Heart Pendant - With Inset of Tagua Nut

[kitaye]

It seems like I worked on this forever but it is finally done. Thanks for all the adice and such for working tagua nut. It was very helpful.

[Hi_Ho_Sliver]

nice combination!

[xsailer]

Kitaye, you did good. It looks real nice. I may have to try it someday, especially since I have one of the nuts in my drawer. How did you color it?

Bob

[kitaye]

The wood was stained and sealed with spar urethane to protect from body oil. The Tagua inset I left natural and sanded assmooth as I could get it.

The whole pendant is just over an inch wide at its widest point.

[susieq]

Kitaye,
what a beautiful, classic piece of work! What kind of wood did you use? In the picture is looks like ebony but you said you stained it so probably something else? What ever it is, it is just beautiful! Great eye for composition, Girl!
susieq

[kitaye]

Thanks Susieq. It is just plain basswood this time around. I think I want to try it with a more exotic wood next time. How hard is ebony to carve?

[susieq]

Hi Kitaye,
Do you use power? If you do, exotic woods are not too bad to work with....just protect yourself from the dust. Without power, exotics like ebony or purple heart, etc....are rock hard but boy can you put a polish on them. I can't wait to see what you do next.
susieq

ps. my son in law is a semi professional poker player and I am planning to make him a custom card protecter for Christmas. Been working on it in my head for a while and hope to use ebony and taqua nut.

[kitaye]

To this date the closest thing to power I have used was the scroll saw the slice the nut. I do have a dremel tool with bits but have not tried it for carving except stone.

[gene-messer]

Excellent job Kitaye .. beautiful pendant .. I know whoever get's it will be thrilled ..

Great job ..

Gene

[susieq]

Well, from everything I have heard (not having first hand knowledge yet on tagua nuts) those nuts are very hard. If you can carve them, than you can probably work any exotic wood the same way. Power is handy for stuff though.
susieq