File puptcrit/puptcrit.0812, message 570


From: =?iso-8859-1?Q?Mathieu_Ren=E9?= <creaturiste-AT-primus.ca>
To: <puptcrit-AT-puptcrit.org>
Date: Tue, 30 Dec 2008 12:30:45 -0500
Subject: Re: [Puptcrit] Woodworking: lumber yards & specialty stores


Hobey wrote:
>So my wood shop teacher gave me one piece of advice that may seem
silly but when I have ignored it has meant stitches at the hospital.
It is very simple,  "Don't put anything in front of the blade that you
don't want to cut off"  So take it nice and easy and don't get in a
hurry unless its sandpapering.  Good Luck.
-----------

Thanks Hobey. This is good advice.

I say something like that to my students when using craft knives and such.
Also, I tell them that at any sign that they are putting too much pressure 
on their knife, they should gently put the blade on the table, take a deep 
breath, and start again only when they feel in control.

I've carved wood a lot before, mostly handles and puppet body parts hidden 
under the clothes, but never detailed enough to create intricate puppet 
heads or hands.

Every major cut I had was caused by loss of control of the knife or other 
sharp tool, and every time because I was too much in a hurry, either from 
growing tired, or impatient.

When I fist started working with tools, I stabbed myself in the chest with 
an awl. I was lucky it didn't go deep, the apron stopped most of the 
momentum. The problem was three-fold:
- I forced the tool instead of enquiring why it wouldn't go through my piece 
of leather,
- the awl had a flat ring shaped right after the point, preventing it from 
piercing deep
- I pointed the tool at myself, instead of laying everything on the table.
Right after that incident, I grinded the ring off the awl, knowing I 
wouldn't need it. That awl became on e of my favorite tools. I rarely hold 
grudges against tools.

Most of my cuts happened when cutting hard materials, including hardwood. I 
learned that carving hardwood extensively with a craft knife is not a good 
idea, it tires the hands and wrists, and that increases the risk of injury.

When carving small details, I sometimes need to hold the blade facing inside 
my thumb.
I found no other way of doing it, so I place a few layers of masking tape on 
my thumb to stop the blade if I ever go too far.

Maskmakers in Bali carve their wood wearing no protection. From the pics 
I've seen online, they don't even wear anything else than shorts, and hold 
the wood with their feet!
Those knives they use must be extremely sharp, I'm sure. Studying with them 
must be excellent for learning control of self and blade.

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