Stoning fur and feathers

[Paul_Guraedy]

We get so used to talking to other woodcarvers that we tend to forget that not everything is understood by everyone else. I was asked, in the red fox thread, what is meant by “stoning”? I guess someone should start an official lexicon for woodcarving.

But since nothing like this exists…or is likely to appear in the near future; I guess we will just have to rely on WCI for clarification, education, and tutoring. Anyway, to answer the question I am attaching some photos of what I do in the “stoning” process.

Basically my technique involves a white stone (for rough fur I may first use an 1/8th inch diamond ball to eliminate smoothness) for the cutting. The main thing is to avoid straight lines, uniformity of depth, and starting and ending at the same point. Use only the edge of the stone to make the lines.

I lay the micromotor in my hand and close my fingers in a clinched fist motion. Takes a little practice but once the motion is comfortable things go pretty fast. I go over the entire carving making squiggly lines.

The next step is to add depth to the fur. I do this by using the same hand position and motion but put more pressure on as I reach the end of the groove. I reposition my hand slightly (but end at the same place as the first cut) and do the same thing to make a nice V shape with the apex being deep and the fur flowing away from this point. Do this randomly over the carving except for areas of fine hair. These areas require a different hand position to insure against too much depth.

Finally to really add depth I will use a flat diamond disk, the kind designed for cutting like a saw. I will make deep cuts, especially in areas of deep fur (i.e. fox tail).

I use this same technique for "soft" feathers on birds. But, I stop with the first step.

[mpounders]

Thanks for sharing and demo-ing the process. I don't know if you got to see a stoning technique that Jim Wilsford from Tennesee was using when we were up at War Eagle? You take a flat end stone, like either of the two loose ones you show in the first picture, and dress it on a diamond sharpener or whatever, so that it has a nice sharp 90degree edge. And then you bend the shaft slightly with a pair of pliers! Bend it. On purpose. With pliers. On purpose. Once you get past the idea of deliberately bending your burr, you'll be ok! He used it in a micromotor on a low speed...fast speed just makes it cut straight, but slow speed makes it wobble as it cuts and makes your fur or hair lines even more random. You still use the same strokes that you described, but it seems to speed up the process a bit. I tried it with a blue stone I had extras of, and it works pretty good!

[Merle Rice]

Thanks Guys, I always wondered what and how those little Stones were used for, now I know. I got a bunch of them from the Dremel tools I have bought and never used, so I guess you are never to OLD to learn something. Again thanks to you both. Merle

[Whitler21]

Paul, Your demonstration is exactly the way I do mine. I have done so many feathers now, I believe I could do them in my sleep.
But, I do know how to do short hair like on deer, foxes, rabbits, etc, but don't know the precedure on doing thick hair, Like the neck and shoulders of a buffalo or a hair on a bear. Maybe someone can show me how this is done.
thanks Paul....

Mark

[markken5889]

Hi Paul,

Great demonstration. Thanks for taking the time to set it up to show us.

Mark

[torpidhummer]

Thanks for sharing your talents in "know how",this type of thread is very welcome knowledge for all of us "bird & animal carvers. By the way Paul who make the
hand piece your using,be great if I could find a slim pointed one for my Marathon 700.
Thanks for sharing.
Oscar

[TreeWizard]

Thanks Paul! This sounds very similar to the way I was shown to do the softer breast feathers on the only bird I have carved.

[Paul_Guraedy]

I showed the fur part, here is a look at the feather part....using the same technique. This was my first attempt at stoning and at oil painting so it is a little rough.

[Whitler21]

Paul, I am impressed with this owl. That looks great... I think I will use my eagle as firewood since I seen what real feathering looks like... (just kidding) this shows me that there is one thing I need to do... Practice.. Practice...Practice...
Thanks again Paul... it look great...

Mark

[susieq]

Paul, that was a terrific illustration of stoning.