Posts Tagged ‘Woodcrafting’

Custom Gun Stock Carving ‘Savage Arms’

Thanks Chip. In Utica, N.Y. without fanfare, Arthur Savage founded the Savage Arthur Co.

 Commissioned by a gentleman who was gifting a Savage Rascal to his nephew, I setup the artwork based on his input. Ultimately, he chose the design. Note: the Savage Arms Rascal Youth Rifle is usually the choice for teaching and training young shooters in the fundamentals of firearm safety, as well as marksmanship. The Rascal is available with a polymer stock in several colors, as well as a hard wood version. With the right Walnut finish, the rifle will appear like a miniaturized adult firearm.  

See Gallery (start top left) to review details & progress from start to finish. 

Custom Carved & Engraved 3 Panel Heirloom Display Box (c.WWI)

Civilizations have come & gone, but not without commemorating their military exploits; through memoirs, diaries, painting / prints, handcrafted carved boxes, always noting the deeds of valor, often done by ordinary people. Such were the Flaherty boys, relatives of Mr. T. Johnson. In possession of some photos & war records, Mr. Johnson commissioned Uri to handcraft an heirloom box, the second commission, continuing his ancestral tree, (refer to March 1, 2012 blog ). Thus, using multi dimensional mediums as wood to  carve, brass to engrave, leather to carve, Uri designed & crafted a 3 panel display box to hold the time weathered pictures & testimonies of their service. In addition, the back panel displays a copy of  an image by Frank Schoonover ( illustrator ) entitled  ‘How Twenty Marines Took Bouresches’  which first appeared in the Sept. 1919 issue of Ladies Home Journal ( note: purchased the right to use this image ). The front panels respectively, have a painted carving of  both ‘Uncle Sam’ based on a J.M.Flagg 1917 poster & ‘Old Glory’  the name first coined by William Driver of Salem, Mass. ( c.1824 ).

As recounted by Mr. T. Johnson……

A great uncle of mine, Edward Flaherty, and a distant cousin of the family, Francis Flaherty, answered their country’s call when the U.S. declared war on Germany in 1917.

Both were Iowa boys raised on the farm and infused with a desire to do their patriotic duty, battle “The Hun” and in President’ Woodrow Wilson’s words: “Make the World Safe for Democracy”.

Edward and Francis saw action in big American offensives along the Marne and Meuse-Argonne Rivers in France. Both men suffered from inhaling mustard gas but both survived, although Edward would die prematurely in the early 1930s from the long term congestive effects of the gas.

A bit of their war records had been passed down as well as a couple of black and white photos which to me seemed forlorn and not tribute enough to soldiers that had sacrificed so much.

I asked Uri to create a fitting dual memorial to these two warriors before the images and the memories got lost as so often tragically happens. We are just a generation removed from obliteration of so much priceless family history. And once gone, it cannot be retrieved.

Thanks to Uri’s brilliant craftsmanship, this fragment of history has become an art piece about two American boys who fought the good fight. It now stands ready to be passed down from generation to generation as an heirloom.

See Gallery  ( start top left ) to review details & progress from start to finish                     

For the cessation of the hostilities on the Western Front the Armistice was signed between the Allies of WWI & Germany at Compiegne, France at 11am, the 11th month, 11th day 1918.

Custom Made & Carved Faux Ivory Pistol Grip for PT 92

Thanks Chip…

With the demand for a substitute for Ivory and with the advancement of technology, the market today offers wonderful substitutes that closely mimic ivory (i.e. Vegetable Ivory, Micarta, Bonded Ivory, and Corian).

Ivory: due to the decline in the population of those animals that produce ivory (dentin: a tissue similar to bone), the importation and the sale of ivory in many countries is banned or severely restricted. Pre – banned ivory may be obtained, accompanied by correct documentation, albeit, costly.

Vegetable Ivory:  the hard white endosperm of the seeds of certain palm trees; usually used for ornamental purposes (i.e. buttons, etc.)

Micarta: brand name for high pressure laminates with a wide variety of resins and fillers; composites of linen, canvas, paper, fiberglass etc.

Bonded Ivory: an epoxy filled with natural materials and was developed as an economical, durable substitute for ivory.

Corian: brand name created by Du Pont; composed of acrylic polymer and alumina trihydrate (ATH), and is also an economical, durable substitute for ivory.

Having an unused 1/4″ piece of Corian from another project, I custom made grips to fit a PT 92. 

Following the art work, depicting a dragon on one side and its tail encircling a sword on the other side, I proceeded to carve.

The carving process was relatively comfortable. Undertaking the finish, I used a combination of stains and oils to simulate slightly aged ivory. 

Peruse the photo gallery to see the work in progress….

Flying Art By Tom Van Sant 

Periodically, I work with my fellow artists. I may collaborate on a project or lend a helping hand ie. “Summer of Color” with Ed Massey.

This past week, it was my honor and good pleasure to  install for display, 4 kites; flying master pieces of space and motion, from “Tom Van Sant’s” collection. 

These colorful, enchantingly whimsical kites, will be on display, open to the public, from Oct.17 – Nov.11, 2012, in the lobby of Hotel Casa Del Mar, 1900 Ocean Way, Santa Monica, Ca 90405.

On Saturday, Nov.10, 2012, between 1 – 3 pm, in front of the hotel, (on the beach), there will be the flying of “Jacob’s Ladder”. This spectacular kite sculpture, consists of 200 segments, lifts up to 1 ton, measures 1/4 of a mile in length, and can be climbed by a person into the sky.

view the gallery:

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