A Silver Salmon ... in process

[Orygoner]

I've not been able to get on line for a few days and I see I've fallen behind. Will have to catch up!

A friend of mine had to toss a silver salmon to appease a bear that was waaaay too close to us and closing the distance fast. This was up on Kodiak Island a couple years ago. I decided to carve him a replacement salmon.

Here's what I've got so far. I also have the wood carved, pretty much completely, where the fish will attach to the mount. I still need to carve the base. I think it will be a blend of heartwood/sapwood stream rock. The wood is black walnut. The grain was pretty swirly and I couldn't predict exactly how it would align with the fish body when cut. So, I took what I got. The left side of the fish is pretty wild.

I just put the fins on today so it looks like a fish. I will get on with correcting my errors (and my unhappy spots) as best I can. For instance the adipose fin has to go. Will carve a better shape for the new and will use heartwood. Don't know why I used sapwood in the first place...very out of place on the dark dorsal side of the fish.

Anyhow...here's what he looks like at the moment.





The finish will, of course, be a natural finish to show off the wood grain. I guess this fits in the "interpretive" style of carving/finishing.

[Paul_Guraedy]

That is a beautiful "catch".....especially the swirlly side! Good work.

[markken5889]

Hey Randy,

it's lookin' really great. I too, like that swirly grain on the left side. One of the wonders of our hobby working with wood - you're never sure what grain you'll get until you finish!

Mark

[Orygoner]

Here's the salmon after some more work. Finished the fins and found a resting "lie" for him. I just got done putting some wood filler around the fin/body joints. I hope to get the final sanding done tomorrow.

Also tomorrow I hope to get the river rocks carved and put in place around the knot. The slope will be high to the rt side of the image and get lower to the left side. At the extreme left side I plan to carve the base down to where it grades into the table top.

[carvnman40]

Randy, I think your salmon looks great. Even though you haven't finished the mounting rocks, I know they'll look just as good. Let us see the completely finished work.
Mike

[Ron T]

Hi Randy, great job on this carving. I, too, really like the swirling grain on the body.

[AlArchie]

That is a REALLY pretty piece of work, Randy! Thoe wild graines work so well on fish!

Al

[Orygoner]

OK... I finished the silver salmon. He's a purty fish.

The light colored wood of the base is aspen. It really finishes nice for such a "plain" looking wood. The pictures don't do it justice.

[Paul_Guraedy]

That is a beautiful carving......can't say the same about the fish. It looks like a salmon near the end of the run. The river rocks and aspen base are very effective. Good work!

[RUssL.]

WOW! That is a beautiful carving! Terrific job.
Your friend will be blown away by it, I am sure.

Is the sanding all done manually or do you use a belt or some other mechanical sander? I ask because it looks like it took a lot of sanding.

How many hours into it do you figure you have?

Again, the carving is wonderful.

Russ