Fig. 80. Key rack designs
"Now you understand," said Ralph, "why I couldn't allow you to make a knife at first. All the training I have given you was necessary before you had the requisite skill and control of your hands. The carving will be easy for you because of all this practice. Skill is something which comes that way. Why, if I should give you the problem of making that first key rack over again, you would do it in about one third of the time, and very much better than at your first attempt. You have been gaining skill without knowing it.
"Just to show you how much you have advanced, I will give you one or two key rack designs to be decorated with chip carving. When they are finished, take them into the house and compare them with the first you made. I think you will be amused at the difference. That original piece of which you were so proud will seem a very crude affair now."
"All right," said Harry, "but I should like to make one more paper knife first if you don't mind."
"Very well; make up a new design, because no artist ever duplicates his work," said Ralph with a mischievous smile.
The smile was premature, however. The boy had not been designing woodwork for nothing. The design is shown at No. 2, [Fig. 79], and even Ralph, severe critic though he was, had to admit that it was "pretty fair."
"Looks like a table knife," he said seriously. "However, it is your own design, so go ahead and make it. Try a piece of cherry this time. It makes a good wood for carving, and is not quite so hard to whittle as maple."
The different steps in the process of cutting this out were the same as in No. 1, [Fig. 79].