In my search for ever more intricate tools to carve with, I tried something on a hunch. I went to our local farm supply store and bought some large gauge needles (for giving injections to cows and horses). A pack of 5 needles was less than $2 and anyone can buy them. They come in several sizes, I got the 16 gauge.
I tried one out the other night and after a bit of practice, found that they work pretty well for the really fine detail! Much cheaper than the 0.5 micro tool too! They are extremely sharp and because of the slight curve in the tip, they seem to have a bit of a mind of their own about where they want to go, but I just keep the proper angle (so I don't undercut my design) and use them like I would a pencil to cut along the fine lines.
It's worth a try if you like to do fine detail. They do take just a bit of practice though. I also found I tended to cut too deep with them, they are so sharp, they go right into the rubber very easily and it's hard to tell just how deep the tip is until you realize you're undercutting the design half a stamp away! :-).
You can see an example of the work done with this tool on my webpage. Click on the "Even MORE stamps" page and scroll to the very bottom. I used the needle to carve the really tiny words. The center of the 'O' in 'of' is smaller than the head of a pin. www.ScoutdogsBoxes.com
Scoutdogs
F-264
P-36
X-81
E-7
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
I found a new micro carving tool
6 messages in this thread |
Started on 2003-09-26
I found a new micro carving tool
From: Dog Scouts Troop (DogScouts@hotmail.com) |
Date: 2003-09-26 21:09:32 UTC-04:00
Re: I found a new micro carving tool
From: abacus00 (abacus00@yahoo.com) |
Date: 2003-09-27 01:25:40 UTC
What a wonderful inventive idea! Before I found many boxes, your
site was one that gave me ideas about stamps and what was possible
as I started carving my own. Thanks for sharing them with the rest
of us.
--Mahjong
--- In letterbox-usa@yahoogroups.com, "Dog Scouts Troop"
wrote:
> In my search for ever more intricate tools to carve with, I tried
something on a hunch. I went to our local farm supply store and
bought some large gauge needles (for giving injections to cows and
horses). A pack of 5 needles was less than $2 and anyone can buy
them. They come in several sizes, I got the 16 gauge.
site was one that gave me ideas about stamps and what was possible
as I started carving my own. Thanks for sharing them with the rest
of us.
--Mahjong
--- In letterbox-usa@yahoogroups.com, "Dog Scouts Troop"
> In my search for ever more intricate tools to carve with, I tried
something on a hunch. I went to our local farm supply store and
bought some large gauge needles (for giving injections to cows and
horses). A pack of 5 needles was less than $2 and anyone can buy
them. They come in several sizes, I got the 16 gauge.
Re: I found a new micro carving tool
From: catbead1 (libby@twcny.rr.com) |
Date: 2003-09-27 04:14:08 UTC
Scoutdogs you're an artist!
:-)
catbead
--- In letterbox-usa@yahoogroups.com, "Dog Scouts Troop"
wrote:
> In my search for ever more intricate tools to carve with, I tried
something on a hunch. I went to our local farm supply store and bought
some large gauge needles (for giving injections to cows and horses). A
pack of 5 needles was less than $2 and anyone can buy them. They come
in several sizes, I got the 16 gauge.
:-)
catbead
--- In letterbox-usa@yahoogroups.com, "Dog Scouts Troop"
> In my search for ever more intricate tools to carve with, I tried
something on a hunch. I went to our local farm supply store and bought
some large gauge needles (for giving injections to cows and horses). A
pack of 5 needles was less than $2 and anyone can buy them. They come
in several sizes, I got the 16 gauge.
RE: [LbNA] I found a new micro carving tool
From: Julia MacNeil (juliamacneil@rogers.com) |
Date: 2003-09-27 09:41:25 UTC-04:00
Thanks for the pointers. Your art is amazing!
-----Original Message-----
From: Dog Scouts Troop [mailto:DogScouts@hotmail.com]
Sent: September 26, 2003 9:10 PM
To: letterboxing
Subject: [LbNA] I found a new micro carving tool
In my search for ever more intricate tools to carve with, I tried
something on a hunch. I went to our local farm supply store and bought
some large gauge needles (for giving injections to cows and horses). A
pack of 5 needles was less than $2 and anyone can buy them. They come in
several sizes, I got the 16 gauge.
I tried one out the other night and after a bit of practice, found that
they work pretty well for the really fine detail! Much cheaper than the
0.5 micro tool too! They are extremely sharp and because of the slight
curve in the tip, they seem to have a bit of a mind of their own about
where they want to go, but I just keep the proper angle (so I don't
undercut my design) and use them like I would a pencil to cut along the
fine lines.
It's worth a try if you like to do fine detail. They do take just a bit
of practice though. I also found I tended to cut too deep with them,
they are so sharp, they go right into the rubber very easily and it's
hard to tell just how deep the tip is until you realize you're
undercutting the design half a stamp away! :-).
You can see an example of the work done with this tool on my webpage.
Click on the "Even MORE stamps" page and scroll to the very bottom. I
used the needle to carve the really tiny words. The center of the 'O' in
'of' is smaller than the head of a pin. www.ScoutdogsBoxes.com
Scoutdogs
F-264
P-36
X-81
E-7
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
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-----Original Message-----
From: Dog Scouts Troop [mailto:DogScouts@hotmail.com]
Sent: September 26, 2003 9:10 PM
To: letterboxing
Subject: [LbNA] I found a new micro carving tool
In my search for ever more intricate tools to carve with, I tried
something on a hunch. I went to our local farm supply store and bought
some large gauge needles (for giving injections to cows and horses). A
pack of 5 needles was less than $2 and anyone can buy them. They come in
several sizes, I got the 16 gauge.
I tried one out the other night and after a bit of practice, found that
they work pretty well for the really fine detail! Much cheaper than the
0.5 micro tool too! They are extremely sharp and because of the slight
curve in the tip, they seem to have a bit of a mind of their own about
where they want to go, but I just keep the proper angle (so I don't
undercut my design) and use them like I would a pencil to cut along the
fine lines.
It's worth a try if you like to do fine detail. They do take just a bit
of practice though. I also found I tended to cut too deep with them,
they are so sharp, they go right into the rubber very easily and it's
hard to tell just how deep the tip is until you realize you're
undercutting the design half a stamp away! :-).
You can see an example of the work done with this tool on my webpage.
Click on the "Even MORE stamps" page and scroll to the very bottom. I
used the needle to carve the really tiny words. The center of the 'O' in
'of' is smaller than the head of a pin. www.ScoutdogsBoxes.com
Scoutdogs
F-264
P-36
X-81
E-7
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
Yahoo! Groups Sponsor
ADVERTISEMENT
ode=30509&media=atkins> click here
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[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
Re: I found a new micro carving tool
From: Sir Balthazar (neovolatile@yahoo.com) |
Date: 2003-09-28 13:25:07 UTC
Thank you for the tip! Okay, I am not throwing out my 0.5 mm Two
Cherries but I will, indeed, try the 16 gauge needle. Of course, the
art lies in your hands and eyes, not in the tool. You really are a
very talented designer and carver *understatement*
Got a question: how do you manage to get the rubber out of the hole
in the needle? Do you grind the top side of the needle off and then
the rubber curls up there or something else?
I just bought a brighter light for my bedroom where I carve. It is
the only room in the house cat hair/dander free. Next step I think is
a magnifier to pull down over my eyes. Hard to focus as close as I
used to. *Sigh* And they say that memory is the SECOND thing to go.
I shall try to have some of the needles with me at the October 4th
SLO Stamping in the Meadow. Interested folk can also try my Two
Cherries 0.5 mm gouge. How's that for perfect love and perfect trust?
*Grin*
Going letterboxing today with JugglerMouse and her sister Nancy.
Nancy just got into the pasttime (JM corrupted her) and is now a real
junky. I think she is somewhere around F11 since Friday. Welcome,
Nancy!
RSVP on the Oct 4th event if you can. Even if you do not, ya'll come!
Sir Balthazar
Cherries but I will, indeed, try the 16 gauge needle. Of course, the
art lies in your hands and eyes, not in the tool. You really are a
very talented designer and carver *understatement*
Got a question: how do you manage to get the rubber out of the hole
in the needle? Do you grind the top side of the needle off and then
the rubber curls up there or something else?
I just bought a brighter light for my bedroom where I carve. It is
the only room in the house cat hair/dander free. Next step I think is
a magnifier to pull down over my eyes. Hard to focus as close as I
used to. *Sigh* And they say that memory is the SECOND thing to go.
I shall try to have some of the needles with me at the October 4th
SLO Stamping in the Meadow. Interested folk can also try my Two
Cherries 0.5 mm gouge. How's that for perfect love and perfect trust?
*Grin*
Going letterboxing today with JugglerMouse and her sister Nancy.
Nancy just got into the pasttime (JM corrupted her) and is now a real
junky. I think she is somewhere around F11 since Friday. Welcome,
Nancy!
RSVP on the Oct 4th event if you can. Even if you do not, ya'll come!
Sir Balthazar
Re: I found a new micro carving tool
From: Memlili (memlili54@yahoo.com) |
Date: 2003-09-29 06:51:21 UTC
I must join in praise of these tools. Legerdemaine kindly left one
in the first letterbox I planted. I tried to use it but didn't
really get the hang of it. Recently Alafair gave me another and also
some tips on how to use it. It is amazing how much finer the detail
is that you can carve. Though I have a long ways to go before I even
begin to approach the fine detail of Legerdemaine or Alafair (maybe
not even in this lifetime!) having these tools has opened up new
possibilities for me. I don't know what gauge I have, but one is
very tiny. They both are straight and cut just like a very sharp,
teeny-tiny knife. I would encourage everyone to give them a try if
you would like to carve more finely detailed stamps.
~ Memlili
in the first letterbox I planted. I tried to use it but didn't
really get the hang of it. Recently Alafair gave me another and also
some tips on how to use it. It is amazing how much finer the detail
is that you can carve. Though I have a long ways to go before I even
begin to approach the fine detail of Legerdemaine or Alafair (maybe
not even in this lifetime!) having these tools has opened up new
possibilities for me. I don't know what gauge I have, but one is
very tiny. They both are straight and cut just like a very sharp,
teeny-tiny knife. I would encourage everyone to give them a try if
you would like to carve more finely detailed stamps.
~ Memlili