A Couple of Handles (Not for Forks…)
- Thread starter Gairdner
- Start Date
- Messages
- 3,007
- Location
- Not too far from LHR
Crikey bud, matron struck gold with you didn't she! That yew handle complements the fan knot perfectly, the wood itself is beautiful, and the shape somehow inherently feminine. Love the tooled unsanded finish as well, brush got soul. Chapeau mon vieux haricot, chapeau!
- Messages
- 495
- Location
- West London
Nicely done. I like them a lot.
Do you start with rough stock or is some prep done before carving?
Do you start with rough stock or is some prep done before carving?
- Messages
- 5,079
- Location
- London
Holy smokes, they are both stunners but the grain of the Yew under oil is nothing short of stunning.
IMO, I think it looks better some 'exotic' woods, there are some great woods not from rainforests.
IMO, I think it looks better some 'exotic' woods, there are some great woods not from rainforests.
OP
- Messages
- 3,163
- Thread Starter
- #5
Often it’s a chunk of tree which I’ll saw into a length to transport home. Then it’s out with the axe to split the round down the middle as you must never use the centre of the wood. After first splitting into smaller sections, I’ll roughly shape a piece into a cylindrical or square-sectioned billet then further refine with the axe. Knifey knife time after that with my hand forged Scandinavian ground blade which will take the billet into its final shape and leave small, faceted and hopefully neat tool marks without tears, rips, steps, chatter marks or anything untoward. Then I use Liberon Finishing Oil with usually four coats and a wood polish afterwards. ShedEleven HandCarved is born! I make them in my shed at number eleven…original, huh?
- Messages
- 3,007
- Location
- Not too far from LHR
ShedEleven! It's a good name actually. Just as well you didn't buy further down the road or you might have copyright issues!
OP
- Messages
- 3,163
- Thread Starter
- #7
Aye, this is very true. Our native woods are grossly misrepresented and overlooked. Even the plainest bit of Oak will show you contrasting grain in growth rings and medullary rays plus it’s hard and highly rot resistant even without treatment. For example: an untreated Yew fence post will outlast a pressure and chemical treated redwood pine post several times over and untreated Oak should at least match it.
That said, I do have some exotics in the shed which I was gifted by a friend after his mother and one of my very dearest friends passed away in 2019. Her late husband was a wood turner and his son often brought him blanks back from his travels. Sometimes, I will use scavenged wood that is thrown out, destined for landfill or the bonfire. That Oak was leftovers from a furniture maker at the end of our lane. Too small an offcut to be of any use to him but wooden gold to me…
OP
- Messages
- 3,163
- Thread Starter
- #8
T’was part of my inspiration! Oh and did I ever tell you how much I love your avatar and that particular album. Not quite a Lazy Sunday Afternoon but one spent sending tiny shavings all over the place whilst breathing in Jock the Border Terrier’s noxious fumes. He’s a good lad really…
- Messages
- 3,007
- Location
- Not too far from LHR
Funny isn't it? To a cabinet maker an offcut like that is floor sweepings. Look what it has become! To think that 99.9% of people would have binned or burned that.
All my brushes are resin or plastic handles except a cheap unassuming badger from a well known purveyors of crap shave kit beginning with a swirly H. I only keep it because I like the handle. However it drinks butchers block oil like I drink coffee but it does look nice when freshly oiled. Knowing H is probably the wrong kind of wood mind you. You may recognise his rackmate. Not a patch on your lovely handcrafted beauties of course.
All my brushes are resin or plastic handles except a cheap unassuming badger from a well known purveyors of crap shave kit beginning with a swirly H. I only keep it because I like the handle. However it drinks butchers block oil like I drink coffee but it does look nice when freshly oiled. Knowing H is probably the wrong kind of wood mind you. You may recognise his rackmate. Not a patch on your lovely handcrafted beauties of course.
Last edited:
- Messages
- 3,803
- Location
- Edinburgh Scotland
Absolute Class Well Done
Hand-carved with a tooled finish left by the knife shown. No sandpaper was used. Smaller one in Oak with a 26mm Maseto Silvertip for yours truly and the larger vase for my fiancée in Yew with a 26mm Cashmere fan knot. Hope you like them, chaps…
OP
- Messages
- 3,163
- Thread Starter
- #11
Send me a picture, sir.
- Messages
- 3,007
- Location
- Not too far from LHR
I edited my original post just as you wrote that.
Yes, the avatar, cheers, I do love the Small Faces and Ogdens is a cracking album, pure mad fantasy and Stanley Unwin was a legend on it. I got quite good at Unwinese at one point. That avatar pic was taken of my vinyl copy of it, round cut gatefold type cover that was reissued in the early 90s. Apparently 'Mad John' was inspired by Steve's own father, I've seen it written.
Last edited:
OP
- Messages
- 3,163
- Thread Starter
- #13
Lovely shape - very akin to a Colonel X2L which was no doubt their intention. Commodore X3 eh? Wonder where that came from…
Funnily enough I’m working on an ‘X4’ in the most amazingly coloured and figured, spalted Hawthorn…
My favourite shaving brushes are Simpsons and likely always will be.
Funnily enough I’m working on an ‘X4’ in the most amazingly coloured and figured, spalted Hawthorn…
My favourite shaving brushes are Simpsons and likely always will be.
Please forgive my thicko question: you've produced those handles entirely by hand? No assistance from a lathe?
- Messages
- 7,017
I had to Google that word as I have never read nor heard it before.
Dictionary.com | Meanings & Definitions of English Words
The world's leading online dictionary: English definitions, synonyms, word origins, example sentences, word games, and more. A trusted authority for 25+ years!
www.dictionary.com
Another British gem for you there. I'm having a good rant in another thread so no doubt I'll drop a few new slang terms there for you to use before the day is through.I had to Google that word as I have never read nor heard it before.
Dictionary.com | Meanings & Definitions of English Words
The world's leading online dictionary: English definitions, synonyms, word origins, example sentences, word games, and more. A trusted authority for 25+ years!