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| A SNIB | A HAND CLAMP | A CARVER’S VISE |
Fig. 24. schemes for holding work when carving
To hold the work while you are carving it you can make two or more snibs as shown at [A in Fig. 24]. These little clamps are sawed out pieces of wood with an ordinary wood screw through the thick end, and when you want to carve a flat piece of work clip it with a couple of snibs and screw the latter to your bench. A better scheme is to use a couple of hand screws as shown at [B]. For carving in relief you will need a wood-carver’s vise as shown at [C].
The Best Woods for Carving.
—A wood that is suitable for carving must be tough, even grained and free from knots. For a beginner, and I guess you are one, yellow pine is a good wood to practice on as it is soft and easy to work but you must be careful not to splinter it along the grain.
Oak is much tougher but it is a fine wood for carving and you will not need to take the care to prevent splintering as with pine. Black walnut and mahogany are beautiful woods and are nice to carve, while for finer work apple, pear, sycamore and California redwood are largely used.
Kinds of Wood Carving.
—There are three kinds of wood carving in general and these are (1) chip, or surface carving, (2) panel or relief carving, and (3) figure carving, as shown in [Fig. 25].
When you cut your initials in the top of your desk at school you made a primitive attempt at what is called chip carving. Most likely you got the birch for it but it was only the savage instinct for decorative art that was trying to find expression in you, and so it’s not your fault. (But don’t do it again.) Any kind of carving on a flat surface is called chip carving, and some of it is very beautiful. It is shown at [A].
Fig. 25. kinds of carving