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Results of ElectionThe following members have been elected to serve as officers through March of 2008:
President - Craig Kittendorf From Craig: “I would like the opportunity to thank the officers for the help in the past year and welcome the new officers. I'm looking forward to another fun year in carving. I also want to thank all the members who contributed carvings for the club's display at the Suwannee River Roundup. This was great exposure for the work of our members and a lot of people took notice of our club. I counted twelve members attending. This was another good showing and I know everyone enjoyed themselves. Thanks again for the support of the members.” Woodcarving SchoolsThe Tennessee Valley Woodcarving School in Crossville, TN will not be held in May this year. The organizer is trying to find a new location for September. As soon as the information is available it will be announced in a meeting. The Southeastern Woodcarving School is scheduled for July 27-28-29 in Prattville, AL, just north of Montgomery. There are 10 carving workshops from which to choose. The cost is $160 with no meals or lodging. The secretary has the information available at club meetings, or visit the website at: www.pmchippers.org/sws.html The March-April 2007 issue of Chip Chats lists many other schools, roundups, and various opportunities for instruction and fun. New Supplies Have ArrivedWe have received a new supply of Flexcut KN12 knives, extra large size gloves, many more thumb guards. The knives (a great beginners knife that continues to be excellent for roughing out a carving) are $13.50. Gloves are $5.50, and thumb guards are still 50 cents each. More Carving Secrets from Chris Pye"The person who never made a mistake, never made anything ...but it's what you do about mistakes that matters." "What if you've 'carved it off' by mistake? You can often work apparent magic and 'carve it back on' -- by adjusting the relationship of the parts."
"Never tell anyone about mistakes." |
Tips and Techniquesby Barbara Mann
I did it again last month -- bent the tip of a knife. So don't feel badly if you have done that or even broken yours. What's important is how NOT to bend or break the tip, and how to fix it if bent or broken. Here's some help. The causes. Very simple to do, but don't do this! Just put the point in the wood and instead of cutting or slicing the wood, twist the blade and try to "pop" or "lever" the wood out. That puts too much sideways pressure on the weakest part of the blade -- the tip. As we strop our knives the tips tend to get thinner, particularly if we are not careful with our stropping technique. The thinner the blade the more likely it is to get bent or broken. Never use a detail knife to remove great amounts of wood -- it is, by design, thin so it can make very detailed cuts. Even the tips of the heavier blade knives we use for roughing out can break under too much sideways or levering pressure. The cure: some knowledge, sandpaper, and a lot of patience. Use a piece of 220 sandpaper (aluminum oxide is best) to remove steel from the top of the blade. That's the thicker part opposite the cutting edge. The back, or top, of the blade is flat and often, depending on the shape of the blade, curved. Simply put that back or top edge on the sandpaper and draw the knife toward you following the curve. The broken tip will gradually disappear after several minutes of work leaving your knife with the same cutting edge shape it always had. The tip will now have the right shape but will be too thick to cut properly. Using that same piece of sandpaper, strop the knife with the proper technique 6 or 8 strokes per side. Then switch to 400 sandpaper (the black wet-dry is best but use it dry) and continue to strop the knife with minimal pressure. Then put the knife on your regular strop and polish it up. Try the repaired knife in a piece of basswood. If you cannot make a clean stop cut with the tip, go back to the 400 grit sandpaper and strop some more. See me for help in restoring a good cutting edge to your knife if this has happened to you, particularly if these directions are not clear. More Carving Secrets from Chris Pye"Carve the form first and then details will take care of themselves. Sort out the major problems first. The rest follows on." From Chris Pye: "Carving is about nothing if it is not about light and shadow."
From Gregory Maguire, author of Mirror Mirror: "The eye is always caught by light, but shadows have more to say."
PatternsHound Dog, Elephant - See Barbara for patterns and cutouts. |
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