Driftwood

[Ted Wooller]

I have posted a couple of threads with pictures of some pieces I carved from a huge length of driftwood found on a local beach. The three pieces so far have turned out fine and have found new homes. I started to carve a special piece for my son and his intended as a house warning present to hang on their patio. It is about 30 inches long and about 14 inches wide. It started well until I came across a long split which runs (on the face I am carving) down the forehead along side of the nose and down the chin area. I am a bit stuck as what to do about it. It is a special present and I do want to do the best job I can.
As far as I can see I have three options:
1. Fill the split and hope that it won't get any worse or develop further when the piece is finished.
2. Go a lot deeper into the wood and hope to remove the split section.
3. Find another piece of wood and start again.
I am sure you folks on here have experienced the same problem and dilemma - any advice is welcome.

[Dan Wegiel]

Hi Ted,
It would be a little easier to help if we could see a pic of the piece in question. I generally try to "incorporate" bad spots, cracks etc. right into the carving, sometimes it works and sometimes it dosen't.
Dan

[Mottles]

Hi Ted:
I have to echo what Dan said I try to incorporate the bad spots into my carving. If you have enough wood you could try going deeper hoping that you will lose the crack. You could continue on and hope that the cracking stops. Because it's driftwood or any other wood for that matter the crack is where the moisture is escaping.

One of the recommended methods to securing cracking is to cut a wedge of the same wood and insert it into the cracked area. with a little glue (wood glue) then sand of any ruff areas. With your piece you may not have that ability.

All in all I would go a head and complete the carving, with a little note that if the crack distroys the piece you'll carve another for them. The crack may just hold.

Those cracks and blimishes are all just part of we who love to carve found wood.

[Robson Valley]

Hi Ted:
A patch job will always look like a patch job. I'd like to see you keep going while you look out for another piece of wood.
Driftwood is outdoor wood with an invisible history of travel and events, knots and cracks and all.
Pacific Northwest Native Carvers, while they try to reduce cracks and cracking, just carve right through the cracks like they aren't there. That's good enough for me.

[Josef]

I have to agree with making a feature out of that crack. I always keep and often enhance such 'defects' in my pieces.