Nooks and crannies???

[bikermutt07]

I have started trying to do a little carving and I'm having some trouble.

I can't seem to make the tiny spots look clean. 

Example: practicing with craftaid: 

I tried to do the celtic heart and that small intertwined areas just look like a muddled mess.

I also tried an old English looking "E" and while I got it looking decent, the small spots are still junkyard looking.

I have the modeling spoons and they are helping me get the larger spots under control (when I can keep them from spilling out onto the surface).

 

So, how do you don't that?

[TwinOaks]

Where your pattern lines cross, or meet at a corner, are your cut lines meeting or stopping short?  If you're connecting the lines, try stopping just shy of the lines connecting.  When you tool it, the leather will still lay down just fine.

[bikermutt07]

Thank you. I will try that.

Funny side note, I was wondering yesterday morning.... how do these guys connect the lines together? I even thought, I need to ask the guys on the forum about this. Then, I figured out I could go back and make tiny nicks to connect the lines. I was so proud to have figured that one out on my own. 

It reminds me of what my old framing boss used to say: "it looks real good boys, but it's all wrong". HA! :-)

[TwinOaks]

I believe the idea of "not connecting the lines" is to avoid having small pieces (the cut corners) completely free of the surrounding grain.  To do so might allow that little tab to lift on an inside corner, or get 'dog eared' on an outside corner.  When I make holsters, I avoid sharp corners on overlays for the same reason.  Even when it's sewn on, that little piece of corner is unsupported and gets wonky.  If, instead, the overlay has radiused corners, you don't have anything outside of the stitching's reinforcement.

[bikermutt07]

Thanks Mr. Oaks.