carved camel bone project

B

barbiere

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166
Just to share a small, or rather said, first project of mine, inspired by other really artistic carvings I've seen. It's not that great, it has many flaws but, you know, there's a first time in anything and learnt my mistakes. For the next one (because it will be another) I'll more prepared.
Please feel free to comment and criticise, I'm willing to learn

The drawing the the blade I had in mind to make the scales for
OI04schitafinal.jpg


Image transfer with carbon paper
OI05transfera.jpg


I enhanced the drawing with a permanent marker
OI05transferb.jpg


Overimposing shows inconsistencies of scales contour, so I spent a great deal of time to correct these as much as I could
OI07formepreliminaree.jpg


After many corrections achieved a certain degree of symmetry
OI10subtiere.jpg


Eventually I got something like this. In the "heart" I tried some details that didn't work out so erased them (not completelly). I thought about some fleur-de-lys inserts but decided simply to glue them on
OI11prelucrared.jpg


And here's my baby (thought a JR & Sons blade would fit better)
OI12final2e.jpg


Any comments, advice etc are welcome
 
UKRob said:
I don't think you need any advice - that is extremely good. What kind of tools did you use?
Click to expand...

dremel flexishaft (with keyless chuck), carbide burs, few grinding stones, small files, manual dental scaler (very good and keeps sharpness) and a vacuum cleaner. for the next project I'll purchase some small dental burs.
this is my dream when I saw this:

29007262_1_x1.jpg


my new year resolution is to make a set of scales like this in bone and one in mother of pearl
 
barbiere said:
UKRob said:
I don't think you need any advice - that is extremely good. What kind of tools did you use?
Click to expand...

dremel flexishaft (with keyless chuck), carbide burs, few grinding stones, small files, manual dental scaler (very good and keeps sharpness) and a vacuum cleaner. for the next project I'll purchase some small dental burs.
this is my dream when I saw this:

my new year resolution is to make a set of scales like this in bone and one in mother of pearl
Click to expand...

I'm also planning a set in MOP but without the carving - if you know of a good quality source please let me know.

Incidentally there is a member on SRP called Mycarver - take a look at some of his work in ivory, wood and other materials - a real master.
 
UKRob said:
....
I'm also planning a set in MOP but without the carving - if you know of a good quality source please let me know.

Incidentally there is a member on SRP called Mycarver - take a look at some of his work in ivory, wood and other materials - a real master.
Click to expand...

MOP (blanks) looking good (grade A) can be found on ebay - seller robsbits - I bought some a while ago for another project but ruined them, so I took a break for a while (you know....costs...I cannot ruin a grade A blank every day).
Another promising looking source is this www rothkoandfrost com - I made an effort and purchased some black MOP blanks for another project (I'm still waiting for them to arrive)
Large shells (over 15 - 17 cm long) can still be found on ebay (seller from Australia) as source for single MOP scales (but the cost is prohibitive). An alternative source can be, I think, cutlery sets (knives, forks, spoons, you name it) dating back in Victorian time (many have MOP handles) from various flee markets or ebay even, the handles are rather small but thick enough to source blanks - is what I have in mind for the moment.
Soon I'll post an MOP project I've just done but using grade C (inferior quality) MOP for training purpose (it turn up nice) and honing practice (this one was really good).
Unless I know I can "master" this material, I have no intention in adventuring and investing too much. For the moment I'll take it slowly, step by step and stick to carving bone (muuuch cheaper !)
 
Thank you very much for your appreciation. Well...for a first attempt of this kind I can say it's not too bad. It happened I saw some of Mycarver's works and I could say that it'd be a long time just to get close.
Anyhow, I've kept practising by hand for the last couple of days and started to get a bit of a feeling so to speak. I used some of those small / narrow screwdrivers used in watch making that I sharpened and used as chisels. I tried some of the "leaves" of Mycarver. In this way I managed to get some detailed work but the process is slow (the camel bone is really hard). I read somewhere that ivory was preferred as being easier to carve...I know now why.
Apparently there's little or almost no information about how these carved scales were made in the past. I doubt they had any dremels after all...
 
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