Carving very small letters

[freak]

I've seen some outstanding work around here. What really blows my mind is the small details.

I'm did a wristband for myself and i had some very small lettering to do. Because it's for myself my sloppy lettering will pass but, i've seen others do great small letters and other small detail work.

How do you do it so clean ??

Thanks.

[ClayB]

There are a couple things that I have found that help me out with small details. One is magnifying lenses. I had my eyes checked this spring and they told me I don't NEED glasses yet, but that they would probably be a good idea. I didn't get them, but started using a magnifying lense on a headband and I was really surprised how much it helped to see what I was doing. Another thing that I use a lot is Peter Main's modeling tool. It really works nice to get into small spaces and clean things up. When I look at the work of people like Peter Main and Silva Fox the thing that really catches my eye is thier attention to the smallest details. It is something that I now try to pay more attention to in my own carving.

Clay

[freak]

Clay do you use a swilve knife to carve the small areas with ? If so do you use a smaller blade, do they make smaller blades ?

Also i'm finding my brush work, when dying to be a little sloppy aswell in the tight small areas. It seems just as i'm about to touch the leather a hair or 2 will pop out of the brush.

I know it all takes practice. I just want to make sure i'm practicing the right way.

Thanks

[ClayB]

Hi Freak,

I do carve some of the small details. In the smaller areas, you make your cuts very light. And then in some area, you don't cut the lines, just put the detail in with a beveler or modeling tool. That helps a lot, huh? On animals, you dont usually cut the muscles lines, nose, lips. Things like eyes are cut very lightly. I have another project that I was going to put an elk on soon. When I do it, I will take some pictures to show the steps I use. I never used to like to do small carvings of animals because of the details. It is easier to get the details in larger projects. But once you have done the bigger projects and learn how to do the detail, it is lot easier to do the same pattern on a smaller scale.

There are lots of people making swivel knives, and different types of blades. Depends on what you want and how much you want to pay. The best way to find out what will work best for you is to go to a show such as Sheridan or the annual IFoLG show where several different vendors will have thier products there for you to try out. I know that isn't always practical. What I have just started using for fine details is a blade that is sold by Peter Main. I think he has them made by Henley. This blade is a lot thinner than the regular Tandy type blades so you can cut lines closer together. Robert Beard and Barry King also make different blades for different types of carving. There are others too. You can call these guys and talk to them about what you want to do and they will give you an idea of what might work for you.

I have had the same trouble with brushes as you describe. Start with pretty good quality brushes, and clean them well. In a class last spring, Tony Laier told us that after you clean your brushes that you use for spirit dyes ( alcohol based) you should apply some lanolin to the brush. Put a small drop in your hand and roll brush in it. I think it adds oils back to the hairs of the brush that the alcohol removes and it helps the brushes keep thier shape. I think Peter Main covers this in his latest book on color too.

Hope some of this helps you.

Clay

[Johanna]

Hey Freak,

When you are dyeing leather, you have to let the leather pull the dye off the brush. Because hides vary in their absorbency, I can't tell you to hold this type of brush at this angle, because that won't work. Always turn the work, not yourself, and work so your arm only drags over the part you haven't painted yet.

The last time I dyed a belt, what Clay said about glasses was apparent. I am 41, and don't "need" glasses, but I can't see like I could at 40, either. This is especially noticeable trying to get splinters out of the hands or feet of squirming kids and trying to do intricate or delicate dye work. My mom says that when her arms got too short to adjust the distance between her nose and the newspaper, she had to get glasses, too. She calls it "presbyopia".

For items you really can't afford to mess up, whether painting or doing filigree, you can't go wrong with a good adjustable arm light in the shop. For whatever reason, the shadows I could tolerate in my twenties have become nuisances now. I try to remember to go slowly, and not be distracted while I'm working, but with four kids, it's not realistic, so the light helps a lot.

Johanna

[freak]

Thanks for the tips. I really haven't done much leather work lately. When i made the wirstband that brought up this question i thought to one of myselfs; Jeez am i getting worse with every project i do or what ?

Then i got to thinking about the replies i got here. The last few things i've done , i've done at night. Although i tried not to go to fast i still rushed to get it carved and tooled before bed. AND yes light, i was always moving to try to get better light. Even had one of those 5 LED light strips that you clamp to the bil of a hat. For me the LED lights,,,,,well not so much..

Today i did 2 more wristband just like the other one to see if i can do better. OH daylight !!!! what a differents. I still have the trouble of ging to fast. It's in my blood. My mind is always racing thinking of the best, fastest way to to something. Even things i don't do. Anyway, For the most part they came out better. I'm still lost on getting the small letters to come out right or even come out at all.

Ok don't LOL to hard at the attached pics. It's the first one i did to give you some idea of the size of the lettering i'm trying to do. The 2 i did today are the same i just haven't takin pictures yet.