Getting Started

Photocopy the patterns. Then sand the 3″ by 3″ (7.6cm by 7.6cm) piece of basswood with 220-grit sandpaper. I recommend using this specific size of basswood as it is safer to use a larger piece than the exact size of the pattern. Remove the dust with a tack cloth. Apply a coat of wipe-on polyurethane, such as Minwax®, and allow it to dry. The polyurethane helps prevent an uneven finish when you apply the final coats of finish or stain after carving. Trim the patterns to fit the earrings. Then apply rubber cement to the back of the pattern and center it on the wood. Set up your workspace; I carve against a nonslip mat.

Carving

Carve the pieces according to the patterns. Most of the chips in this project are old-world style. These chips use two vertical cuts and a diagonal cut to create triangles. On the patterns, the dots mark the deep end of each chip. After I carve the earrings, I cut each one out on a scroll saw, cutting just outside of the pattern line. Then I sand them up to the line on a sanding belt to get a smooth edge. I then hold the earring at an angle to bevel the edges. Try to get the bevel angle even all around.

Finishing

Remove any remaining pattern paper. Apply two more coats of wipe-on polyurethane. Use a toothbrush to get the finish into the deep chip cuts. Buff the piece between coats with a soft cloth. Carefully drill a 1/8″ (3mm)-dia. hole at the top of each earring to add the earring hooks. Insert a mini screw eye pin into the hole, using a tiny drop of cyanoacrylate (CA) glue to secure it. Besides earrings, these carvings can be used to make necklaces, keychain fobs, pins, zipper pulls, or enlarged to become a luggage tag. I never thought I would wear large earrings, but these are fun and light. Enjoy!

MATERIALS

• Basswood 3/16″ (5mm) thick: 3″ x  3″ (7.6cm x 7.6cm) square or larger

• Sandpaper: 220-grit

• Rubber cement

• Tack cloth

• Toothbrush

• Clear finish, such as Minwax® wipe-on polyurethane: satin

• Gel stain, such as Old Masters®: assorted colors (optional)

• Acrylic paints: assorted (optional)

• Glue: cyanoacrylate (CA)

• Earring hooks

• Mini screw eye

TOOLS

• Scroll saw with blades: #2/0 reverse-tooth

• Knife: chip carving

• Belt sander

• Drill with bit: 1/8″ (3mm)-dia.

• Nonslip mat (optional)

Jan Jenson lives in Eau Claire, Wis., and Pharr, Texas, and loves to teach chip carving. She has written three chip carving books, Blue Ribbon Chip Carving, More Blue Ribbon Chip Carving, and her third book is available digitally and includes 50 pages of new patterns. Her other hobbies include box-making and quilting. Contact her at JOJenson@gmail.com.

Getting Started

Sketch the top and side pattern views on the block with a pencil, or photocopy the patterns and attach them with repositionable spray adhesive. Cut the top view on a scroll saw, and then turn the piece on its side and secure it in a vise. Cut the second view on a band saw. Note: The side pattern view is too thick to cut on a scroll saw, as scroll saws can typically handle wood no more than 2″ (5.1cm) thick.

You’ll notice that this pattern has an arch shape. Straight hair combs and forks are great, but the arch shape sits around the contours of your head instead of just pressing against them. This allows you to wear it all day without getting a headache.

Carving

Shape the comb. Round over all harsh edges on the blank, including between the teeth, using a rotary tool with a fluted cone-shaped carbide cutter. Widen the space between the teeth, removing a little wood at a time and maintaining a soft arc shape between the teeth. Note: When carving spacing between the teeth, remember to round the arc shapes instead of squaring then off.

Refine the comb’s shape. Use the rotary tool with a sanding disc to smooth and round each tooth completely, tapering the teeth to somewhat sharp points with blunted ends. Then smooth the top and sides of the comb. Do this on the front and back. Add ornamentation as desired; I recommend woodburning, painting, or relief carving. I included a bonus relief carving pattern of oak and gingko biloba leaves, available online.

Tip: It’s All About The Teeth

In order for the comb to slide easily through your hair, it helps to round the two outermost teeth so they face slightly inward. The remaining (inner) teeth can be straight.

Finishing

Finish the comb. As this will be used in hair, a natural finish is always better; I recommend raw linseed oil mixed with a drop of lavender essential oil (substitute your favorite scent here). Over time, each comb will pick up the natural body oils of its owner and take on a glow all its own. If you prefer a clear, glossy finish, I recommend using three to four coats of a spray-on clear enamel, buffing with a fine sanding sponge between applications.

Tip: Go To Gift

Hair combs make wonder-ful gifts for anyone with long hair. Do you ever see women using pens or pencils to hold their hair up? They need a handmade hair comb! I like to leave one for my server when I leave an eating establishment.

Materials

• Hardwood, such as Osage orange or walnut, 1 1/2″ (3.8cm) thick: approx. 3″ x 6″ (7.6cm x 15.2cm)

• Pencil

• Spray adhesive: repositionable (optional)

• Sandpaper: assorted grits

• Natural finish, such as raw linseed oil

• Essential oil, such as lavender: 1 drop (optional)

• Clear spray enamel (optional)

• Acrylic paints (optional)

Tools

• Band saw

• Scroll saw

• Rotary tool with bits: sanding disc, fluted cone-shaped carbide cutter

• Sanding sponge

• Vise

• Woodburner (optional)

Keoma McCaffrey lives in Northern California with her husband, Jeff, and three sons, and a passel of animals. She carves most of her work from salvaged local hardwoods. She is a moderator on the Woodcarving Illustrated message board, woodcarvingillustrated.com/forum.

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[button link=”https://woodcarving.zeeframes.com/?p=21537&preview=true” bg_color=”#ff0000″]Click Here for Step-by-Step Guide[/button]

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