[Jewelry making - Article 00337] - Re: [Orchid] Wax Carvers for Beginners

[Jon Abbott]

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    I make all my wax tools of high-carbon water-hardening steel. It is
    available in 3 foot rods at many hardware stores. It is sometimes
    called "piano wire" and comes in a variety of diameters. It is tough
    stuff when tempered,but when it is heated to cherry red and quenched
    it becomes so brittle it can be easily broken. I use 1/16" to 1/8"
    diameter stock set in a 3/8" dowel for my carving tools. 

    My hot tools are more like dental tools. They are necked down
    between blade and shaft to slow down heat traveling up the shaft.
    They are not nearly so easy to control as a wax pen, but they
    transfer a lot more wax and can make for very free flowing lines. I
    use the same material, but in 1/8" to 5/32" diameters. In each case,
    the width of the blade to be forged determines the diameter of the
    stock to use. 

    So custom wax tools are inexpensive if you discount your labor. They
    are easy to make. You can amass quite a collection over the years by
    making a new one for each application! 

Jon Abbott
jon AT orcasonline.com

 
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