Carving, how to get a deeper background

[ivan7342]

Hello,

 

Yes, i know it looks pretty crappy, it's my first attemp at carving... and is not as easy as it looks like in youtube videos...

Anyway, that's part of a larger design i made, i choose that section to start learning to carve, i know much will be about having the right tools and lots of practice, but i can't figure how to make the background sink deeper, so the central part pops out more.

I tried with different amount of water, hitting a bit harder with the hammer, putting the piece on a hard surface, just not sure what else to try.

 

Thanks!

[terrymac]

The depth of the background is determined by the depth of your swivel cut

Terry

[ivan7342]

Thank you!! going to do my next try right now.

Cheers!

[Rahere]

Your swivel knife is like most knives, comes to you unsharpened. Guess what they don't tell you?

It can also be a question of going over it, and going over it, and going over it. At the same time, I suspect there are a few like me who did worse.

 

[buzzardbait]

make your cuts one third to one half the thickness of your leather, bevel deeply and mat away from your design with a matting tool or a backgrounder. Figure bevelers are great for this also.

[ivan7342]

Deeper cuts improved it quite a bit... In the pic you can see the first and the second tries to compare,

Got a sharpening stone, will check how to sharp the swivel knife.

I will keep working at it, thanks guys!

Cheers.

 

[ivan7342]

Some orange and light brown dyes and turned out better than i was expecting...

I will try some black antique finish in a few areas while trying to keep the center untouched and then seal it.

 

[DJole]

Different bevel tools also create different lines. What beveller are you using?
It looks like your backgrounding needs some practice too, to smooth out the visible tool imprints.
(Rather than "stamp" with that tools, it's used like a smoother, walked over the surface, using lighter strokes to make the pattern.)

[ivan7342]

Sadly these are the only carving tools i have right now.

I think at the minimun 2 like those but smaller and with the pear shape would be good for working near the intersection of lines.

It's almost 11 pm here, not the best time to use the hammer, but tomorrow i will work on my background, as you said, see if i can get a smoother background.

Thanks!

[whitakermk]

Congrats! Marked improvement from the first to the second one. Hang that first one up in your shop and place a new piece next to it in a month or two. You will be amazed on your progress - even in a few weeks.

First - you need additional tools - Tandy, Weaver Leather, Springfield, and many more - some or most here on the forum. You can buy one of the 10-16 piece sets on ebay or amazon for next to nothing to get you started but they are cheap and the handles will bend over time so expect to replace them after a couple of months of hard tooling. The good news is you'll know what tools you prefer and be order the replacement ones from the better stores I listed first. After a while you'll have a good collection of ones you use for stamping almost daily - about 5 or so. Then about 10 you use regularly, then about 10 that come in handy once a month. And then the ones I bought for some reason or for a one off job. 

It's OK to buy the cheap stuff online to practice with and learn before deciding what you need and then investing and upgrading to better tools. The flipside of that is your swivel knife and any cutting tools/shears/knives. Buy on the good side there and keep sharp.

Second - Youtube is a great place to get tips on stamping and carving. Grab some scrap and practice. Mess up and have fun on stuff you can toss in the garbage without guilt and without messing up something that's for sale or for an order. Watch some of the classic videos on leather carving from high-end saddle makers and leather workers.

Third - Feel free to ask questions on the forum - this place is filled with crusty old farts like me with tons of info. And this is one of the few forums where people will actually admit not knowing something and then pointing you in the right direction or to a member that can answer your questions.

Last - Have fun - this is a great hobby and business.

- Kent

[Handstitched]

Yep, what he said ^^     

@ivan7342 Well done. You're doing pretty well so far, and you've picked it up quite well too. 

 I started with  a basic 7 piece set  and went from there . I later found some s/h tools in the classifieds ( remember them?  in an antiquated thing called a newspaper, pre-inter webby ) . 

After that, I couldn't stop, I was hooked. And, my ' little hobby' turned into a business. 

Your world is your oyster.........but made of leather of course. Theres no such thing as a silly question on here , it could save you time , money & frustration ,  we've all got stuck at some point and needed help. 

And yes, have fun !!!!!

HS

[garypl]

Everything already mentioned but the leather you use will also be a big factor.  Properly cased quality leather (typically Herman Oak or Wickett & Craig here in the USA).will tool and carve much easier with better results than some of the cheaper leathers out there.

Gary