How do I ...?

[TymeToShine]

How do I repair a carving in progress? I was making a cut to divide the pant cuff from the shoe...and the knife zipped all the way through cutting the shoe off. Is there a way to repair this so I can continue carving it? Can I use super glue to put the cut-off piece back on and then carve through that without ruining my knife? Thanks!
Linda - who is very thankful she had her thumb guard on at the time!

[bob easton]

Most knives can cut through super glue just fine. Give it a try. You'll likely have more trouble with the repair being visible than with continuing carving.

Keep that thumb guard (and glove) on and be careful. When you find the need to increase pressure, stop and rethink. There might be an easier way.

Keep on havin' fun .... and please show us pics when you're done.

[Tom Ellis]

Linda, My best success with a repair is to use the thin superglue. First hold the pieces together so that you have a perfect fit, and then apply the glue to the crack. It wicks into the wood with capillary action, and you should get a repair that is strong, and hard to see.

Tom

[Buffalo Bif]

Tom,
thanks for the guidance on using superglue- i've been frustrated so far, have not been able to effectively repair a broken piece. I'll give the cappillary approach a try.

[Dicky]

Thanks for the tip Tom. I just snapped off a 6 inch section of snake upper body and head but couldn't figure a way to clamp it. The upsetting part is I had previously repaired this piece with a steel rod so the break just moved about 3/4" past the end of the steel and repeated.

[Bob K.]

Linda, I always used to use Elmer's Wood Glue with great success...you can carve it and paint it, but lately I have have been using Super Glue, like most others, with excellent results. Thank God for thumb guards!

[rickm]

personaaly dont like super glue on carvings, use elmers wood glue as suggesgted and when the going gets hard, sloooow down! lol

[TymeToShine]

Thanks for the input and also on the warning to go easier and look for another approach when it requires extra pressure.

[jmischel]

I've used super glue and wood glue. I prefer the wood glue for most things. I've even had good luck with Elmer's white glue when I didn't have any other type of glue close at hand.

I seem to get a better / stronger repair with the wood glue, but I'll have to give Tom's capillary action trick a try.

[sashadoc]

Titebond makes a transparent glue that is very good also. Lot's of products to try. Find the one that works best for you. Like the others say, be careful. I am probably a little too over cautious but I always think ahead to the worst case scenario and ask myself "what if this happens"?

Tim