MY PROCESS
PYROGRAPHY
First, I choose the type and size of wood for the subject. Basswood, maple, birch and poplar seem to be the best woods for pyrography as they don’t bleed and have a consistent grain. Once the wood has been selected and sanded to an 800 grit and paper, I transfer the image onto the wood with graphite paper. These are usually images provided by the customer. Most of the time, I’ll alter or add to the image.
I use a RAZERTIP SS-PRO burner with several pens. My main pens are a spoon shader, ball point (for smaller detail, and knife style for straight lines. A burn can take 1-45 hours long. After it is signed, the art is laquered or treated with cutting board oil if need be.
ANTLER CARVING
Antler from moose, elk and deer are shed every year. The majority of my art is from sheds, but I do recieve the odd piece from hunter friends or I purchase them from auctions, garage sales or antique shops. Once I get the image from the customer, I choose the size and type of antler to use. Smaller art such as bottle openers, key chains, pipes, etc. are created with mule or white tail deer antler. Moose antler allows me to use a larger canvass for creating a single or multiple images and tell a story.
The antler is much too difficult to carve with hand tools, so I resort to using a DREMEL or FOREDOM rotary tool. I use many different bits, from high speed cutters, round, triangular, and square to sanding drums. For detail work, I find dentist sized carbide bits to be best. Once the carving is complete, I’ll either laquer or stain if I want depth and contrast. Depending on the size and/ or subject, I’ll fabricate a base from exotic woods, stone or other antler. If I’m lucky, the carving can stand on it’s own.
SOAPSTONE AND ALABASTER SCULPTURE
I mainly use hand tools to carve soaptone. Chisels and riffler files are used. Soapstone is usually a 1 or 2 on the Moh’s hardness scale, where a diamond is 10, so it can easily be sculpted into any form. It’s brilliant colors range from browns, grey, reds, to teals, blues and black. Solid color or riddled with spots, grains or patterns. Some stone fractures easily, where others hold detail well. My favorite stone to work with is Brazilian, Italian and African Prophylite (wonderstone). Alabaster is generally harder than soapstone, so it holds detail better and won’t scratch as easy.
The majority of my subjects ar Canadian wildife. Bears, eagles, fish etc… Once the carving is complete, I sand the stone starting with 120 grit up to 2000 grit wet/dry paper. Afterwards, I heat up the stone with a torch or small oven, depending on the size, and apply either MINWAX polish or linseed/ tung oil. This allows the vibrant colors to be revealed. Some art may require a base of wood, other stone, or incorporate the base into the piece itself and seen here in the fish. It’s all one stone!
KNIVES AND SHEATHS
Early on, I was attracted to Damascus blades. The infinite, one of a kind patterns and hardness is a true work of art. Modern Damascus steel uses widely available high-carbon steels such as 15n20, which are specially blended with elements like nickel and vanadium to achieve specific properties. This broad approach has resulted in variations that are as unique as they are attractive. There are 300-500 layers in order to attain the perfect outcome.
Since Damascus steel is traditionally made with a high carbon content, rust can be a real problem. So, it is recommended that the blade be oiled regularly when not in use.
I do not fabricate the blades. They are purchased from the U.S. and Canada. I do, however, create a wide variety of handles. Carved moose, deer, elk antler, layered KYDEX handles, Ram horn, and exotic woods like Leopard, Koa and black walnut.
Recently, the small neck knives have been a hit. Worn around the neck with a lanyard, they are used by farmers, hunters and hikers. With every knife, I make it’s own KYDEX sheath. It can be made in a wide variety of colors and patterns. It’s durable, functional looks fantastic.