[Kenny_S]

Great job of carving Patrick.
I believe the question should be if the new owners are going to display it outside are they willing to recoat it every year or two. Most non carvers do not have a clue to how to protect the carving displayed inside or out side.

Sikkens is a great outdoors protectant but I don't know how it would react to say BLO on top of it or as an undercoating. I have read some on sikkens but never used it myself.
Pure Tung oil should do the trick also.

Anyways, Patrick ya done great with these carvings. Realistic faces and I like the expressions.

[whitecree]

Nice work! If I wasn't broke, I'd bid on those myself!

Don't be nervous, they are good looking and well made.

Spar varnish may be what you want to protect the bark and overall carving. Heavy duty, meant for marine use, takes a lot of punishment. It does discolour lighter woods, though, a light amber effect.

[Irishman]

I just took the bark for granted as I was always worried about the wood that I have exposed when carving. I used to just use double BLO on the exposed wood but now I use a good grade tung oil with a little thinner to quicken absorption and drying. I also use an end sealer designed for logs that I picked up at Lee Valley. The can of varnish that I used only once says right on the can "to be used as a sealer and protectant" - not sure if that applies to bark. Although the info. on the can says non glossy, I find there is still a little sheen. It sounds like I should check out this product used as a protectant/sealer for logs.
Great advise. Thanks everyone.
Patrick

[Ashbys]

Hey Pat .
So you know , I was thinking only of using the sikkens on the rest of the wood and leaving the tung oil on the faces , It should leave an outstanding difference between the bark and the carving making the faces really stand forward.

I personally don't like varnish not because it isn't a good product , but because it has always seem to be tacky even when dry. But that is just me being me. I hope you post a picture after you add the finish , because as your looking for inspiration, so do the rest of us and these are inspirational .

Ash

[Marci MN]

Is the auction over? How did it go? Anxiously waiting to hear alllll about it.

[Irishman]

I just returned from a canoe trip on the Restigouche River in northern New Brunswick to find out that my small carving of two woodspirits went for $72 at the fundraising auction. Not bad for a new carver. The same person has bought another wood spirit since so the auction was good advertizing. My wife told me that the people at the auction would like me to do a large woodspirit the next time...so it looks like I need to get busy.

Patrick

[Ashbys]

Pat,

Personally ,

I think that who ever purchased the woodspirit for that made a great purchase. And is very lucky I wasn't at the auction, or would have cost them much more.

Ash

[Callynne]

Patrick, congratulations on a great carving and a successful auction! I'm sure the folks who got it are thrilled and you contributed to a good cause, definitely a win, win situation! Deborah

[Marci MN]

Congratulations! That was good advertising for sure!