osage orange slab

[Thor]

This is posted mostly for Dan to see how my osage orange carving came out. This is 7 feet long, and was hard as a rock by the time I finished it. I had to race again the drying process once I brought it in to where I have a litte heat. All done with mallet and chisles. Linseed oil finish.
It was really hard to get a good picture of it. The orange is much more vivid than the picture shows.

The wood color is amazing.
Christina

[Dan Wegiel]

Hi Christina,
What a beautiful slab of wood! I know its not funny, but it still brought a smile to my face when you explained how hard it is to carve, been there. I also know what you mean about not being able to take a good pic, I've been all over inside & out trying to get the rich color to show, it dosen't come through and its too bad because it is very beautiful wood. Even when I try to get a good pic of my black walnut carvings they don't come out, hard wood must be camera shy. The only time they come out half way decent is outside on a very cloudy dark day. I just took a couple more pics and posted on my thread, they're a little better, see what you think. Have a great day!

Dan

[Kenny_S]

Looks great Christina. Yeper, Hedge is hard stuff to work with and dulls any saw or tool fast. You are correct it how vivid the colors are in Osage Orange. They make the best Bow and arrows. We use them for fence post here in SEK.

Great job on the carving and I like how it left it in its natural colors.

[Thor]

Dan, if you think that's funny, you ought to see me sitting and pondering that big 7 foot log out back. I've gotten a new chainsaw chain, and I'm still sitting and studying it before I start. The tree that this wood came out of just doesn't want to give up.

Kenny, thanks for the comments. I'm thinking of going back in and painting a red line in the v-grooved ribbon on the knotwork so it shows up better. The grain is so pretty, I don't look at the carving at all. Maybe putting red on it would help.

Christina

[Dan Wegiel]

Christina, I'm looking forward to seeing what you do with that big log, what are you planning on carving? You may also want to go get a couple more new chains, I've still got that big smile just thinking about it.
As soon as the weather breaks I'm going to go out and try my chainsaw on a large piece of that spalted maple, it will be a first for me. No plan, just see what happens, it may end up being firewood.
Dan

[Keoma]

holy mackrel mama! another breathtaking piece for sure!

[Thor]

Yep, I'm painting the groove red now....had to do it.
Dan, that big log is going to be my own version of a tall case clock Swedish style.
It won't look a thing like one, but I want one really badly, and I have the perfect spot for one in the house, and well, that log needs to be something.
I hope to shape it up similar to the clock, and then try to relief carve the surface with the chainsaw before I smooth it out and detail with chisels. You know that clock starts ticking the minute I start carving that log. It'll be a race to see if I can get it done before it turns to stone, breaks my saw, my back, or sawed up into smaller projects.
As soon as this rain goes away, I'm going to rev it up....
go for it with the saw. It's the most immediate gratification I have ever had carving.

Thanks Keoma, It looks a lot easier than it was.

[markken5889]

Beautiful piece Christina, especially considering that wood. I did a very small piece out of that a couple years ago and it was a bear to carve. Nice work!!!

Mark

[Thor]

Ok, one more picture, because I painted the v-groove red. I think it helps, but it doesn't show up very much.
Christina

[Claude]

It's subtle, but I think that's a good thing. Just that little bit of color, to me, brings out the "over and under" three dimensionality of the relief. I like it.

Claude