• From Ken Majher on Sharpening a V-Chisel - Beginner Lesson #5

    I've viewed the first 3 video's and the tour of your shop and have enjoyed all of them. I am really looking forward to actually starting to carve.

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    2012/12/07 at 8:33 pm
    • From Mary May on Sharpening a V-Chisel - Beginner Lesson #5

      Ken, It truly is best to start with the basics. I know how it is to want to get into the "fun" stuff (not to say donut carving isn't "fun" - but you know what I mean). By learning the subtle moves and techniques of working with the grain, it makes each project that much more intuitive. The more you carve, the less you really have to concentrate on grain direction, how to make particular slicing cuts, how to hold the gouges to get the best control, etc.

      Hae fun!

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      2012/12/10 at 10:26 am
  • From Bob Easton on Workshop Tour - Beginner Lesson #16

    WONDERFUL!!!
    Thank you for the tour Mary. I've been waiting for this, wanting to see close ups of many of those carvings.

    Maybe the category should be named "Inspiration" rather than "My Shop?"

    A few of those carvings were just added to my "carving bucket list." 🙂

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    2012/12/04 at 10:25 am
  • From Shannon Rogers on Sharpening a Veiner Gouge

    I would be curious to hear what you use veiners for? It seems like a softer version of a v tool for and good for low relief heraldry carvings. Despite the fact that they are a pain to sharpen they seem like a useful tool.

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    2012/12/04 at 9:08 am
    • From Mary May on Sharpening a Veiner Gouge

      It seems that in the evolution of carving career, my 1mm veiner sits on the shelf getting dusty a lot more than it used to. I tend to use the v-chisel where I would have used a veiner before. The difficulty of sharpening it certainly contributes to this. I use the 3mm veiner more often because of it's use in acanthus leaf carving (carving on each side of the "pipe" to give the appearance of it raising) and also carving out the "eye" where it shows as a hole in the leaf. No other gouge makes this cut as nicely.

      The 1mm veiner is truly the ultimate gouge to make really nice vein lines on traditional acanthus leaves (thus called the veiner). But, as I mentioned earlier, the v-chisel can make similar cuts. The one thing that is nice about making these cuts with a veiner is that the base of the cut is rounded and the walls of the cut are straight, while with the v-chisel, the walls are at an angle. Is there truly a difference when you get down to tiny little cuts like this? Very minimal.

      Also, the 3mm veiner makes some very nice cuts down these acanthus leaves as alternative texture lines, so they aren't all the same.

      Anything larger than a 3mm, I have rarely used. I'm sure if I were to carve larger leaves, these would make some nice groove lines in the leaves, but these are getting very dusty on my shelf.

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      2012/12/04 at 10:18 pm
  • From Shannon Rogers on Workshop Tour - Beginner Lesson #16

    Thanks Mary, what a wealth of stories your shop has to tell. Never be ashamed of a dirty workshop. If it is clean it isn't getting used!

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    2012/12/04 at 9:02 am
    • From Mary May on Workshop Tour - Beginner Lesson #16

      Thanks Shannon. Maybe I'll venture into a tour of the next section of my workshop. Since I have several students coming to my shop next week, that might be a good time to clean - and film!

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      2012/12/04 at 10:06 pm
  • From David Taylor on Carving the Convex Newport Shell - Episode 1

    Oh, yeah, quick question - what is it about that last V chisel you used that is so special, aside from its extreme sharpness? Is it a different angle, is the bottom 'mini-gouge' part more of a sharp V, or are the 'wings' swept a bit forward or backward? Would love to know more.

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    2012/12/03 at 11:30 pm
    • From Mary May on Carving the Convex Newport Shell - Episode 1

      Well, I guess there is no doubt that it is sharp enough - simply because I use it very rarely (only for those special little cuts). The angle is no different, however, it has a slightly sharper point - not as rounded as some. But the main reason is that when I cut tiny little cuts across the grain, I just want to be sure the wood won't break apart. If I use the v-chisel that I had used to carve the rest of the shell, I would just need to make sure it is re-sharpened before I attempt these cuts. Laziness, maybe?

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      2012/12/04 at 10:05 pm