The Cherry Blossom Ivory

[mycarver]

I posted this razor recently trying to ID it. The conclusion was it's Japanese. Well after doing the Jos. Elliot " Chinese Razor" in Ivory I decided I should have done a Cherry Blossom theme on the scales. But for that the razor should be Japanese. The only Japanese razor was this one which I had restored for a client but knew I had to have it. So I made him an offer he couldn't refuse and it was mine.
Now I could build the scales I had in my head. Yes, the razors talk to me.
The procedure was essentially the same as the process used for building the other set of Ivories. These shots are the original razor and my resto on it. Didn't look too bad. But the voices in my head said otherwise.

 

[Lexbomb]

Wow stunning amazing work as usual!

 

[mycarver]

So once the razor was mine I broke it down and laid out a design for the scales in Ivory. Typical drawing, tracing paper , transfer it to the stock and start drilling holes. I mark off the areas to be drilled with a different color only because at the drill press lines all start looking the same and this tells me where to drill. Duh! And you can see how the piece is looking with initial rough in compared to the opposite scale.
Remember , all this carving is getting done in 1/8th inch. Some is in a sixteenth and some of the petals of the flowers are translucent and let light pass through. You might not see it in the final shots but it does happen. They are only roughed in here but I pushed them pretty thin at the end.

 

[mycarver]

And the final short strokes. As you can see the width of the scale might be double a regular pencil. This one isn't nearly as big as the other Ivory I did. Also see the dime? Look how it can cover 3 of the flowers. That's getting pretty small I think, carving three flowers in the space of a dime. Remember , these are only roughing in stages. Everything will get refined. You'll see.
Anyway,,,,,

 

[mycarver]

Nearly 2 AM and I wrapped it up. Hope you enjoy it. I certainly do.
Oh,, by the way. It's late, I polished it , and there is still wax in some nooks and crannies. Sorry,, but I'll get to it. The real bugger was peening the pins. The centers of the flowers are lower than the rest of the surface and that presented a challenge laying it on an anvil. Didn't work as I knew it wouldn't but I got it solved.

 

[mycarver]

and a couple of parting shots. Oh yes, I mixed up a Cherry Red acrylic for the wedge. What else should it have been?

 

[Ton Eighty]

That is truly a display piece. Fantastic work!

 

[cleanshaved]

you sir are in a class of its own

 

[Heespharm]

Wha? Who? Huh? ... Speechless! Beautiful work... Next.. Cherry blossom in cherry wood!

I'm left in awe and inspired

 

[mycarver]

Thanks guys. But wood wouldn't hold the detail I can get in this stuff. I have carved several scales but nothing comes close.

 

[mycarver]

Wow stunning amazing work as usual!

Thanks but you posted too soon.

 

[Lexbomb]

Thanks but you posted too soon.

Hahaha it looked good before. Amazing after

 

[Chaloney]

Incredible work. Thank you very much for the detailed pics of the process.

So you said before that acrylic doesn't carve well. Ivory is a bit pricey for learning by trial and (lots of) error. What other materials can be carved, if not as intricately?

edit: forgot to mention, the wedge is perfect

 

[Bear_Blade]

That sir is outstanding! I would need some good prescription meds after attempting that! And maybe some good organic ones!! lol!! I might even take up recreational drinking, hell, I would turn pro, who am I kidding!

 

[Doc226]

You have a ton of talent, but most of all I think you have oodles and oodles of patience.

I know I could not do this from a technical point of view, but I am 100%, no shadow of a doubt, no way can I pull it off from a patience standpoint

 

[mycarver]

Thank you gentlemen!

Patience is the quality I think I have the least of. In cases like this I seem to get lost in time and space while I'm working. Doing what you love doesn't seem to require patience. I carve full time ( and lots and lots of time) and to relax in the evenings I carve.

 

[Slash McCoy]

WHAT???!!!??? No itty bitty rubies in the flower centers? REALLY!!!

Seriously that is insanely great work. TBH I would be afraid to take it out and shave with it, but it is one of only a very few that I would have as a display piece. Verrry impressive.

 

[mycarver]

Incredible work. Thank you very much for the detailed pics of the process.

So you said before that acrylic doesn't carve well. Ivory is a bit pricey for learning by trial and (lots of) error. What other materials can be carved, if not as intricately?

edit: forgot to mention, the wedge is perfect

Don't take my word for it . Try it and see . Maybe for some reason i
couldn't get it to work. Also I may be thinking of carving something ( like this piece) and you're thing of something where it just may work. Also. What tools do you plan on using? Regular chisels, Dremel type bits? That makes a difference as well.
I have carved some scales in wood. A rope design and my "samurai sword handle" piece. Wood held enough detail for these carvings , though barely. The other problem then becomes not only sanding them but getting them adequately sealed and then trying to get the finish smooth and not pooling in little nooks and crannies .
The most important thing is to not take anyone's word as a definitive answer . I don't and it has led me to discover that many things CAN be done that those you think would know said "can't be done".
I am a bit pigheaded though. Force of will can make things happen or I'll die trying.

 

[pmaster]

Stunning! Its so nice and detailed I'd be afraid to touch it!!

I must say I preferred the first version though, maybe because the cherry blossom have so much details I feel it gets a bit overwhelming. But again, both really are stunning, its a pleasure to admire your work every time.

 

[mycarver]

Slash, Thank you very much. But after all my playing around recently with this Ivory I've discovered it's much tougher than I thought . This stuff can take a beating.The delicate look of this piece is by design but don't let that fool you. There are some tricks to make it look that way but these scales are more ridgid than some horn I've built. No reason this can't be a go to daily razor. And if it's in my collection it will be used. To use a car show term , none of my razors are " trailer Queens". They get driven and driven hard!
Otherwise, what's the point?

Pmaster. That's cool. These though are studies for me. One was to see what it takes to carve it and the other to see how far I can go with it. I was also hoping for the second one to have that delicate but full of detail look that the carved Japanese tusks have. Check them out. They're an insane tour de force of carving skill.