I need a wife

Why this carving woman needs a wife----Its Saturday morning and I wake up. I sit at the pc for a moment to collect my thoughts and read my email. I think about what I will do with the rest of my day. I know what I want to do, I want to carve. But then I think about what I have to do. Laundry, food shopping, cleaning dust bunnies, take the dog out, If I want to eat I will have to cook.  I just want to play today.  I have been in a carving slump lately.  Today is a dreary rainy day.  It is a great day to carve.  However, if I don't take care of the things that need to be taken care of, no one else is going to.  Sometimes, it seems like it would be better to be a man.  When a man and a woman live together, they must have their own activities.  The man usually wanders out into the garage or down into the basement, or goes to a friends house so that he is not underfoot.  This allows his wife to get her work done.  Now I am a woman so this may sound funny coming from me but I do believe that a wife does housework better than a man.  My brain is more like a man's.  I tend to walk over and around things.  Until I actually trip over something I don't really see it.  I have no explanation for why that is.  I like to work on the cars.  I like to do repairs.  I like to work in the yard.  It's not only that I like these things, I am actually better at them.  I am not good housework.  If I were given a task to do, I could do it adequately.  But I just do not see what has to be done.  I am sure that this comes in some way from how I grew up.  My mother did not do housework.  Things did get to the point where we tripped over the clutter.  It is almost as if my brain is programmed not to see something until it absolutely must.  So for me housework does not come naturally.  It takes a great deal of effort on my part.  I find every excuse in the world not to do what I should be doing.  Right now I'm sitting here writing a blog instead of doing my dishes.  I did take the dog out but that was only because she cried to go out.  All I want to do today is carve. Is that so wrong?

A Note on the Passing of a Woodcarver

                     

                               

                                George Reinfried 1932-2010

     As a relative youngster in the woodcarving world, I have witnessed the passing of many older woodcarvers.  Each has been special in his or her own way, and I have felt the usual feelings one does when a mentor, friend or colleague leaves this world but the recent passing of George Reinfried, 78, of  Lancaster Pennsylvania, has had a profound effect, not only on me but on the woodcarving world at large. For those of us lucky enough to have known George, there are no further words needed.  He was a humble man who probably would have preferred not to have any fuss made about him but for those of you who never had the pleasure of meeting George, allow me a moment.  I know George will forgive me. 

     George Reinfried was a simple man, leading a quiet life.  He was born and died in Lancaster, Pennsylvania. He was married to his wife Ann for 29 years. Together, they raised 8 children, had 12 grandchildren and 8 great-grandchildren.  He was a printer for the National Cash Register Company for 25 years and was an avid hunter, fisherman, camper and golfer. He was a man of faith and a member of the Emmanuel Lutheran Church in Lancaster.  He found no greater way to spend his retirement than to be in the company of his beloved family. These things alone would have been a great legacy for the average man. But George was not your average man.  George was a woodcarver.

     George had never planned to be a woodcarver but the day that George met Jack Miller of the Lancaster Woodcarving Club at a woodcarving show, the direction that George’s life would take changed dramatically. What began as a hobby to pass the time in his retirement years soon became a passion to promote woodcarving in his corner of the world. Jack, already an accomplished carver, invited George to start carving with him in the evenings and George took him up on his offer. Georges’ first carving was a labor of love, a cane with his pointer Katie on it, his beloved dog who had just passed away. George continued on his personal carving journey in his basement workshop and could often be found on nicer days, carving out on the patio.  He graced his family with many a wonderfully carved gift. George also found that he enjoyed carving birds, with each and every little feather burned into the wood. George eventually joined the Lancaster Woodcarving Club. Along the way, he also became a member of many other woodcarving groups, the York Carving Club, the American National Cane Club and

a small group of guys that would get together each week in Ted McClains garage. they

kept the number to 7 members and called themselves the WoodBee Carvers. The story could end here but the best is yet to be.  As George got deeper into woodcarving, he and his wife, Ann began accompanying Jack Miller, traveling in their RV to other carving events throughout the country. After traveling to a large woodcarving roundup in Evart, Michigan a few times, where free carving instruction was being offered, George had an idea. “Why don't we have anything like this on the east coast? Lets give it a try.” Sandy Holder of the Michigan Roundup reassured, “If you have it, they will come.” With the support of  his wife, Ann and Jack Miller, he contacted family friends Al and Cindy Waiter who just happened to be the owners of a large camp ground in Honesdale PA, high up in the Pocono mountains.  There was no stopping George. He just kept talking about it and dreaming his dream. In 2003,  George and Jack began contacting talented carving instructors around the country. Ann contacted lots of carving clubs to get the word out. The Northeast Woodcarvers roundup, which became known as the NEWR was underway. As a result of the first NEWR, a caving club was formed at Cherry ridge.  Bob Muller and the Cherry Ridge Woodcarving Club got  involved in this endeavor and things just took off.   George, Ann, Jack Miller and the Cherry Ridge Carvers have since been organizing this annual event.

     The NEWR now attracts approximately 300 woodcarvers from all over the east coast, from Canada to Florida.  Its premise being that it was a place for woodcarvers to get free excellent instruction from skilled instructors and while it excelled in its intended goal, I find the NEWRs greatest achievement was the camaraderie among woodcarvers that it has fostered.  There was “something for everyone” at the NEWR, carving contests, pot luck suppers, non-carving classes, beginner classes and classes for children as young as 14, ice cream socials, trips into Honesdale, Pa for Music in the Park, sing-alongs and funny presentations by the instructors. George was the leader of a merry bunch of misfits and cut-ups, who made the NEWR special.  What I personally will always remember was the twinkle in his eyes when he laughed.  It was contagious. George set the tone for the NEWR and down played any of the work involved with organizing it. The NEWR was playtime for George, often sneaking into town to partake in huge bowls of ice cream with dear friends. If he had one fault, it was said that George could not talk and carve at the same time and woe-be-gone to the carvers who sat in a class that George also took. There would be much more laughing than carving going on. 

     George also had a more serious side as a woodcarving promoter on a national level and became a personal mentor of mine as he playfully cajoled me into becoming a NEWR instructor. I was already an instructor for the Parks Dept in New York City but George did not understand that teaching in a city of 9 million people was immensely less intimidating than joining the ranks of his esteemed carving instructors at NEWR.  It took him a few years and he never let up on me, never let me doubt myself as he put his gentle hand on my back and pushed.  That’s who George was, a playful man with a big heart, who encouraged children and adults to try their hand at carving, much as Jack Miller had once done for him. He even helped his wife start carving.

                                                                              

     The Lancaster Woodcarving Club awarded George their highest

honor, the John Harrington Award, not just for carving but for participating in all

club activities.  Jay Herr and George started beginner carving in the Park and it had

been held each fall in Lancaster. He and Ann were contacted by a woman that taught home school and asked if it would be possible for their club to teach 14 students for 10 weeks, 3 hours a week. Of course George said no problem, and in turn George and Ann approached the Lancaster Woodcarving Club members and had many willing to participate, and now for the last  6 years the club has been teaching students age 14 - 18.

 George also started inviting guest carvers, Floyd Rhadigan, Mike Bloomquist,  and Don Dearolf for seminars at the Lancaster Woodcarving club, George handled all details.

 Two years ago, George thought it would be great to have carving seminars held in a beautiful building in the Lancaster County Park, with his wife, Ann cooking breakfast and lunch. Forty carvers attended. The instructors were Pete LeClair, Don Dearolf, Jan Oegema and Bob Statlander.

     Georges’ story could end here, but it doesn’t.  His true legacy is yet to be seen as George has had a direct hand in beginning and improving the carving careers of many a talented woodcarver. Ann and Jack Miller will, no doubt, continue to be driving forces behind the dream that George once envisioned.  There will be more carving and more laughing as the NEWR has now become bigger than George, Ann and Jack could have foreseen. It has taken on a life of its own. This year will be a tough one for the NEWR as the pain of losing George will be a fresh wound on the hearts of many.  Among the din of all the carvers talking and laughing and the instructors teaching, there will be an unplanned moment of silence when I will swear I can hear Georges mischievous laugh float through the air. I will choke back a sob and I will smile.  Thank You George Reinfried! Thank You for all you’ve done for the woodcarving world but more importantly, thank you for who you were, a humble giant.  George will be looking down on us from that golden workbench which is magically always clean, where the tools are impossibly always sharp, the wood is wonderfully sweet and carvings actually get finished in a timely manner.  He will still be laughing and smiling. He will still be George, my friend.

Maura Macaluso

Chisel Sharpening and Repair

To start with you should determine if the chisel has to be sharpened or repaired.

Sharpening a Chisel

Clamp the chisel into a fixed table vise so that the taper or bevel is facing up. To determine what grit to start the sharpening process with check to see how sharp the edge is. If it is very dull but still has some bite start with 400 grit wet/dry paper or stone. If you use paper put it on a block to make the paper sit even on the bevel. Make sure to lay the block or stone flat on the bevel. It doesn’t matter if this is a round, flat or “V” chisel. Press down evenly on the block with a slight more pressure to the front or cutting edge side. Use the back and forth motion or round and round motion. But do not rock the block or stone back and forth.  A good way to see where you are sharpening is taking place on the bevel is to see where your scratches from the paper or stone are taking place. When you can see that your edge is getting sharper you can advance on to the 600 grit paper and after you have done a few strokes and advanced the sharpened edge go onto the 800 grit. Do the same with the 1,000 and the 2,000 grit papers. After this you will want to use the 10,000 grit paste on the leather strop. You can use a flat strop on the bevel and on the inside use a strop that is wrapped on a dowel. The inside of your chisel will determine the radius of the dowel. Do the majority of the stropping with the flat strop on the bevel side and clean the burr off with the round strop on the opposite side.

Again when you are sharpening the chisel do not rock the sharpener back and forth because what happens is you will set up a convex bevel and it will have very little if any bite going into the wood, To determine if the bevel has a convex  area put the bevel down on a flat area if you can see a crown or a convex surface it is time for a repair.

Repair A Convex Bevel

If your chisel is not too hard you can use a good or new file. If the file slide off of it you will have to resort to the slow speed belt sander. Use a course, 80 grit belt,  Determine the angle you want when you are finished and work toward that angle. Press the convex area  lightly on the belt for a two seconds and determine how hot the metal is getting. To do this you will have to touch the sharpened end to determine the heat. You don’t want it over a hundred degrees Fahrenheit. Dunk it in the water to keep it cool. Also yopu can press on for 2 second and off the belt for two seconds then back on for 2 seconds. Keep on dunking it every onces in a while. Don’t get in a big hurry with this process because you can make lots of work for yourself if the chisel turns brown or blue in color from sharpening. If this happens the structure of the steel has been changed to get it back to a normal harness for this steel it will have to be re-tempered. So go slow. In this case slow is fast. After you have taken the convex out and you have the angle on the bevel you want then you can start with the 400 grit and use the sharpening instructions above. Remember avoid the rocking motion with the sharpener be it the paper or the stone . To do this watch where your scratches are taking place.

Repair a Hollow Bevel Chisel  ( Recess bevel on the round chisel )

This will happen if the back of the bevel has been sharpened too much. To recognize this you will see the inside or bottom side of the chisel goes back and the shape looks elongated.

Take a new or good file and file the cutting edge straight. This means knocking the corners back. Then get the bevel you want either with the file or belt sand as above. If you are using the belt sander do it slowly and lightly  so as not to cause too much heat in the metal. After the corners have been knocked back then get the bevel you want. Watch the bevel it maybe convex at this point too and this will have to be straightened out also. When this has all been straightened out then use the sharpening method to touch up the edge to where you want it.

Tool Sharpening Tips and Techniques

 

I've found that there are two types of carvers when it comes to tools. Those that see the tool as just a means to carve the wood, and those that see the wood as a chance to use the tool. I fall into the later category. With a bent blade, the first type sees this as a loss of carving time, while the second type sees this as a chance to reshape the tool. Now you may fall into the first type, but even if you don't really like messing with your tools, you will find a great deal more freedom when you develop the skills to fix and reshape your tools. So here goes. When I started carving, I was extremely frustrated with sharpening. I finally found that practice was what made the difference. Sharpening a tool is not rocket science, its being able to hold the tool in the same position repeatedly while going through the sharpening process. The other part is having some basic knowledge about edge shapes. If you are at all mechanically inclined, and can visualize what the edge looks like, then you have all you need. Pictures make all the difference, but text editors don't do them, and I'm no good at doing that funky ASCII art. So here are words for some basic principles. 1. The shallower the angle (smaller), the sharper the knife edge. Conversely the shallower the angle, the weaker is the edge. So for choking done trees, you need a much steeper angle then for shaving your beard. Angles in books are nothing more then general guidelines. If you are too shallow, then the knife cuts great, but gets dull quickly. If too steep, then the knife cuts less great, but does it for a lot longer before resharpening. As you continue wood carving, you will form opinions about what that angle should be based on the particular tool, the wood being carved, and your own particular style. Don't agonize too much over the proper angle. "Good-enough" goes a long way here, but I like 27.43 degrees. 2. It is the microscopic edge (the leading edge) which determines how sharp the blade is regardless of the angle used. That's why you can shave with an axe that's well sharpened. Once you have an appropriate angle, all of your effort is to make this microscopic edge; clean, polished, and true. How this is accomplished is where you get all of the differences of opinion. 3. You can sharpen your knife with a flat rock found in the back yard. It will turn out just fine. But, it will take a lot of work, and it will be a pain. You will need to buy some things to make your job easier. What you buy though is wide open. It mostly depends on: - $ or $$$$ - Are you high tech or low tech (new fangled vs old fashioned) - You like hand tools or power tools. - You just want it sharp, or you want to perfect the craft of sharpening. - Big workshop or small box in the hall closet --> I am a cheap, low tech, tool sharpener with a garage (part of it at least, the rest keeps filling up) Now, since you have no opinions, and are looking for specifics, I will give you my idea of the basics you should have. This is roughly in order of priority. 1. a double-sided carborundum stone at least six inches in length. This can be found in any hardware store. This is your basic stone for reshaping and establishing the edge. It has two sides, a rough side, and a medium side. Note: you will need to use oil or water or spit to keep the pores clean while cutting (see 2 below). For these stones I find spit best. Oil is too messy, and water soaks right through too quickly. 2. a soft Arkansas stone, again at least six inches in length. These are a little harder to find, but any store that handles knives will have one of these. You should get a small bottle of honing oil for the stone. It usually comes with the stone. The oil keeps the particles of metal from getting embedded into the pores in the stone (the little crystalline cutting edges which do the work) and clogging them up. You can use any light oil for the job, including cooking oil. Water or spit works too, but I like to stay consistent with a stone. 3. a honing strop (sp). This you make your self. Instructions below. 4. polishing compound for the strop. These look like big fat Crayons. It is a polishing powder mixed with wax to hold it together. You rub it on the surface of your strop, or on some cotton or felt power sharpeners. You can find this at many hardware stores hidden away someplace. Also you can find it at jewelry supply and some auto supply stores. It comes in different colors (the color of the powder used). They have different hardness and polishing characteristics. The box they come in will give you some guidelines. I've just always used the red rouge and never really experimented with the rest much. You don't need much. It goes a long way I still have the original set after 20 years (but I don't use power buffing tools much). 5. two good flat files. A medium one, and a fine one. By good, I mean not too small, and one with a decent handle. At this point you have everything you need. It's about as cheap as you can go. From there on, you are getting into specialty items which can make things easier or faster. You can get: - harder Arkansas stones for finer polishing - specialty ceramic stones instead of Arkansas - Japanese water stones instead of Arkansas - Diamond surfaced stones instead of Arkansas - cotton and felt polishing pads for a bench grinder - belt sanding rigs replacing the carborundum - water bath power sharpeners - bench grinders for fast reshaping and blade making - $$$$ Ok, now how do you fix the point on your new knife. I have not had much success with bending the points back. If you have a hammer and a solid surface (like a metal anvil) you can try hammering it flat. It will still need some fix-up, but not as much. With your file, file off the bent point. When it starts to get flat, you can switch to the rough carborundum. Work on it until all of the bend in the metal is gone and you have only the original "plane" of the blade. Then its decision time. You said it was a roughout knife. Not knowing what it looks like, but clueing off the word roughout, I'm figuring that a pointy type end is not real important. If so, you are almost home free. You just resharpen the end to make it match the rest of the blade. - well no, not really because you will find that you are going to put an entirely new edge on the blade anyway which take some time. If you think you want a point back on, or want to reshape the end, then you are going to do some major surgery. This is the real hard part - it takes faith - take the edge off your knife with the rough stone so you don't cut yourself while reshaping. Have faith, you will get the edge back on. With your file, filing perpendicular to the edge, file the point until the shape looks right. You can use the rough stone here too. You aren't trying to put an edge on, just to get the shape (profile) right. Ok, now how to resharpen. I would use this as an opportunity to practice. This will take about 30 minutes, so get a good flat surface, and a chair to sit in. You are going to go rough side, medium side, soft Arkansas, and strop. You want to develop control and consistency. You want to experiment with pressure, and with different postures of hands and body which help the consistency. Some people use a round-and-round motion when sharpening. I just do a sweep in one direction - cutting edge leading rather then trailing. I will use a round-and-round motion when I want to take off metal faster, particularly at the start, but then switch. This is personal preference (and it works for me) Ok, here is where the visualizing comes in. What your are doing is grinding a face on your blade. In the books and instructions, this face looks nice and flat, but because you can't keep the blade at exactly the same angle your face will be more rounded. The flatter the better (consistency). As you are working you blade, stop, wipe it off and take a good look at the edge. If you have a good magnifying glass, use it. Also, get a black magic marker and go over the edge with it. Then go back to the stone for a little. Stop, and look at the edge. You can see real clear where you are grinding and where you are not. Bright light helps too. You will likely get a bias in the blade from change in angle as you move it across. This means that one side is at a different angle then the other, or that the front or back of the knife is at a different angle. Try to minimize this bias. To test the knife, use your fingernail rather then shaving your arm. Push the edge across your thumb nail as if it was the sharpening stone (not a slice or saw motion). Don't push down on the knife, let the weight of the knife be the pressure. When it starts to get sharp, it will "grab" the nail rather then slide over it. This is rather dramatic, and you will know it when it happens. Also slide the edge of the nail along the knife edge feeling for smoothness. You can feel the slightest micro-nicks this way. Do this slowly and cautiously. We don't want to cut ourselves. You will spend the most time on the rough stone. Your are going to remove a lot of metal. Stay with it until it starts to catch your nail, and has a good face on the edge. Figure 15-20 minutes here (but it depends). Next go to the medium. You want to make sure to keep the same face angle. The magic marker works well here. You are also smoothing the scratches from the rough stone. You are done here when the edge starts to look polished, and there is a significant increase in sharpness. If you "think it feels a little sharper", then you aren't done. If you aren't making progress, then you are probably changing the angle and are trying to grind a new face. This is the mistake I always made. With a magic marker and a magnifying glass this is real obvious. With the Arkansas stone, you want to finish the polishing of both the edge face and the edge edge. Watch your angles here. Check yourself. You will see some improvement in the sharpness as measured on your thumb nail, but it will be more refined. Keep going as long as you see increased progress. Use the magnifying glass and watch the edge. When you think you are ready, You want to put about 5-10 strokes on each side at a steeper angle - just slightly steeper, say 5 degrees. This puts on your micro-cutting edge. It is this micro edge that you will be reconditioning as you resharpen your knife while carving. You don't have to go back to this major resharpening as described here until you no longer have success in touching up the micro edge. The strop and Arkansas stone will be your tools for the touch-up. Wipe the knife, and then under a bright light gently press the knife almost flat on your thumbnail. If you have done the job right, you will see the extreme edge appear to bend (the reflected light lets you see this). The part that is bending is called the "wire edge". It is very thin, and is an artifact from the sharpening process. If used this way, it will break off causing micro-nicks (can't see them, but can feel them with the nail). We use the strop for this. Take the strop, and lay the knife flat on it and use some pressure pushing it against the strop. Then draw the knife with the edge trailing (else you cut the leather strop) across the strop switching from side to side. 10 strokes usually does it. If you test the knife for sharpness on the thumb nail, you should see a dramatic increase in sharpness. Keep stropping until it doesn't improve. Use this same procedure to touch up your knife while carving. When you don't feel an improvement, then go back to the Arkansas and re-do the micro-edge. Eventually you have to go back and put the face back on. How often depends on the steel, the original face angle, and the carving. Re-doing the face is never as dramatic as putting the original face on the tool. Much faster. The knife should now catch immediately in your thumb nail. It doesn't skid at all. You are doing this with little or know pressure. The weight of the blade is all it takes. If your are unsure of the feel of this, get a razor and test it on the nail. This should be your benchmark. Now, how to make a strop. Get a 14-16 inch piece of 1x2 pine. Carve a decent handle in the first six inches, and leave the rest flat. Now get a chunk of leather at least 8-10 inches long and 2 inches wide (and not real thin). Glue the leather onto the rest of the stick. White glue or contact cement work fine. Clamp or weight the thing down to set overnight. When set, use a sharp knife to trim off excess leather. Take the polishing compound as described above and rub it all over the leather putting on a reasonable coat. Every so often I will scrap off the old stuff and put on a fresh coat. Well, there you have it. Chris Nelson Duane: Any sort of buffing with any type of wheel/strop/buffer will EVENTUALLY round off a tool's edge. That is because the is always a little deflection of the buffing wheel as it comes off the tool,... as sort of depression... that rounds the tool edge ever so slightly. The buffing wheel, though, rounds the edge off less than, say, a stitched cloth wheel. Unless of course, the person at the "handle end" of the tool is causing the tool to contact the felt wheel at too "blunt" an angle. I watch my students buff their tools on my felt wheel, and honestly, sometimes I just cringe. They may as well just push the "sharp" edge right into the wheel, the way they are attempting to buff the tool. When a tool's cutting angle becomes blunt from buffing, it is a very simple matter to take the tool to the bench stone, dress the edge with a few stroke, take the burr off with slip stones, and buff the edge to a fresh, sharp finish. I can do this in less than 3 minutes in a pinch. No sharpening system is EXACT, especially when it comes to buffing. This is because the person who holds the tool is not EXACT (like a machine) and also because buffing wheels/strops deflect. Instead of trying to find something that is EXACT, try your best to develop the SKILL you need to keep your tools in shape. It takes practice, but the effort is worth it. Just accept the fact that ONCE IN A WHILE you will have to reshape the edge on your bench stone to bring the cutting angle back to specs. It's a fact of life where sharp edges are concerned. Hope this helps. Bill Judt Grande Prairie, Alberta, Canada One of the major advantages of felt is that it will deform to the shape of the applied object - it has some "give" to it. How much it will round (or deform) the edge depends on the amount and aggressiveness of the compound applied, the angle at which the edge is introduced, the length of time in contact, and the force with which you apply the edge to the wheel. With that out of the way, yes it will round your edge, but how much and how soon depends on your individual sharpening practices. I personally use two cardboard wheels to sharpen with, one charged with 220 grit aluminum oxide abrasive and lightly coated with wax. The second is plain cardboard with slots across the face, and a buffing compound, usually white rouge applied, for honing. I use the grit wheel for normal sharpening, which is only required occasionally, unless an edge becomes damaged. I use the honing wheels for final honing and light touchup. This is on all knives and the outer bevel of all sweeps and gouges, including vees. The commercial name of this system is Frizzell's Razor Sharp, but I have seen similar under other names. I also use a muslin buff, a fairly stiff one, as a final touch to remove all traces of rouge from the edge and on the inside of gouges. I know many professional carvers who use felt wheels, but always in conjunction with some sort of hard wheel, most frequently a conventional grinding wheel. If you use felt, eventually the edge will round enough that you must go back to something else to flatten it. If, however, your edge will cut a thin curl across the end grain of a piece of basswood, that is a curl thin and smooth enough to curl near full circle before breaking, it is suitable for carving. Regardless of all the theories and pundits - myself included - the ultimate standard in sharpening has to be the ability to cut clean and smoothly, without requiring excessive force. Jim From: Graeme Vaughan (vaughan@webnet.com.au) The best information I have received on sharpening (after a good deal of reading and asking and trying) is from Les Miller at the recent Working with Timber show here in Melbourne (Les also produces videos on this and other subjects but I don't have the contact details - sorry! perhaps some other Ozwoodie can help).Advice as follows: The sharpening process is best divided into three parts: grinding or setting the bevel honing stropping or polishing 1.Grinding For this you will need a soft start bench grinder with an 8 inch white Aluminum oxide wheel (NOT the Silicon Carbide wheel which is sold with most bench grinders), 46 grit and rated K or J for hardness. The wheel is large, quite coarse and soft. The reason for this is that it enables material to be removed quickly without heating the tool and ruining the temper. There is no need to dip the tool in water to cool it as it remains cool throughout the process. To clean and true the wheel do not use diamond sticks etc, but use a silicon carbide dressing stick as this keeps the wheel true. You will also need a tool rest which adjusts to any angle. Daniel Starbuck's point about maintaining the bevel is absolutely spot on. It is very difficult to maintain the correct angle freehand. 2. Honing For honing, use a diamond impregnated steel plate or Arkansas slate slipstone (the former is preferred). Use WD40 to keep the stones clean. For plane blades, chisels etc, use a bought or shop made holder to keep the blade at the correct angle to the plate. See any good sharpening book on the techniques. Hone the flat side of single bevelled tools first. 3. Stropping For this you will need a leather wheel and polish rouge. There are power strop systems available for power drills. Hope this helps. Cheers. Graeme

Sharpening and Maintaining an edge

         

                                                      Always be Alert and never attempt to sharpen if you are not in full command of your mental and physical faculties.   

If you maintain your knife blade after it has been sharpened you will not have to sharpen it. To maintain the blade give it a couple of strokes as suggested below, with the  1,000 grit or 2,000 grit wet/dry sand paper or stone. Then strop it with the 10,000 grit paste.

Straight Single Edge Blade

If the knife is very dull start with a 600 or 800  grit wet/dry sand  paper. Lay the knife flat on the edge of the paper. Lift the back of the knife slightly about 5 to 10 degrees so as the edge that is to be sharpened is resting on the sandpaper. Slide the knife away from the cutting edge. See diagram on the bottom. Do this two time on one side then turn the blade on the other side and repeat the same process on the opposite side of the blade. You have removed metal about 1/16” from the cutting edge, which is normal. The key is to keep it almost flat on the paper and rotate from side to side. The pressure you put on the paper should be light but firm. After you have a good edge with the 600 or 800 grit paper you will want to repeat this process with the 1000 grit paper and the same with the 2,000 grit paper . You may want to go to a higher grit, for a finer edge. You may also want to strop the blade, on leather with the white compound , to clean off the burrs at the end of your sharpening. To strop put compound on the strop and raise the back up 5 to 10 degrees and use the sharpening motion. You can go back and forth so long as you keep the knife fairly flat so you don’t cut the strop. When the compound gets black and shiny it is used up so scrape it off and recharge it and let it dry.

Caution:  Do not raise the back of the blade too high you will remove the cutting edge with a couple of strokes or put shoulders on the or cutting edge side of the blade.

Double Edge Curved Blade

If the knife is very dull starting with the 600 to 800 grit wet/dry sandpaper. Rip the paper sheet into ¼’s. Wrap one of  the ¼’s around a dowel that will fit on the inside of the curve or hook on the blade. Lay the paper & dowel flat on the blade. Lift the paper & dowel up 5 degrees toward the cutting edge then stroke away from the edge. Do the same amount of strokes on each side until you have the desired edge. Remember to do the same amount of strokes  on  each side for even wear.  Repeat this same process  with  1,000  and  2,000 grit wet/dry sandpaper  or sharpening stone. You may want to go to higher grit,  for a finer edge. You may also want to strop the blade on leather to clean off  any burrs at the end of your sharpening. Spread some white lightning stropping compound onto the leather strop. When the compound dries on the strop use the sharpen method on the compound. When your compound gets black and shiny gently scrape it off and recharge it with clean compound.  It is about a 10,000 grit and brings the  tool up to a super fine edge.

Woodcarving Tips I wished I had learned Years Earlier

            I started out in woodcarving not knowing much.  I had some general novice woodworking skills, some middle of the road household tools and not much else.  When I actually began carving, I didn’t know any other woodcarvers so I was a true self-taught hand carver, toiling away in the basement in the middle of the night while my family and the rest of the world were fast asleep, using whatever tools I had at hand.  Some things came easily, other things I struggled through, but little by little, I learned.  It would have been great to have had an experienced carver guide me along, but that was not to be.  If there was any advice I would give to a beginner carver, which he would carry with him through all his future years of carving, it would have to be some tips on accumulating tools.

            Initially, I thought I needed to have a whole bunch of different sets of tools and being on a budget; I wound up with a whole bunch of useless tools.  I was buying economy tools and judging the value on how many tools I bought vs. how much I spent.  It didn’t take long for the inferior tools to frustrate me and to come to the conclusion that I was going about things the wrong way.  I soon came to accept that a quality tool was easily worth its price and if cared for, could last a carver’s lifetime and perhaps generations longer.

            The first tool purchase should be an all purpose carving knife, not a utility knife, not a bench knife but a knife made specifically for carving.  I personally recommend the 1 1/2” Mora Frost carving knife.  It is a top quality knife at an economical price. It can be found many places on line for $10-$20.  It is made in Sweden of laminated steel and is a strong knife that will hold a well sharpened edge with only occasional stropping needed. You should also at this time purchase, sharpening stones, a strop and some decent polishing compound.  Your carving tools will only be as good as they are sharp.  A dull tool is a dangerous instrument in any hand.

            The next tool purchase should be a 6 piece set of top quality carving chisels and gouges.  These should be full-size professional tools.  If you buy a larger set, you will find that there will be a few tools that you will never really use. It is wise to spend your money on tools that you will want to use often.  I recommend Pfiel (swiss-made) tools.  They are a well constructed balanced tool and come pre-sharpened from the factory.  You will not be disappointed. A starter set should include a 60 degree v-tool, a straight chisel, a skew chisel, a veiner, a #5 gouge and a #9 gouge.  These are the basic profiles that you will use again and again.  From this point on, chisels and gouges should be purchased on a need by need basis, or from a personal preference point of view.  There are over 1200 profiles of woodcarving tools manufactured today. There are detail and roughing knives, palm chisels, micro chisels, bent, dog leg chisels and more, all to be considered when fleshing out your original set.  Try out different brands, different styles of handles and different sizes and weights.  Other carvers’ recommendations can guide you but the tool must feel good in your hand or you will not reach for it.  Remember to be careful reaching for any chisel, injuries seem to occur more often when reaching for or putting away the tools rather than when you are actually carving.

             When contemplating before beginning a carving, imagine where the difficulties will lie and try to purchase a chisel which will make the job easier.  When estimating a commission carving, I will sometimes include the cost of a certain chisel which will be used.  You can purchase one chisel every month or every two months and before long will have a set which many will envy and you will have a core selection of chisels that you not only will use but that you will look forward to using.  

Maura Macaluso

www.carvinginnyc.com

What the Beginner and the Novice Should Know About The Bent Knife

 What the Beginner and the Novice  Should Know About The Bent Knife Carving Tools

Carving Tool History: 

Through some research I have found out some interesting facts about the start of the carving tools. The tools started out very primitive. They were made of jade, obsidian, bone, seashells and beavers hind leg. Certain fish shins were used for sanding. Stories have been told of people coming to the Americas northwest coast from different parts of the world, pre 1700 century. There were reports of people boating over from Hawaii, Japan and Russia. These are the people that introduced steel to the Native Americans. Also steel had been retrieved from floating debris from wrecked ships. This steel  would have been in a very primitive state but a big improvement over the bone and tools. The proof of this is that the carvings started to get bigger and more detailed. The oldest bent knife I have seen was one that belonged to Wayne Carlick who said it belonged to his grandfather. The blade was made  of bone and shaped  in a slow curved. It was lashed with sinew to an arbutus brand that was the handle.  Wayne is a carver at the Capilano Suspension bridge in North Vancouver, BC

Tools:

 A good quality tool will be one of the most important investments you can make as a carver. A good tool can be just as important as the experience you gain. It is very discouraging to have a tool that won’t stay sharp or a tool that is too hard to sharpen and will quite often chip or break. A good way to find good tools is to ask a master carver. They have usually established a working relationship with a retailer or a knife maker.

When looking for a carving tool ask the retailer or knife maker a few questions like what is the blade hardness and what kind of steel are they made from. If the retailer can’t tell you what kind of steel it is made of stay away from it. The hardness should be RC 57+  and the steel should be tool steel. L6 is about the best I have found for wood carving tools. The cutting edge stays sharp for a long time and there is a bit of flex in the blade. With the right heat treatment this blade has what is called a tough edge. There will be an explanation further on.

When purchasing a tools get one  that has been pre-sharpened .You don’t want to sit for hours sharpening to save maybe a few dollars. If the knife comes with a guarantee you can be assured it has some quality . This will be a commitment to the carver that this is a quality tool.

Carving Tool Steel:

 The composition of the steel is one of the things that makes or breaks a quality carving tool. The main function of a carving tool is to cut with the least resistance. To do this two things have to be considered, the thickness of the blade and the ability of the blade to stay sharp. The best steel for carving tools is tools steel. There are different grades of tools steel. The best is the one with the high nickel and high carbon content, preferably L6. Stay away from the tool steel that has a high content of carbide, Carbide can make a tool very hard but with a thin edge the is no material to support it and it will chip under a bit of stress. When it chips you have to have it repaired. A good tool steel will be made up of the following composition: .75% carbon, 2.60% nickel the high carbon and high nickel content gives the blade a tough edge.

Analysis of the L6 tool steel is .75% carbon, .25% silicon, .42% manganese, .025% potassium, .011% sulfur, .03%chrome, 2.60% nickel.

Straight Single Edge Knife:

There are many of these type of knifes. The ones we are most concerned about are the chip knife, the skew knife, a traditional straight edge. These blades can be different widths and lengths.

Drop point: This knife is favored by many carvers because it require a lot less wrist reaction then the ordinary straight back blade. To be effective the blade should be thin to offer little resistance while going through the wood. The top of the blade should lean forward so the knife will be doing a slicing motion while going through the wood.

Chip carving knife: You can identified this knife by the straight cutting edge leading to point. The back or spine of the blade has a curve leading down to the cutting edge. This knife is excellent for “V” cuts or any line cuts. While making the cuts you can hold the knife perpendicular to the work piece making easy on the wrist. You can use your thumb on the back to guide it while making a cut. This knife should lean forward so the knife is doing a slicing motion while going through the wood. While making tight circle cuts this knife should do very little if any chattering on the wood.

Skew knife: This knife can be identified by the 45% angle on the cutting edge. Usually this knife blade is very slender a can make very deep cuts. It is very good for “V” cuts because of the depth you can go into the wood with it being so slender. This is an excellent knife on the straight cuts. Because of the width of the blade it is not good on tight curves.

Bent knife:

The bent knives usually have a cutting sharp cutting edge on either side. Some carvers prefer having the knife sharp only on one side because they like to push one side with there thumb and that would be a safety hazard if both sides were sharp.

These blades can be different widths and lengths. What will determine the size is the size of the carving that is being done. The blades I have made are from 3/16” to 1 ½” wide by  ¾” to 6” long.

There are basically four different bent knives and all the other knives are a variation of these four.

A. Straight double edge knife :-

Although this blade is not bent it is the same shape and used to complete a bent knife set of six knives. This knife is used for clean up and detail work. While selecting this knife it will be important to make sure the blade is sharpened from close to the handle to the tip of the blade. All though it is not bent it is of the same design. It will be used for the hard to reach areas and tight corners. This blade can also be used for cutting lines

B. Slow curve knife :- 

This is also known as the planer blade. At the front of this blade there will have a slight bend. There are different variations to the bend in the slow curved blade. There can be a bend from about 5 degrees to 30 degrees bend. This blade should be sharp along the level part of the blade to the tip. Some of the cuts you will be requiring from this knife will be against the stop cuts. This will require the use of the very tip of the blade. The selection of this bend will depend where the carver wants to carve. This knife can be used to level off the flatter part of the carving. It can be used for shallow cuts

C. High curved knife :-

This blade has a serious bend in it. It will usually be bent from about 45 % to 90% with a large curve. This blade should be usable, meaning sharp, from the heel right  to the tip. With this knife you will be able to get into deeper areas. This knife will usually have a bit of a flat area and this can be used for leveling cuts you have made with a knife that has an aggressive bend like the hook knife. The wide curve of this blade can be used for cleaning these same cuts in a rounded area, for example, in a bowel or spoon.

To Effectively Use A Double Edge Bent Knife

To Effectively Use A Double Edge Bent Knife

Inside beveled blade

There are two different types of double edge knives. There is the inside bevel and the back side bevel. This particular knife is identified by the bevel on the inside radius of the blade. I will also discuss the backside bevel knife.

The blade is mounted on the handle in such a way that you can get close to the wood with the back of the handle. With the blade positioned the way it is you will have more control of your cuts then you will with a chisel and with the cutting edge on each sides you won’t have to turn your carving around to cut the opposite way. With the bent knife you can start and stop your cuts where and when you want .You are not pushing you tool like you do with the chisel.

What the knife can be used for

To understand how the blade cuts I will explain the areas were the bent knife is very efficient On a relief carving you can get down into areas and cut up against the stop cut. For any concaved areas you can use the high curved or the hooked knife. Bowels or spoons can be carved with the high curved or the hooked knife. The slow cured knife is very useful for leveling off or plaining an area. It is also useful for shallow relief or digging.

How to hold the knife

To use the knife place the back of the handle in the palm of the hand you will use for carving. The tip of the curved blade should be pointed upwards. Place the thumb toward the top of the handle and the little finger is toward the blade. In this position you will effectively be able to guide the angle of the cut.  See diagram A, below.

There are a few different ways to use the bent knife most of them will be the right way to use them I have observed carvers and also used the carving tools myself. I have found to get the best use of this knife, holding it in your hand as mentioned above. Put the bottom of the blade flat on the wood you will carve. Meaning 90 degrees to the wood to be carved.  Use the heal of the blade to carve with. So the knife should be angled back (about 15 degrees) and the blade laying  flat on the heal of the blade. Now take and angle the knife toward you about 5 to 10 degrees. Put some pressure on the knife and drag it toward you. Make sure that your elbow is tucked into your side and remember to keep your wrist straight unless you want to finish your cut. In this case you change the angle by angling the knife back up to the 90 degrees. The angle of your knife will determine the depth of your cut. You should not have the knife angled any more than 20 degrees off the 90 degrees at any  time. Too steep of an angle will prevent you from making an easy cut. This theory works for all the different bent knives. This usually takes some practice so don’t get discouraged. Just practice the cut on a piece of scrap wood before you get into a carving

See diagram B, below for the angle of the knife

This knife is sharpened on both sides so you will want to use both sides, you will be able to do a pushing or pulling action. This will save you the effort of turning the carving around every time you want to cut in a different direction. Sometimes the grain in the would changes and you have to cut in a different direction. This is extremely helpful when the wood grain starts to run in different directions.

There are three basic bent knives, a slow curve and high curve and a hooked knife. Some uses for the three styles of knives are:

Slow Curved Knife

The slow curve is as it suggest. It has a very gradual curve toward the end of the knife The knife can be used for shallow digging or to plane a surface. Sometimes the surface has to be planed to draw lines or to complete or finish off an area. Sometime you have to make cuts up against a stop cut so the blade should be sharp right out to the tip. With this blade you should be able to cut with both sides of the knife. If the grain in the wood is changing direction you don’t have to turn the carving around, just change the direction of cutting with the knife

High Curve Knife

This knife is also as it suggests. The curve is high. Usually it is bent up to 90 degree. The wide curve makes the knife excellent for cleaning out the knife marks made by the hook knife in a concave area. This knife acts as a wide scorp. Being sharp right to the tip you can cut up against the stop cuts with this knife. This is an excellent knife for deep relief carvings. I especially like it for relieving the background.

Hooked Knife

Easily recognized by the hook at the end of the blade this knife is very useful in roughing out the bowel or spoons and any other concaved areas. This knife can be used in a scorp. In a manner  more so then the high curved knife. I would like to remind you that the angle that you have the knife off the wood determines the depth of your cut. In other words if you lay the heel of your knife flat on the wood it will not cut anything, if you tip it toward you about 5 to 10 degrees and pull the knife towards you it will dig in. To start with put your elbow into your side and keep your wrist straight . Just cut a shaving off the surface until you get used to the knife. Don’t bend your wrist unless you want to cut out. Try to pull and push it to get used to it. See diagram A and diagram B for proper angles.

If You Loved Me

If You Loved Me

If you loved me, you’d bring me pine

Basswood, Linden, Ash or Lyme

Some Apple, Spruce, perhaps redwood

Catalpa and Aspen are also good.

If you truly loved me, you’d bring sycamore

Birch and Mahogany I am sure

Rosewood, Acacia and Tupelo too

If you loved me as much as I love you.

Prove that you love me, bring me some cedar

Some ash, some Elm, Cherry is sweeter.

If you really love me, treat me good

Bring me Walnut, Hickory and Dogwood

Maple or Oak, perhaps Douglas Fir.

Show me you love me with some poplar

Cypress and Butternut would be nice from you

If you loved me as much as I loved you

Maura Macaluso 

Copyright 2010

The Woodcarvers Palm Reading

It was a mistake to have picked up that chisel

I was tired with a great lack of sleep

My favorite tool was jagged, nicked and dull

And about to get in trouble deep.

But with nothing else I’d rather do

Carving was what I had planned

Down in the mess of my small workshop

I took that tool in fated hand

Carving Rules: First thing, stay alert

And keep all tools safe from harm.

My first clue should have been the blood

Which was dripping down my arm

At first I thought that all was well

Though I struggled with every chip

And it’s funny how I knew it was coming

Before I even felt the damned tool slip.

Today’s carving would be delayed

I’d put the chisel through my palm

And looking down on the ghastly sight

I wondered why I was so calm
twitching to and fro with my pulse

The chisel danced, as if to mock me

To leave it in or pull it out

Became a question of some urgency

Now what would you do if you were me

With a chisel stuck in your hand

Call for help, perhaps seek first aid?

But You’d have to be me to understand.

Of course, I pulled it out you see

And I bandaged my hand up good

Then I sharpened up my tool

And went back to carving wood.

It’s some years later now, though scarred

My hand has healed quite fine

The best lessons are born of tragedy

I now have an extended lifeline.

Maura Macaluso

The Mighty Tree

The Mighty Tree

Rising from the forest floor

How proudly they have stood

I look upon majestic trees

And all I see is wood.

Going to the lumberyard

To buy a few board feet

I choose a wonderful mahogany

Straight-grained and oh, so sweet.

I sit a piece on my workbench

Turn it over in my hands

Think how many years its’ lived

Bring some justice with my plans

I bring it up to my nose

And inhale it’s earthy scent

Then reach out for my pencil

What shall it represent?

Chisel and knife standing ready

A gleam across the blades

I try to find some inspiration

Before the daylight fades

Then in the quiet of the night

My tools just seem to dance

Taking away what isn’t there

Having nothing left to chance

A glorious sunrise greets the day

My masterpiece sits before me

In celebration of the wood

I have carved a mighty tree.

Maura Macaluso

The Custom Carver

The Custom Carver

It was just a few short years ago
when i picked up my first knife
Just a magic moment in a day
that  forever changed my life.

that day a woodcarver I became
and I wore my chips with pride
and I learned everything I could
left no technique untried.

I called myself a custom carver
and built my own web site
spent the next few years carving
staying up very late each night.

I heard that one must find a niche
and believe me, I have tried
I still carve almost anything
whatever my customers decide.

While I like to carve my own designs
I do not wish to starve
so I create what others want
At least I get to carve.

Maura Macaluso

Wood Chips

Wood chips

wood chips, wood chips everywhere
whatever should I do
sweep them all up into a pile
and grab a bottle of glue.
To the carving that they came from
I try to paste them on
little piece here, little slice there
until the pile is gone
now I'm right back where I started
with a modest block of wood
Can no longer see my carving
It wasn't very good.
But again I start to chisel
again the wood chips fall
covering up my legs and feet
till I can't see them at all
I look up at my carving
and its exactly as before
just a mediocre carving,
a pile of wood chips on the floor
Some days can just be magic
other days nothing goes my way
wood wants to be what it wants to be
and tomorrow's another day

Maura Macaluso

Listen to the Wood

Listen to the Wood

I must first have a plan
I try telling myself
As I reach for some Basswood

High up on the shelf.

My chisels are sharpened.
The woods' in my vise.
Some say wood can talk.
I try listening twice.

All I hear is silence
Not one single word
So I give it a second
And then maybe a third.

I try picking it up
Turn it round in my hands
And then I start looking
Through my filed away plans.

It's a half hour later
And I haven't a clue
So I google for pictures
But its now half past two.

So I get up and stretch
And I then sit back down
My sleeve catches a chisel
I curse, stomp and frown.

So I pick up the chisel
Hold it up to the light
Realized I've chipped it
Understanding my plight.

So first to the grinder
Keeping the bevel flat
I waste some more metal
The noise scaring the cat.

Then on to the honing
Of the new bevel I've ground
I get the blade gleaming
With some german compound.

Its now after three
Tool hasn't touched wood
I'd like to start carving
And I would if I could.

But my mind is a blank
And my wood is a mute
Taken a vow a silence
And I'm not finding it cute.

So I yell at the Basswood
"Damn, what will you be,
your just useless splinters
Spit out by a tree".

Well the wood didn't like it
Not one little bit.
Boy, it started talking.
I thought it never would quit.

And a half hour later
It was still going strong
It was yelling at me
Telling me I was so wrong.

It called me a sorry carver
And insulted me good
I never dreamed of the fury
That hid in the wood.

So I picked it up gently
And tried to make it my friend
But it started screaming
And this just had to end.

Into the woodstove
The basswood went flying
Sending up embers
Which had gently been dying.

A few moments later
The wood engulfed in flames
No I wasn't sorry
It had called me bad names.

And let that be a lesson
To all the rest of my wood
You better start talking
Or I'll fix you good.

Since that fateful day
Cooperations been key
The wood carves itself
As it now listens to me.

by Maura Macaluso

Notes on Human Proportions

Notes on Human Proportions

Head: shape is oval from three views:the front, side and top.

Upper portion wider than lower

The distance from the chin to the top of head is the same as from the back of the head to the front. The mid-point of the face, when measured from chin to top of head, is at the base of the eyes or eye sockets

Widest part = distance between the two parietal eminences.

The head sideways is one head high and one head wide.

face- If looking straight ahead, ends of face will stop at 1/2 of collarbone.

 facial proportions are universal regardless of race, sex and age, and are based on the phi ratio of 1.618. For example, if the width of the face from cheek to cheek is 10 inches, then the length of the face from the top of the head to the bottom of the chin should be 16.18 inches to be in ideal proportion.

The average main face triangle touches the two pupils, the widest part of the nose and the point between the front teeth. To me this is an important character trait. The triangle goes from the center of the pupil, touches the outside of the nose nostril and stops at the center line, every bodies triangle is a little different.

. Eyes: The space between the eyes is about the same width as one eye. If the width of eye is used as a unit of measurement, the head is five eyes wide.The eyes are halfway between the top of the head and the chin

The space between the pupils is two and a half inches.

The width of one eye is always equal to the space between the eyes

Eyebrows extend beyond the eyes on both sides.

Ears: The top of the ears line up with the brow of the nose and the eyebrows, and the bottom of the ears with the tip of the nose.

The top of the ears line up above the eyes, on the eyebrows

 The ear hole is in line with bottom of the nose, and just above the backbone- skull pivot point.

Nose: The bottom of the nose is the midpoint between the eyes and the chin.

Face is three noses long

Length nose = length ear

Width nose = width eye

Mouth: The corners of the mouth align with the centre of the eyes (if you're not smiling). The line where the two lips meet is slightly above the halfway point between the end of the nose and the chin.

.Mouth is two eyes wide

 Chin: The mound of the chin starts at the inner corners of the eyes

the body

The average adult is seven heads tall.
- The top of the hips are four heads high.
- The pelvic region is about one head high.
- Elbow to fingertip is about two head lengths.
- Wrist to fingertip is one head length.

• HEAD- Width of torso (sans shoulders)
• HAIRLINE- One eye-length above eyes
• FEET- Length of half of shin (or roughly the size of the forearm).
• HANDS- Fingerbase (across knuckles) half as wide as face
• LEGS- Torso length (hip to knee)
• TORSO- (hip to collarbone) 2 1/2 head lengths
• ARMS- Elbow ends just above waist (not hips)
• FOREARM- if hand is on shoulder, wrist is at mid-shoulder.
• The width from shoulder to shoulder is 3 heads width.
• The distance from the hip to the toes is 4 heads.
• The distance from the top of the head to the bottom of the chest is 2 heads.
• The distance from the wrist to the end of the outstretched fingers of the hand is 1 head.
• The length from top to bottom of the buttocks is 1 head.
• The distance from the elbow to the end of outstretched fingers is 2 heads.
• The neck is 1/4 of a head high.
•  The chin to shoulder line is 1/4 of one heads length.
• The chin to nipples line equals one head length.
• The nipples to the belly button equals one head length.
• From the belly button to the space between the legs is one and 1/4 head.
• The width of the waste at the belly button is one head length wide (not head width wide).
• From the hip [trunk] top triangle line to the space between the legs, is one head high and two head widths wide. Not more.
• The center of the body is the bend line, it is 1/4 head above the space between the legs and two head widths wide. Not more.
• The torso triangle is from the ends of the shoulder line to the center and the top line of the bend line triangle. That is the quarter head high triangle within the trunk triangle.
• The rib cage can be represented by an oval two heads high, starting 1/4 head length above the shoulder line.
• The upper arm, from the shoulder triangles outside edge, is one and 1/2 heads long.
• The lower arm is one and 1/4 heads long.
• The hand is 3/4 of a head long, equal to the average face.
• The chest side view is one head width wide at the nipples.
• The upper arm is one and 1/2 head lengths, connecting through the shoulder ball, a quarter head circle reaching the end of the shoulder line.
• Just below the leg space, the legs and the body are the widest.
• From the outside point of the bend line triangle down to the center of the knee cap is two head lengths.
• The bend line is the center of the body.
• The knee cap is a 1/4 head length circle.
• The calf muscle is higher on the outside.
• From the center of the knee cap to the ground is two head lengths.
• The ankle is 1/4 head high off the ground.
• The foot is one head length long.
• The ankle bone is higher on the inside.