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Chisels: pointed vs flat?

Stone Conversations : Archive 6 : Message 00583

From: "Clive Murray-White" <clivemw@zzzzzzzzzzzzzzz>
Date: Thu, 16 Sep 2004 09:33:41 +1000
Subject: Chisels: pointed vs flat?

Julianna wrote:

Quoted text begins.But I'm not sure when I would be using it (major excavations? finer
work? smoothing?), and how to choose one (materials, the different
number of points, etc). I basically know nothing about pointed chisels,
so any help would be great.
End of quote.


Hi all,

I would go further in explaining the use of a pointed chisel, sure they are
normally used to remove bulk material in an orderly way, as the first step
in the roughing out process, to be followed by claws and flats. The reason
why you don't go straight to the flat, even if you have plenty of power to
make it work, is that there is fair chance that you will split off a much
wanted bit of stone.

By diligently going through point, claw, flat process you will discover that
you maintain the greatest amount of control over what is happening to your
sculpture.

My favourite detailing chisel isn't actually a chisel at all, as I use an
engineers scribe with replaceable tungsten points as a tiny point chisel,
very cheap and very easy to control. It means that no nasty little accidents
can happen at the very worst time in the creation of any sculpture. The
little very sharp point allows you to sneak up on a detail in a really
orderly way, once you've got your basic shape a small flat chisel or riffler
file, can be used to clean it up before you go to the next finishing stages.

Hope this helps a bit

Regards Clive
Clive Murray-White
Web: http://www.cowwarr.com

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