Creative Woodworks & crafts 1997-08, страница 57

The push cut

Fig. 3. The tail is narrowed by means of a pull slice cut, slanted into the stop cut.

Knife technique

There are two basic slice cut techniques, the push cut, whereby the thumb of the off hand is used to control the knife, and the pull cut, whereby the knife is pulled toward the thumb of the hand holding the knife. Experienced carvers protect their thumbs by wearing a leather thumb guard or by positioning their thumbs below the path of the knife so that if the wood splits, the thumb will be out of harm's way.

Some carvers wear a fish flayer's glove (available at most sporting goods stores) on their off hands. Cuts are most likely to come on the hand holding the wood rather than the hand holding the knife. Therefore, it is important to keep the off hand out of even an accidental path of the knife.

Fig. 2, A plunge stop cut is made at the base of the tail.

Fig. 4. A knife tip stop cut separates the legs from the body.

you can now use your imagination in rounding and shaping the body and features. The pattern includes a front view of the face, but be creative: make the tail crooked if you want, use V cuts to shape the paws and haunches, make the ribs stick out, anything that adds personal style and detail to your carving. Draw the eyes in before you carve them so that you get them where you really want them. Simple triangular cuts can indicate the eye openings. A black felt-tipped pen can paint in the irises. Make bold cuts so that your carving has a definite "whittled" look. Don't slavishly copy the sample. This dog is supposed to be a caricature, so have fun.