Читать книгу The Handcarved Bowl - Danielle Rose Byrd - Страница 35

35

T H E H A N D C A R V E D B O W L

Chapter 2 | T O O L S

AXE

Though axes are primarily

associated with lumberjacks and

chopping firewood, a carving axe

is generally a smaller version used

for bowl blank preparation, gen-

eral shaping of the outside of the

bowl and quick removal of large

amounts of waste wood during the

roughing process. Quite a bit of

finesse work can also be done with

an axe after some practice.

Carving axes have a curved,

rather than straight edge, which

allows for an ergonomic and

efficient slicing cut that works in

tandem with the arc of your swing.

Their handles are commonly

curved back, allowing for this

motion to happen more fluidly.

AXES COMPARED

Bowl carving axes tend to be a bit

heavier than those used for lighter

work, like spoon carving, for a

very simple reason: Getting rid of

more wood is easier with a heavier

tool. For a number of years I used

a Gransfors Bruk Swedish carving

axe for large waste removal and

general shaping, and the lighter

Robin Wood axe to achieve thinner

walls. The lighter weight allowed

me to take more controlled cuts

without unnecessarily wearing out

my arms and hands.

I also now own an axe made by

Julia Kaltoff, which is an excellent

mid-weight axe useful for both

heavy waste removal and light cuts

working up to a layout line. It has

become my go-to for all around

work, and the one I would choose

if given the option of only one.

That being said, I do find it helpful

to have a range of axes so I can

always use the one best suited to

the job. Tendon issues are hard to

heal and can be common with this

kind of intense handwork, so using

an appropriately weighted axe is a

great way to prevent these types of

injuries.

It may be suitable for you to

start with a smaller axe and build

up the muscles in your arms

before moving on to a heavier

one. I had been a baker for several

years when I first started using

an axe in earnest, and I had the

forearms of an ogre. I thought

I’d be able to easily transition to

using an axe regularly, but it still

took me a good number of weeks

to use it without being sore the

next day. I’m not trying to scare

you, only trying to convey that it’s

wise to think about your arms as

very valuable tools that cannot be

replaced and should be treated as

such, before problems arise.

SPLITTING

Axes can also be used for splitting,

but it’s possible to weaken the

handle or the fit of the axe head

while doing it. If you like this

method, I recommend a second-

hand tool with a firmly fit handle

and significant poll (the bump on

the heel of the axe head), which

offers a robust striking area. This

is particularly useful when only

small amounts of material need to

be removed to shape a blank.