Faulty Cut During Carving...

[Skald]

I was carving this quite complicated knot motif yesterday, and the same second I made one of the cuts, I realized it shouldn't be there. It's not the end of the world, as it is towards the end where the pattern makes it hard to tell I made a mistake.

But, what to you do if you happen to make an error to an otherwise really successful carving? Throw it away or use it for scrap leather? Or do you hope no one will notice, or do you happen to know a way to "hide" the mistake?

[alb]

An incredibly accomplished saddle maker once told me that's what makes one professional, the skill with which a mistake can be 'transformed'. I'm pretty sure I won't stop making mistakes, but I'm getting better at transforming them.

I'd have to see a picture to give you recommendations on your particular mistake.

Ann

I was carving this quite complicated knot motif yesterday, and the same second I made one of the cuts, I realized it shouldn't be there. It's not the end of the world, as it is towards the end where the pattern makes it hard to tell I made a mistake.

But, what to you do if you happen to make an error to an otherwise really successful carving? Throw it away or use it for scrap leather? Or do you hope no one will notice, or do you happen to know a way to "hide" the mistake?

[Leatherimages]

What I have done in the past with my miscuts, when I think I can get away with it, is:

With a very pointed awl, get under the cut and lift the dermal layer back to the surface,

The swivel knife rolls the top grain, down and open. My attempt is to lift the grain and then close the opening gently with the spoon end of your modeling tool.

This is best done right away while the leather is still cased.

If you hold your nose just right you can make it nearly invisible.

And then it all goes to hell when you put stain on it, and you have to figure some way to camoflage that!

[Skald]

What I have done in the past with my miscuts, when I think I can get away with it, is:

With a very pointed awl, get under the cut and lift the dermal layer back to the surface,

The swivel knife rolls the top grain, down and open. My attempt is to lift the grain and then close the opening gently with the spoon end of your modeling tool.

This is best done right away while the leather is still cased.

If you hold your nose just right you can make it nearly invisible.

And then it all goes to hell when you put stain on it, and you have to figure some way to camoflage that!

Thanks for the words of wisdom, as always.

alb: Unfortunately, I don't have a camera (embarrassing, I know). But I attach a picture of the ornament thingie itself, the erroneous cut is drawn in red.

It really torments me, as I am finally starting to get a proper work with the swivel knife in other ways, then I fool myself like this hahahaha... I think I'll practice Leatherimages suggestion on some scrap bits. I have a problem to see how to solve this "geometrically", best thing I can do otherwise is to hope it's hard to spot.

[Casey Jordan]

It's hard to tell without seeing the pattern in actual size, but when you bevel it will the heel of the beveler cover it?

If so I would use a checkered beveler.

Just a thought.

[pete]

Did you cut it deeply? Depending on the depth I would cut and bevel the piece completely, then add some "decorative" cuts in the piece(s) that run parallel to it. Hard to explain, but the piece of "lace" that is just to the

left of the cut ( it weaves under) and all the others could be textured with a knife or stylus to give it a wood grained look.

It wold take the eye away from that single cut.

pete

[Skald]

Casey Jordan: The pattern is like 5 cm's wide., and the cut is like less than 1 cm I guess.

Pete: It's deeper as deep as the other cuts, unfortunately.

Thanks for all those suggestions. I'll experiment with the same set-up of cuts on some scrap bit, and see what works best for me.