away all three sides. Make a cut at center of all three sides with the parting tool, then round as in the petals on the first panel. To finish, use the 5/8" gouge on the inside of the arc, sloping down to bottom of cut, then round over outside edge with flat gouge.

Design No. 2

THIRD LESSON

Design No. 2 introduces the use of scrolls, and it is very necessary to exert the utmost care in good curves and graceful, swinging lines. This design can be used for borders, rails, frames, barge boards, door and window facings, and is equally good on a small or fairly large scale.

Cut straight parting tool lines, taking care not to encroach on borders, then cut around scrolls and along connecting line between. Next slope both sides of connecting line, almost to bottom of cut. Follow concave side of scrolls with the 5/8" gouge, sloping from fully halfway on surface, almost to the bottom of the parting tool cut. Round other side over with flat gouge. Draw lines diverging from center of main line, then cut with the parting tool, deepening toward the border. On approaching end of cut, deepen, thus lessening the chances of slipping, also giving a better effect.

With the 5/8" gouge then hollow concave sides of cuts, and round the convex, as shown in the accompanying plate. When cutting off the chip formed by the gouge against a straight line, cut off with the flat gouge. The triangle between scrolls is cut with a parting tool, and smoothed off with a flat gouge. The method all through is similar to the first panel, but the different application gives an effect of richness. It will be seen that contrasting light and shade is the whole problem, and clean-cut work, with definite bold cutting, decided hollows, and rounds that connect a series of slopes, rather than too smoothly rounded, will give a feeling of life to the article.

Design No. 3

FOURTH LESSON

Before using the text for this example, the student will undoubtedly benefit by trying to follow the steps shown in the accompanying plate, and only if unable to do so should reference be made to the written description of the procedure.

With the parting tool, cut both border lines, as in previous examples, then the main curve, these to be cut fairly deeply. Slope both sides of this cut with the large flat gouge. Next, draw in the curved lines branching from the main stem, and cut with the parting tool. Try to swing gradually from the stem, the cut gradually deepening toward the border, and when the parting tool is almost touching the border cut, raise the right hand slightly. This deepens the cut at the finish, and lessens the chances of running into the border. Next use the 5/8" gouge and, commencing from the border end, cut the concave sides of the lines, carrying the cut about two-thirds across, and shallowing as the parting tool cut becomes shallower. With the large flat gouge, slope away the opposite side. Finally, with the 5/8" gouge cut hollow at the border end of each member.

Design No. 4

FIFTH LESSON

Cut border lines with the parting tool, making fairly shallow cuts. Then follow curved lines with a deeper cut, being careful to swing easily from the border line, and easily into the other. Hollow the sides away from the center, using the 5/8" gouge, and cutting about two-thirds across. At the upper ends, it will be seen that a slight triangle is formed, giving a return to the point of the leaf. This is made with the parting tool, cutting from both ends. Next round off the opposite side of the leaf with the large flat gouge. The center leaf is sloped away on both sides.

In Designs Nos. 1, 2, 3, and 4 you will find the same build-up, with occasional additions, and generally, the same type of cutting, as they are planned to improve the technique.

All these pieces can be applied into useful articles and pieces of furniture.

The beginner will profit greatly by endeavoring to work out each design until the result has something of the character shown in the examples.

It is well to mention here the importance of keeping the tools sharp, and they should be stropped frequently, thus keeping the edge from dulling so rapidly, as well as the gain to the work on hand. Cutting with the grain of the wood will come with practice, and while it is possible to cut against the grain with many woods, and at times this is unavoidable, whenever possible, avoid this, as the wood has a poorer surface compared with the silky texture when properly treated.

Designs Nos. 5 and 6

SIXTH LESSON

In addition to the designs already specified, I would like to add a simple treatment which is very effective, and at the same time wonderfully good for control.

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Excerpted from THE BOOK OF WOOD CARVING by Charles Marshall Sayers. Copyright © 1978 Cecily Sayers. Excerpted by permission of Dover Publications, Inc..
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