Читать книгу Cane Topper Woodcarving - Lora S. Irish - Страница 5

Introduction

I love woodcarving. I love the feel of the wood in my hands and the movement of a crisply sharp tool working through the grain. Woodcarving is a hobby that encompasses all forms of designs, themes, and art styles.

But as an avid crafter and hobbyist, I also want an art form that does not take me away from my family. The carving projects that I work are primarily designs that I can create in my home, at my studio table, or in my lap during the evening hours as I join my family around the TV, watching a favorite movie.

Working a decorative carving directly into a 5-foot (155cm)–long walking stick means that I need a large, open space in which to move, turn, and twist the staff. By dividing the cane into small sections—the cane topper, the joint, the joint cover, and the staff—I can carve and construct a cane anywhere and in just about any space, including in the living room or on my back porch.

Working in sections also lets me mix different woods with different assets in one design. I can carve the decorative topper in basswood, which is a fine-grained, white-colored wood that carves easily, and then attach that carving to a hardwood walnut dowel, which will give my stick the strength it needs to act as a hiking stick.

For all these reasons, cane toppers truly give me everything that I want as a woodcarver—the choice of any theme that I can imagine, the ability to work in any location that I want, and the option to incorporate the strongest assets of the woods available to me.

Throughout this book, you will learn how you, too, can take advantage of this fun and rewarding carving genre. I have no doubt that there will be many cozy carving evenings in your future.

Disclaimer

Hand-carved canes, walking sticks, and hiking sticks are meant to be used; they are far more than just decorative items. Throughout this book, we will work together to create our walking sticks with as strong and durable a joint between the cane topper and the staff as possible, which will allow the finished canes to bring decades of joy to their owners.

However, the projects and teachings in this book are not meant in any manner to be a substitute for or to represent a medically necessary walking-assistance device. Anyone who needs a cane for physical support should consult his or her doctor and follow the doctor’s recommendations for the specific type and style of cane needed.