Perfect carvings require a perfect finish. Ian Edwards demonstrates various finishing techniques to create some very different surfaces
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Use a very sharp tool over the whole piece, making sure you go with the grain or across and not against it
his creates an almost hammer-like finish which is very effective on certain pieces. I used a 13mm No.7 sweep in a fishtail, although it does not have to be a fishtail. This heavy-tooled finish can be used on rhino skin (see main picture, left) as it adds strength
For creating a finish which has less surface texture, use a tool with a lesser radius, such as a No.2 sweep
Again, for the cleanest of cuts, the tool has to be razor-sharp, going with or across the grain
This piece has been finished using mainly a 16mm No.4 gouge
Using a coarse sanding disc in an angle grinder is the fastest form of sanding. It is also an effective tool for shaping. The sanding discs start off at 40grit. If you do not have a variable-speed angle grinder the disc will burn the wood as you reach below 120grit
The power file is a great tool for sanding and shaping. It is very versatile because the end can be used for creating concave shapes and the flat for convex
Cutting ScotchBrite pads into 2.5in squares and placing into a mandrill is a great sanding device when using a flexi-drive. They take the shape of what you are sanding rather than flattening everything off
A stone in the flexi-drive is ideal for reaching those awkward areas. The stones come in all different shapes and sizes, with a variety of coarseness
A small rubber disc in the mandrill can be used to work a very tight corner. They are available in various grades of coarsenes
The bullet-shaped rubber works in the same way as the stone. However it is much finer and can be easily shaped to fit the job
The ball-shaped cotton bud sands very finely. I find the shape becomes more useful as they start to wear down
Sooner or later you will have to sand by hand. For best results start with a coarse grade. Go down through the grades, working over the whole piece. You can fold the paper into different shapes to get into those hard to reach areas. I prefer to use paper-backed carbon paper
Stamping the background. This is performed to help lift the foreground and create contrast. When stamping, the ideal is to reach a consistent depth and grouping. As you can see, nearer to the stamp where there is more consistency, it is more pleasing to the eye
The stamp in photo 13 is home-made from a 6in nail. However this stamp is commercially bought. You can purchase them in many different shapes and patterns; some have acorns, crosses and moon
This example of a Victorian leaf panel shows how the foreground is lifted by stamping the background
To add texture by creating raised pips, punch the surface with a dome-headed punch. Sand the surface back level within the punched area. When sanding back, be careful not to go past the punched leve
Wet the punched area. This will raise the grain of the punched area to create a pip. This technique looks particularly good on the surface of fruit or something like a toad
Traditional cabinet scrapers can be used on large carvings. For smaller carvings or in tighter areas I have made small scrapers from old screwdrivers. When scraping with the grain they make easy work of deep scratche
A heavily tooled finish can add strength to certain carvings, such as this rhino skin
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The right finish is critical on a carving and so many well-carved pieces are lost on this final hurdle.
A well-selected finish will enhance the look of the carving. If it is a male figure, a heavy tool finish can add strength, and sanding a female figure helps to enhance the softness of the form. Given the right time, thought and technique, the finish will be the icing on the cake.
Sanding
Many people feel that sanding is cheating in some way. This is because the cut of the tool can no longer be seen and mistakes can be hidden, therefore people think the easier route has been chosen. Sanding a carving correctly is far from the easy route. I often see poorly-sanded pieces where the carver has not gone far enough down the grades of sanding paper or has not spent enough time on the earlier grades to take out some of the heavier marks.
A well-carved and well-sanded piece really takes some beating, especially if the carving is in a wood which has a beautiful grain; for instance, walnut (Juglans spp).
Power tool sanding
Using power tools for roughing-out the initial shape will increase the speed at which I can create the carving, but this sacrifices the pleasure of using carving tools. When it comes to sanding by hand, there is no pleasure lost. Sanding is a real drag for me, so I use power tools as much as possible.
When employing power tools I would very rarely use rasps or riflers, but they do still have their uses.
A very fine rifler is an ideal tool for cleaning up around the delicate areas of a carving.
Tool finish
For me, one of the most enjoyable aspects of carving is using a very sharp tool and working over the surface with very clean cuts. It is critical that the tools are absolutely razor-sharp. This will provide a clean cut which, in some hardwoods, will shine. If I’m working on a tool finish, I re-hone the tool every 10-15 minutes. The cuts can go with the grain and across but not against the grain as this will provide a messy cut.