Questions about scroll carving

[Kustom]

I have a few questions about scroll carving and hope you all can help out.

1. Is there a different name for scroll work where it's a cut and tooled scroll pattern as opposed to just swivel knife cut scroll work?

2. Who are the people that are known for the tooled scroll work?

3. Does anyone have any pictures of excellent tooled scroll work they can post?

4. Where can I get some scroll patterns to carve?

Thanks in advance, Steve

[hidepounder]

Kustom,

I'm not sure I completely understand your question with regard to your term "scroll work". When you see a pattern that has been cut with a swivel knife and no other tools are applied, that is generally called "finger cutting". When you see tooling, it involves cutting with a swivel knife and then using additional tools to complete the pattern. The term "scroll work" could apply to either finger cutting or to a particular style of traditional floral tooling where no flower elements are used. Your better toolers do both. The first two award winning toolers that come to my mind, that are here on LW, are Troy West and Keith Siedel. Marlon just recently posted some of Travis Stillson's work which is absolutely as good as it gets! Peter Main, another award winning tooler, also does "scroll work" of a completely different style. There are several others here as well (my sincere apologies to all you guys I didn't name!) who are excellent toolers. If you can define "scroll work" a little better for me, I will try to answer your questions.

Bob

Edited March 19, 2009 by hidepounder

[TroyWest]

I do a lot of scrolls in my carving as it is an element I like. As Bob said there are a lot of different styles of scrolls. This is one example of a scroll type carving I did on a briefcase.

[Dually]

Bob modestly excluded himself as among the finer toolers on this forum. In my opinion.

[Hilly]

Bob modestly excluded himself as among the finer toolers on this forum. In my opinion.

Yes, he does do excellent scroll work, and superb finger cutting!

[Elton Joorisity]

You might want to find some examples of Monte Beckman's work. It looks a lot like gun engraving and is all scroll work.

[TroyWest]

Bob modestly excluded himself as among the finer toolers on this forum. In my opinion.

I'd like to ditto the above statement as well, along with adding that you must have a canvas to carve and Bob is an excellent craftsman of the leather items he carves. However he does have a flaw.

Bob is a swivel knife junky. An addict. I can recognize it because... well, I've been there.

It's time Bob for swivel knife anonomous or leather carver watchers or Jenny swivel knives.

Several years ago a circus came through our town and one of the baboons escaped. They never caught him and folks forgot about him. Years later he was killed by a truck but it had been so long nobody knew what it was. They actually thought it might be somebodies relative. Finally they sent for a wise old man who seemed to know everything. He studied him for quite a while and seemed quite confident when he spoke.

He said," Judging by those knarly fingers and hunched back from years of overwork. Slick red butt from years of sitting. Squinty eyes and curled lip from years of strain. That's just an old retired leather carver."

I'm not trying to scare you Bob, but we have to be careful to take care of ourselves. Just some thoughts from one junky to another.

[Kustom]

Kustom,

I'm not sure I completely understand your question with regard to your term "scroll work". When you see a pattern that has been cut with a swivel knife and no other tools are applied, that is generally called "finger cutting". When you see tooling, it involves cutting with a swivel knife and then using additional tools to complete the pattern. The term "scroll work" could apply to either finger cutting or to a particular style of traditional floral tooling where no flower elements are used. Your better toolers do both. The first two award winning toolers that come to my mind, that are here on LW, are Troy West and Keith Siedel. Marlon just recently posted some of Travis Stillson's work which is absolutely as good as it gets! Peter Main, another award winning tooler, also does "scroll work" of a completely different style. There are several others here as well (my sincere apologies to all you guys I didn't name!) who are excellent toolers. If you can define "scroll work" a little better for me, I will try to answer your questions.

Bob

Thanks Bob. That answers my question. I didn't know the swivel knife cuts were called "finger cuts". Right now I'm more interested in trying to refine my tooled scroll work.

[Kustom]

I do a lot of scrolls in my carving as it is an element I like. As Bob said there are a lot of different styles of scrolls. This is one example of a scroll type carving I did on a briefcase.

Wow Troy that is some great work and exactly what I'm talking about. I can only dream about being able to do that. Do you design you own carving patterns?

[BruceGibson]

Bob modestly excluded himself as among the finer toolers on this forum. In my opinion.

I'll second that!