chip carving on leather

[MikeCahill]

Mike, it would be a very good idea if you were to read ALL of his other comments.

I've looked at a random selection of his past posts, and It seems to me that he can be a bit of a Grumpy B******* and calls a spade a spade without thinking if the way he's phrased something could be upsetting, or rude, but there doesn't seem to be any malice. He also looks to have a lot of experience in leatherwork, and has a lot to offer the rest of us, tact is not one of them, but however rude his posts are it still doesn't justify a personal attack.

cheers

mike

end of topic for me, I've had my tupenceworth

[Denise]

We can all learn more and we can all learn from anyone, if we are willing to look hard enough. Personal attacks are not what LW.net is about, and neither instigating nor participating in them looks good on anyone. I'm not saying it has to be warm, happy, fuzzy, hug time around here all the time. Disagreements let us see sides to an issue we many never have considered. But lets talk about the subject or other people with respect. Then we can all learn and perhaps see things from a different angle than we would have come up with by ourselves.

[MikeCahill]

i have often admired chip carved woodwork and wondered if it could be applied to leather....so i bought a chip carving knife this morning, watched a few youtube videos and set knife to leather.... i think the results maybe worth exploring a bit more...and a lot more practice!!

this is what i produced one hour later.... i really wanted to burnish the little triangles but couldnt work out how to do it....anyway just a quick practice piece.

Although it isn't the same as chip carving, the traditional way of decorating the dancing clogs of Yorkshire and Lancashire (England) was to carve a design into the leather of the upper before forming the upper on a last .Designs were often flowers or geometric shapes and patterns no attempt (as far as I am aware) was ever made at making the design stand out by hammering backgrounds and if it had, a lot of the effect would have been lost when the leather was stretched over the Last, but I have seen whitening rubbed into the grooves to make the design stand out. (Lets see if I can add a photo!) The tool used is called a race, not an American Racer which is a push tool but an English race. which is a pull tool held like a pen

[WyomingSlick]

Yes, now that is effort well worthwhile. The tool sounds much like the gouge that Tandy sold in the 70's for gouging thick lines in Nature-Tan leather for the folks into nature designs (see attachment). It was also used by a pulling action to make the gouge. I used to have one but I guess one of my students must have borrowed it permanently.

Now for some reflections on how this thread has gone. Okay, I will admit that I was not at my most tactful and diplomatic self when I responded to the opening post. That does not change my opinion of the matter. I would not have responded so if I was looking at the work of one of my child students. I was under the impression that I was dealing with adults. Certainly, her other work displayed the skill and great artistic ability of an advanced leather artist. This did not and I said so. Then I get jumped on by all the tin knights. I guess it was a hangin' offense.

So I do apologize to the lady if I hurt her feelings. As for the tin knights ---- they can go rust!

[UKRay]

I have a picture of races like those you are talking about, Mike - see below: I use mine to cut stitching grooves. I find they work well on thicker leather but tend to drag on thin stuff. I'd like to find a really good American style groover but don't know where to start looking. Anyone got any ideas? Ray

[rickeyfro]

Totally agree Mike, we're ALL entitled to our opinion

by starting the thread Roo was inviting comment, Slick made his comments and is entitled to his opinion. His comments didn't seem to be a personal attack on Roo to me, abrupt maybe but he wasn't getting at her, I haven't read any of his other posts, so I don't know if there is a back story, and I don't know if his comments will deter other people from posting, but some of the responses are rude to the point of bullying. in a flame war everybody loses. I would like to think that I could give an honest opinion without facing the sort of attack that he has been subjected to.

cheers

Mike

[CitizenKate]

I've done some playing with the linoleum gouges that are used for block printing (like these: http://www.dickblick.com/products/speedball-linoleum-cutters/), and gotten some interesting results. I think this is what Vera Goldberg was telling us a long while back what she used to create some of her stunning leather art. Although I'm sure she uses much nicer quality ones.

Kate

[MikeCahill]

I have a picture of races like those you are talking about, Mike - see below: I use mine to cut stitching grooves. I find they work well on thicker leather but tend to drag on thin stuff. I'd like to find a really good American style groover but don't know where to start looking. Anyone got any ideas? Ray

Mine is like the one on the right, double headed, one narrow groove, one slightly wider, I wouldn't use it on leather less than 2mm thick, it would weaken the leather too much, to work well it has to be fearsome sharp, or it drags the leather and makes a ragged cut. the cut can be improved by waxing the leather, and putting it in the fridge for a few minutes. I also have a groover with a ring end like slicks, the working end is replaceable because they wear out, that gives a very fine groove and I use that for detail, although I have found that bold designs work best and I don't have much of an artistic flair.

cheers

Mike

[cem]

If anyone else is interested in this sort of carving method you might want to check out this artist http://www.karaginther.com/

Cheers,

Clair

[UKRay]

Are you using your race freehand, Mike? I find it very hard to cut precisely where I want the groove and have to use a straight edge to run the tool along to get a neat line - going round corners, let alone doing a Celtic design - is a very slow careful business. Kara Ginther's stuff is excellent, Claire. I hadn't seen any before and was thoroughly impressed. Painstaking work and incredibly neat. Even if you are not interested in chip carving take a look at www.karaginther.com as it is well worth the effort. Ray

[MikeCahill]

Are you using your race freehand, Mike? I find it very hard to cut precisely where I want the groove and have to use a straight edge to run the tool along to get a neat line - going round corners, let alone doing a Celtic design - is a very slow careful business. Kara Ginther's stuff is excellent, Claire. I hadn't seen any before and was thoroughly impressed. Painstaking work and incredibly neat. Even if you are not interested in chip carving take a look at www.karaginther.com as it is well worth the effort. Ray

usually I trace the design into dampened leather surface, so that it leaves the faintest of impressions, then holding the race like a pen I cut freehand rotating the leather so that I am always pulling towards myself, I try and plan short cuts so I can use the heel of my hand for support. the particular design I posted, I pricked the leather at the intersections of the lines, and traced a couple of arc's on some thin scrap ply, cut them out, polished up the arc's with a bit of parafin wax and use the race pressed against them. I do the carving before any sewing so if I make a mess of it it's just one piece of leather scrapped.