[JP Anderson]

This tool handle is a carving study and I tried a different style on each surface. It isn't finished and may never be but it's one of my more detailed small carving to date. The ebony handle is about 75mm long and was the first time I had carved ebony. This piece was the worst wood on the board and it was soft, rotten in some areas and very hard in others. I like nice tools as I get to use them every time I carve.

I'm not sure how to get the smooth finish I see on other works. My camera is very honest and shows every little flaw. I just need to work at it a bit harder I'm sure.

John
Havre, Montana, U.S.A.

[Doug Sanders]

I can't get my camera to tell me lies either, John From the photos, I can make two observations-
First, it appears that there are areas where you're cutting against the grain of the ebony. It's particularly important with this wood to go with the grain and it tends to powder and flake off if done otherwise. Second, read through this group for threads about scraper use. You're going about just as far as you can with cutting tools, and now need to get in to scraping to crisp up details. Only after the work is fine-tuned and sanded to the polished stage should you do the fine veining work that you've got going on the petals and foliate forms.

Finally, ebony dulls tools quickly, so keep on top of keeping them sharp.

[JP Anderson]

Doug,

Thank you for the tips. I will build some scrapers and will pay better attention to the direction of the grain. Good advice and appreciated. I do like carving the ebony after some of the poor woods I've carved in the past.

John

[Doug Sanders]

Once you get good at carving ebony and it's all nice and polished, you'll have a new frustration- photographing it. It's difficult to spotlight and have any indication of shadows.

[JP Anderson]

I'm already finding out how difficult ebony is to photograph. This was my third try.