Another carve up. New tools from Slovakia

[will baddeley]

Hello everyone. I discovered a new carving tool maker on another forum and thought I'd give them a try. Rudi Spanko lives in Slovakia and his tools are very competitive.l

IMG_1988.JPG

[will baddeley]

After 2 weeks of night shifts, I finally got the opportunity to give these new puppies a whirl. I chose a very good nursery Yew to have at.

IMG_1989.JPG

[will baddeley]

This tree was potted a couple of years ago and the live veins on the top died off.

IMG_1990.JPG

[will baddeley]

First job was to clean off the old bark. I find this is better done with a small knife as it preserves the natural way the veins have grown. Power tools will remove too much surface wood.

IMG_2008.JPG

[BGM1971]

Hi
How much were the carving bits?
Can you also tell us where to order them?
Thanks

[will baddeley]

My carving arsenal has been lacking in long shafted carving bits and Rudi makes 100-110mm long carving bits. Apart from carving a small amount of external movement, I punched 5 holes up and down the trunk and then linked them together with the longer bits. This created a completely hollow trunk with minimal external damage.

IMG_2011.JPG

[will baddeley]

What a handsome unit (thanks for the term Antonio). I posted this to show the depth you can go.

IMG_2014.JPG

[will baddeley]

Finished for now after 5 hours work. Some refinement will be needed and a couple of years of weathering. Email address and more pictures are on my blog. Thankyou for your time. http://wildwoodbonsai.blogspot.com/2011 ... tools.html

IMG_2016.JPG

[will baddeley]

Hello BGM1971. Each carving bit costs around 55 Euros and Rudi Spanko's email address is... rspanko@gmail.com

[daiviet_nguyen]

What a handsome unit (thanks for the term Antonio). I posted this to show the depth you can go.

IMG_2014.JPG

Hi Will,

Thank you for the info. And that is a very impressive tattoo that you have too

Best regards.

[Dario]

Thanks for sharing the info Will, and great carving work!!
How long have you been carving for Will?...I am curious, as a complete carving novice I am wondering how long it has taken you to develop your carving skills? Also, are you still learning?...meaning, is carving something that you continually get better at the more you do it no matter how many years you have been at it?
I realise that everyone is different re the level of carving aptitide they acheive versus the length of time they have been doing it, but I would still be interested in how many years it has taken you to produce such realistic and terrific carving work.
Cheers, Dario.

[will baddeley]

Thankyou both. I have been carving for 14 years now and its an ongoing learning/ observation process. Good and varied tools and methods go a long way in helping you create what you invisage. I realise that machine carving is considered cheating by some but for those of us that can't afford top class yamadori and want to create the feel of a really old tree, this is the only other way.

[Dario]

Thanks for answering Will! 14 years...I guess I had better start practicing!!
Cheers, Dario.
Typo in previous post...
"...different re the level of carving aptitide they acheive..." Meant to be "carving aptitude".

[Gareth]

They look very much like the terrier carving bits graham Potter in the UK makes.

[kcpoole]

They look very much like the terrier carving bits graham Potter in the UK makes.

The main differences is the long shafts on these ?

Ken