Which corner is best?

[Cottonwood]

This for you experienced face carvers. Picture yourself carving a face on the corner of a quarter sawn block. Do you carve the face on the corner with the inner rings (on the heart corner) of the block or do you carve the face on the outer rings (next to where the bark was)? Does it make much difference to you?

I have carved faces on both corners and have some thoughts on the issue but I would be interested in what others think. I guess there are two other corners to the block. Have you tried carving face detail on those?

This is just a probe for the experiences of others and I realize that it may be sort of a "whats the best way to sharpen a knife" type question.

[LJonsson]

Millard,

Good question!!! I don't know that I qualify as 'experienced' face carver, but I'm going to answer anyway.

I like the heartwood side better, I find that the bark side will flake off, expecially if my knife isn't as sharp as it should be.

I carve from blocks so I have to check the grain before hand to make sure the face is on the heartwood side. It seems to be more stable.

I'll be interested to find out what others think about this also.

Loretta

[Claude]

For carving faces, I prefer to have a block with the grain running diagonally through it, and I then carve the nose on the corner where the grain is as close to 45 degrees to each side as it gets. This results in the grain running from the tip of the nose straight back into the face, and is much stronger than a carving where the grain runs perpendicular to the nose (parallel to the eyes). I used to end up with the nose falling off very easily until I figured this out.

Claude

[Lynn O. Doughty]

Thanks Millard. Now, everytime I lay out a new piece I'm going to worry about where in the tree the block came from!! Only kidding! Makes no difference to me ... I use Heinke's wood and it's all good no matter where it comes from.

[scooter]

Makes no diff to me either, but I do make a habit of looking for the side with the straightest, cleanest grain.

S~

[Gulf Coast Handyman]

Iam with Scooter, the side with the straightest, cleanest grain.

Dave

[Mark N. Akers]

Millard:
I have always carved a face into the grain, to me it just seems to hold Detail better,for a example, look at a basswood egg, I'll carve it on the opposite side of the Circle Grain.

[Shimmy]

I go along with Claude.Also I check for the easy cut going from the bottom of the carving toward the top. If you know what I mean.

[lorax]

I would choose the corner with the tightest grain. If the grains are the same I would choose the inner side, where the wood has had more time to to age.