My First Ever

[Frayed01]

would you be kind enough to show exactly WHERE you really messed up with your knife cuts? I would hate to make miserable mistakes on my attempts!

Great work

pete

Hi Pete,

With hindsight (wonderful gift),I considered the whole of the head/beak area to be badly cut.

All the cuts are of a uniform depth,which means that the outline split between the upper and lower beak isn't as thin and in scale as it should be,and the "bumpy" bit with the "nostril" should have been carved deeper to give the impression of the roundness/bulge,but as I say I was cutting with my index finger in a steel splint,which meant using another finger was awkward,and I hadn't learned the subtlety of using the swivel knife at that time.

That said I keep it just because it was my first attempt,and every version I have done since has been an improvement,I do like the wing and tail feathers,but don't like the visible leading edge,which again was a very heavy handed use of a mulefoot,which I now tend to use with thumb pressure alone.

As for the Dutch sailing barge,that's my wifes favourite,even though I've done better versions of that as well!

[Frayed01]

That is some impressive first carvings (heck, even if they came from an experienced carver they would rock). Looks like you got it in your blood!

I especially like the way you carved and tooled the waves around the ship, elegant.

Eagle is wicked too!

What are you up to theese days?

Tom

Thanks for the compliment Tom,I am currently waiting to go buy some leather in London,also working out some new wildlife patterns (Otter,Barn Owl,Curlew,Avocet,Puffin),I'm currently selling my Honda NX650,as I've just had revision surgery on 20 year old hip replacement,and have been banned from riding trail bikes by,the boss(my wife),and the orthopeadic surgeon who did the op (Bummer)

So I should have plenty of money to re-equip myself with tools ect.

I think the first few will be about 2.5 feet, 1.5 feet,and then come down in size as I get back in to cutting tighter curves.

Dave

P.S. I started riding in the 60's,so maybe it's about time to stop trying to go around bends quickly

[sheathmaker]

You are extremely talented...................and that about sums it up. thank you for posting.

Paul

[Frayed01]

You are extremely talented...................and that about sums it up. thank you for posting.

Paul

Thanks Paul,but there are still people on these forums,whose talents I would kill for,so much more to learn!

Dave