Hair where it meets the hat?

[ABitoSlo]

What technique do you folks use to get the hair to come out from under a hat correctly? I'm practicing on this guy, and will smooth out to try again a couple times until the head is shaped anyway.

It's that junction where the hair meets the hat and my v tool doesn't get into the corner. You might even be able to see the knife cut line following the hat-hair line.

Is this just a matter of taking a detail knife to the hair itself?

[TexasSteve]

Well, I am no expert by all means, I have only been carving for 3 months. But i went out and bought a set of Dockyard micro carving tools ( the set with the 2mm pairng tool,2mm V tool, 2mm gouge, 3mm gouge and 4 mm gouge) that micro V tool can reach into those tight places.

Of course if you put a hat on and look in a mirror, you will notice the hair line is flat anyway then comes out to see the strands of hair. I think yours looks fine, I would just clean up the hat brim itself

My two cents, for what is worth.

Steve

[TreeWizard]

I carve the hat as a separate piece, and set on the head after I carve the hair.

[ABitoSlo]

Both good suggestions. Can't imagine keeping a micro v tool in good shape though. Ugh. Next one gets a separate hat - and I'll need a micro v tool to do the "cap hair" LOL

[carver33]

I use gouges to get as close as possible, then use a detail knife to finish up. It takes surprisingly little time to carve the last little bit.

[rickm]

thats what i do if not definitive, a detail knife.

[Bob K.]

If you flatten out the v tool you should be able to get in close under the hat. Then clean up any fuzzies with a detail knife. I think yours looks fine.

[Mottles]

Without reading the other posts what I like to do is: stop cut between the hat and hair...then start under cutting up into the hat until I have the dept I'm looking for. Which doesn't take much under cutting at all. That is just my technique...we all each have our ways of getting the job done.
You might practice on a piece of scrap wood. You don't want to undercut to much or there will be to much of a space between the hair and hat.

[ABitoSlo]

I can picture cleaning up with a detail knife, though to make it seamless with the v-cuts sounds like takes some skill.

Kathy - I'm assuming you are talking about hat with a down-turned brim, like floppy or well worn hat? Then is your stop cut up at an angle into the hat? Nope - not getting it yet. Would you please explain a little more?

[BrandantR]

I would taper the hairline slightly back into the hat. That way it doesn't look like the hair is growing out of the hat itself, but tucked back in with the head. Use a sharp detail knife to get into those places where your v-tool won't reach.