Nautical Research Journal 253


13. Carvings on a brass background and a mold taken from one.


the cutting edge is razor sharp; you want to shave the wood, not gouge it. Chisel edges are important in order to straighten out the hem line, belts, or edges of a coat. Customize your scrapers as you need them. I always have a few extras on hand just for that new assignment.


I sharpen burr bits into tiny chisels and mount them in pin vises. (Figure 12) T ese are valuable for cutting square corners, straightening crooked lines, and removing the excess fl ash that remains when separating a carving from its metal backing (which we will cover within the “Applied Ornament” section). A #11 scalpel blade is most valuable to have on hand also.


Woods


T e two woods I prefer for most of my ornamental carvings are box wood and mountain mahogany. Box wood has a yellow/golden color which is good for ship’s ornament. It is smooth, dense, and creamy to cut. Mountain mahogany varies in color from sapwood (light colored) to heartwood (dark mahogany color). I use the light wood for ornamental carvings, while the dark wood is great for masts, yards, and even small blocks. Mountain mahogany is one of the densest and hardest woods in the world.


It was used to hold up mine shaſt s in the old West. It holds great detail and polishes well.


Other hardwoods can be used, and the denser they are, the more detail they will hold. Naturally, bone and ivory nuts, (Tagua nuts) can be used. Some of these might


feel greasy when being carved; you


might fi nd rough carving with the rotary tool works just so far and then using scraping tools is best for the rest of the carving and detailing.


Part II: Applied ornament


Much of the carving we will be doing for our period ships will fall under the category of applied ornament. T ese are decorative moldings, scrollwork like acanthus leaves, ornamental railings, and applied logos, crests, or national symbols. All are one-sided carvings with the fl at back being affi xed to the ship or, in the case of railings, the uncarved side facing inside the ship.


T e fi rst important thing you must look for is the correct thickness. If the carving is too thick, it will not look correct. It will look more like a decorated wedding cake. T ink back to the artist who carved the original ornament…what thickness would have been correct for this application? Aſt er determining


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