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Carved Details

I’ve used this zigzag detail before but have always cut it with a knife, which gives a very handworked appearance. This time, I decided to try it with a chisel…

The first round of little divots has been carved out, and I’m partway through the second round. Each new cut is halfway between two cuts from the first round. The alternation produces the zigzag effect. I let the size of the cut dictate the spacing.

The chisel I used for this is a short-bladed Japanese #8. These chisels are made of very hard and brittle steel. It’s important to treat them carefully since they’re prone to chipping, but they produce a really clean and shimmering cut.

I finished the carving while the tenon was still on the bottom of the bowl. The tenon allowed me to grip the bowl in a chuck for the first round of carving. There are other ways to hold a bowl, but this one was pretty convenient.

Here’s the finished foot

Once I finished the carving, I brushed very lightly over the top of it with 400-grit sandpaper to knock the sharp tips off the scallops. This produced a really nice, consistent look to the zigzag ridge.