First attempt Jade carving

[jackd]

This is my first attempt carving Jade Maori Fish Hook. Its a lot harder than I thought, still needs working on..

[ScarlettoSara]

It looks really good for a first try:)
Curves are not easy even for pros. Love the stone:)
This time in a few months you will be showing us masterpieces:)

[jackd]

I don't know Sara, it about to get the best of me, Ive been working on it about 8 hours..

[Enchantra]

Jack,
It looks wonderful for your first attempt.
The time spent is irrelevant.  It took you eight hours and someone else might take 16 doing the same thing.  Heck even Kurt admits to putting in 24+ hours into a piece.  Don't sweat the time spent on it.  Each moment was a learning experience.

[lonelygems]

It looks really good for a first try:)
Curves are not easy even for pros. Love the stone:)
This time in a few months you will be showing us masterpieces:)

I'm agree with you Sara.

Hi Jack....you took the first importance step on carving.....first tried....and you did good, I can't made curl curved like your's on my first tried. I believe every ones have a talent to carve, more patience is better than less and just keep on trying and trying and trying....more trying, more experiences, more patience....that's the way I did.

       

[asianfire]

What they said......

Love the flowing lines. 8 hours is not that much for an experiment. The longest I ever worked for a single stone was on and off for 3 years (my first Fire Agate).

Heads up, you are on the right path.

[Hummingbirdstones]

Jack,

It looks wonderful for your first try.  You didn't pick an easy stone to carve either.

8 hours is not that long to do a carving.  Lots of the professional carvers take way longer than that to finish a piece.  As has been said, keep going, you're on the right track.   

[jackd]

Thanks all for the words of encouragement, I'm just amazed at the creations on this site, soooo much talent !! I guess I won't throw in the towel just yet ...

[mick B]

Looking good for your first try, nephrite is one of the most difficult, getting smooth edges and lines is difficult at the start, things like diamond files are good for smoothing those lines and edges, I also use cut up old silicon carbide lap wheels into file shapes, they work great, bamboo scuers with wet and dry paper, if you finish these edges by hand with these it will improve your carvings heaps, I cut these old wheels up in my saw then grind to the desired shape for the edge or job required, usually no longer than about 3 inches and about 1/8 thick about the width of a diamond file. hope these tips help.

Cheers mick B

[southerly]

Hi Jack,

Great looking jade you have there and nice start. Congratulations on starting the carving journey, it is all up from here. Plus you can always go back and clean it up more later if you wish. I am currently playing with loose carbide grit (I have heaps of it) on tooth picks and bamboo skewers for sanding, great for getting into those hard to get places. I also do what I can on the standard diamond wheels as they cut nice clean curves compared to the rotary bits.

Don't worry about the time, carving's take what ever time they want, I put a test polish on one yesterday after many hours of sanding to reveal all the work I still have to do, and there is heaps of it.

Look forward to seeing your next one.

David

[jackd]

David, thanks for the tips, what diamond wheels are you referencing?

[southerly]

Standard 6in & 8in cabbing wheels, go to one of the workshop threads and you will see heaps of them.

Here is an example:
http://www.aussiesapphire.com.au/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=111_223&products_id=1952

David

[mehoose]

Hey.... J for Jack!