mantle leaf brackets,egg&dart

[RUssL.]

Hey boss,

Initiallly, do you cut your templates with the actual gouges to be used?

Thank you,

Russ

[mark yundt]

Yes Russ,,I do. I'll use very thin plastic or aluminum. The chisels cut both without any problem. The plastic is easier to cut up,,but if I need a pattern to hold a shape rather than lay flat,,the alum. is the one to use.
Depending on the pattern I can't always use the exact chisel but use one that's very close.This might be a constantly changing radius for example.But for the most part matching the pattern to the chisel makes life easier.

[RUssL.]

Thank you.

This may be a stupid question but do you re-hone, use a fine Arkansas stone or just slap gouge the on a strop after cutting the aluminum?

I'm just trying to get a sense of how much "recovery" work must be done to a gouge if used in this manner to return it do its regular day-job of carving wood! ;-)

I'm not that confident about my own ability to keep my edges in tip-top sharpness and am hesitant to do anything that I might have difficulty putting the edge back on after.

Thanks,

Russ

[mark yundt]

Not a stupid question at all. How many "normal" people go and use their wood chisels to cut metal?
Well,O.K.,,me,,but who said I was normal?
Seriously though,,they are none the less for wear. I've cut out lots of templates and if I remember I might give them a quick buffing,,but usually I just go right on to the carving.

I guess I'm not very nice to my chisels. Or just maybe I don't have the urge to really fuss over them. Considering all the cuts I just made in my current project I might have buffed them MAYBE twice a day,,,and this is quite a bit of carving to ask of just two chisels,not that i'm using dozens to spread out the load,,,yet the cuts are clean,,show a nice gloss after a pass.They do work a bit nicer after some attention but I just get engrossed in the carving. I know many follow guidelines of stroping after so many cuts,,or every 15 minutes but I don't really bother. If they're cutting fine,,just keep going.Some of this may have to do with how I originally set them up that they cut the way they do,,and if they are making the cuts the way I want to see them,,,let 'em be.

[RUssL.]

Thank you...again! :-)

Russ

[doris]

what rare pics, wow, yes i enjoy too seeing your work installed. very neat :-) thanks for sharing !

[Krum]

I'm having a hard time keeping my jaw off the floor Mark! Unbelievable. Beautiful and what a "place". Thanks for sharing these awesome pictures truely something to be SO proud of to have created AND bet the owners are loving it too.
Krum