Carved Scabbard for LOTR Sword

[Dave Stephens]

Hi all:

 

Sometimes I think stubborness is a disease.

 

I am sooo struggling with carving. I threw in the towel on this one a dozen or so times, then thought: "Hmm. Maybe if I try this burr. . ." This is one that I'm happy to be done with because toward the end I started to hate it like a pesonal enemy.

 

If you guys could have seen me working on this thing you would have been reminded of a Three Stooges video. I had it at my desk at the office last week and a colleague came in and offered the opinion that the scabbard looked as if it had a dog gnaw upon it.

 

Anyway, here is my attempt at a deep relief caring on a Brazilian Rosewood scabbard to accompany the LOTR short sword I made some time ago (based on a Mad Dwarf design).

 

I don't know how the Kelso's, Powning's and Delagardelle's of the world make carving these curving lines look so easy.

 

<table style="width:auto;"><tr><td><a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/9_B4LvYGIIP3ugXR-kobRQ?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-2IZOcQTDs6E/TmVzrCXx70I/AAAAAAAABuw/HFmcU1ujLfo/s800/IMG_1083.JPG" height="234" width="800" /></a></td></tr><tr><td style="font-family:arial,sans-serif; font-size:11px; text-align:right">From <a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/DaveStephens907/Scabbard?authuser=0&feat=embedwebsite">scabbard</a></td></tr></table>

 

<table style="width:auto;"><tr><td><a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/oKzK3APl0tli82QGMFQxFA?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-JU3O54CGkvY/TmVznwazBYI/AAAAAAAABuo/8PJuiu76HQ0/s800/IMG_1078.JPG" height="527" width="800" /></a></td></tr><tr><td style="font-family:arial,sans-serif; font-size:11px; text-align:right">From <a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/DaveStephens907/Scabbard?authuser=0&feat=embedwebsite">scabbard</a></td></tr></table>

 

<table style="width:auto;"><tr><td><a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/FjsdSywS5_8Clrx-2sW5FA?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-nOCMMZ6eqNw/TmVzqUW9hVI/AAAAAAAABus/tqg-bT8NBSI/s800/IMG_1082.JPG" height="534" width="800" /></a></td></tr><tr><td style="font-family:arial,sans-serif; font-size:11px; text-align:right">From <a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/DaveStephens907/Scabbard?authuser=0&feat=embedwebsite">scabbard</a></td></tr></table>

 

Leather throat fits the thin blade pretty nicely.

<table style="width:auto;"><tr><td><a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/qQHirKLKnzqn8wCWDOOn_Q?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-CP0qmNVa_20/TmVzri8ALtI/AAAAAAAABu0/ehn1pfMLcdU/s800/IMG_1085.JPG" height="587" width="800" /></a></td></tr><tr><td style="font-family:arial,sans-serif; font-size:11px; text-align:right">From <a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/DaveStephens907/Scabbard?authuser=0&feat=embedwebsite">scabbard</a></td></tr></table>

 

<table style="width:auto;"><tr><td><a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/Hr1adnIH_eHxAxFYMSoMIg?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-W_uab-RxGGw/TmVzsNAyQOI/AAAAAAAABu4/cT46Au3MzKE/s800/IMG_1086.JPG" height="613" width="800" /></a></td></tr><tr><td style="font-family:arial,sans-serif; font-size:11px; text-align:right">From <a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/DaveStephens907/Scabbard?authuser=0&feat=embedwebsite">scabbard</a></td></tr></table>

 

I used some twisted brass wire soldered to the thin steel collar to hide the soldered seam (since the solder won't take the gun blue and would have created an ugly silver line).

<table style="width:auto;"><tr><td><a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/gsuV9f_NEoZPW-Q8CukMCA?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-Klj3WJaWRN8/TmV2JkebBBI/AAAAAAAABvM/UBJdZUa04AI/s800/IMG_1084.JPG" height="534" width="800" /></a></td></tr><tr><td style="font-family:arial,sans-serif; font-size:11px; text-align:right">From <a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/DaveStephens907/Scabbard?authuser=0&feat=embedwebsite">scabbard</a></td></tr></table>

 

The thing that frustrated me the most on this one was the inconsistent density of the grain. The black stripes are super hard. The light stripes are soft. Your chisel bumps along like a pickup truck on a washboard dirt road.

 

This is one I'm bringing to Ashokan.

 

Happy Labor Day.

 

--Dave

[Andrew C.]

That looks splendid sir! I've never worked with that kind of rosewood before, but it looks like it would prove difficult. The lines look good though, and the design is pleasing. I'd say you nailed it.

 

The project feels very complete, and I can totally see it in the hands some northern ranger as he dishes it out to the orcs.

[Jim Kelso]

Tough wood, tough design. A credible job I'd say Dave.

[jake cleland]

Dave, well done with persevering - the carving turned out pretty nice, and it's a sweet design. i'd suggest you don't bother with using burrs on wood - they tear, chatter, wander and climb, and are more trouble than they're worth, if you ask me.

 

chip carving is your friend - i do all my carving with a 5mm flat graver at about a 40 degree angle - outline the shape of the carving almost with the tool almost vertical vertical, to a depth of maybe 2mm, then carve in from the outside from about 4mm back from your outline at a shallow angle to meet the outline, chipping out the wood to give the relief you need.

 

once you've got that done, get it as flat as you can with the chisel, always working with the grain (imagine that you're pushing the grain together - it becomes second nature pretty quick, but it's always worth stopping and thinking), and then take a sharp, fairly coarse, flat needle file, and use it as a scraper - where you can get in and use it flat, that's good, but mostly i use it at about a 20-30 degree angle, and just scrape back and forth with the front two teeth; it should shift wood fairly quickly, but in a controlled manner, and it gives nice sharp edges.

[Mark Muhr]

I think it looks great. You also picked a pretty tough wood to carve. If you want to do some practicing, try to pick up some soft maple, alder, or basswood. They all carve very nicely with basswood being the easiest. Another thing to consider is that there are ways to pop the details of your carving in the finishing process. You can darken the deep areas by using dark wax and buffing off the high spots, or you can use a glaze in the finishing process as a more durable way to accomplish the same thing. Both will add the appearance of age to a piece too, which I think would be great on your scabbard.

 

Here's a tutorial I did on glazing for a woodworking forum I am a member of:

 

http://www.worldofwoodforum.com/vb/showthread.php?3095-Glazing

 

Mark

 

Edit: I forgot to say that if you're doing this well on your own, a very little bit of coaching will do wonders. I can carve because I had a small bit of talent and a really good teacher during my apprenticeship.

Edited September 6, 2011 by Mark Muhr

[tsterling]

Pretty decent try, Dave, especially considering you chose one of the most recalcitrant woods for carving. I hate the stuff, and I'm allergic to the dust - wear a GOOD dust mask.

 

A few suggestions: Clive Hallam, one of the world's top netsuke carvers, has produced an excellent tutorial on how to make some very effective little knives (I think of them more as scrapers). If you were to scale them up to around 3/16 inch stock, I think they would work very well for your purpose. Here's a link to the first of his three tutorials on Following the Iron Brush forum: http://followingtheironbrush.org/viewtopic.php?f=57&t=1361

 

I like to rough out my carvings with power tools and burrs (not having Jake's even temper and patience ). Then I clean up the edges with blades and scrapers. If you follow a few simple rules, burrs can help speed things up. For what it's worth, here's a link to a free eBook on my web site that explains everything I know about power carving: http://www.sterlingsculptures.com/Resources_folder/Netsuke_Book_folder/Carving_Netsuke.htm

 

And finally, a little rule of thumb I try to follow: Highly figured woods and complex carved designs generally clash, especially something like Celtic ribbons. I think you'll find this style of carving looks best on tight grained but plain hardwoods. So, carving goes on plain woods; pretty and highly figured woods stand on their own.

 

Hope this helps! Keep up the good work.

 

Tom

Edited September 6, 2011 by tsterling

[Dave Stephens]

All: Thanks for the sage advice.

 

I had a strong suspicion that the wood I had chosen for this project might be a really tough one to carve. It's nice to hear from some of the really accomplished carvers that I was correct.

 

Jake -- Thanks for the pointers. You do some great work. It's funny how you advise not using burrs. Just after posting this I jumped over to Jake Powning's website because I remembered he had a carving tutorial posted. I was totally blown away by the fact that he uses TWO tools to do all his carving: a straight chisel and a skew chisel. If you could see the pile of different scrapers, chisels, burrs, flap sanders, needle files, etc. etc. I used on this thing it would make you laugh.

 

Mark -- Great tutorial, I learned a lot from it. I think David Delagardelle mentioned the same dark stain on the low areas technique to me once. Makes a lot of sense. And yeah, I'd love some coaching. The great part of being a bladesmith is that you get to learn so many completely distinct crafts as enhancements to the basic craft. We are the crossroads of so many other art forms: carving, engraving, scrimshaw, jewelry making, mokume, silversmithing, sculpture, etc.

 

Tom -- Thanks for the lengthy reply. Your work and Jim Kelso's work are both real inspirations for me. Although I am not seeking the path of a pure netsuke carver or even a general wood sculptor, I am really moved by the work of artists like yourselves and hope to someday capture the same pathos in the carvings on my work. Clearly I have a long way to go.

 

Great advice on the figured vs. plain wood issue. I chose Brazilian Rosewood for the scabbard because I had used that wood for the handle. About 20% of the way through the carving I realized that the lines of the grain were competing with the lines I was attempting to carve. This realization was what forced me into my first deep relief carving attempt. I figured I'd have to go big or go home with this kind of grain. I won't make that mistake again until I have more experience. I'm thinking something like maple for my next carving . . .

 

Thanks again guys. Your comments and advice really do mean a lot to me.

 

--Dave

[Kevin Colwell]

congratulations for the determination. It looks good. I feel your pain - I can't carve to save my life. People keep reminding me that it is as hard a forging or grinding and it takes the same amount of time to learn. I like the comment about searching for the right burr or tool. Surely, somewhere, once we know what tools to use we can then figure out how to use them, right???

 

actually, it looks really good. I wouldn't have thought you struggled with it if you hadn't mentioned it. Looking forward to seeing you and it.

kc

[Greg Thomas Obach]

looks good Dave !

- i'm with Jake on this .. i find chisels the best, BUT.. it seems people settle into one camp or the other

 

i did wince a little when you mentioned what type of wood your carving... a tighter grain wood would be much nicer to carve

 

Greg

 

 

ps.. i've had the dremel ruin many things, and i concider it the most notorious tool in my shop.. hah..

 

" just a little more...thats it..thats it...ZZZZZZzzzzzzzerrrrffff right accross the the piece ..... aaaaah dang dremel *@^#^%$!% !!!!

[Mark Muhr]

 

 

Mark And yeah, I'd love some coaching.

 

If you're ever down this way, you're welcome in my shop any time. A few hours will take you miles. A lot of carvers use very minimal tools. There's a guy out there that uses only a 1" bevel edge bench chisel and a #7 carving gouge to carve ball and claw feet. Me, I usually end up with every carving tool I own scattered around me on the bench and I still end up wanting another tool or three. Heck, that's what got me interested in blade smithing.

[David D.]

That turned out great Dave!

I'll have to share with you my personal favorite tricks to carving while we hang at Ashokan. I am in no way comparable to Kelso or Jake or plenty other guys on here. I just have my own way of doing it that works for me and I feel looks good.

 

basically.. when I discovered the beauty and ease of good old traditional carving by hand with chisels, I all together abandoned the dremel and all of its "carving" tools as useless in comparison.

A dremel simply cannot compete with a good set of chisels. I got mine for $17 bucks on Lee Valley and have used the same set for everything I've ever done to date.

 

My chisels are my friends.

So dont give up on carvings...

[Andrew C.]

Those Lee Valley chisels really are the best. I certainly don't claim to be proficient in carving, but they make a huge difference in accuracy and control. The right angle gouge is by far the best tool for establishing those sweeping curves.