Jon Mac.Spoon Carving First Steps: Sean's shrink pots.

Monday 1 July 2013

Sean's shrink pots.

дятел

Pronounced dyatel.

My woodpecker friends.

great spotted woodpecker

Great spotted woodpecker (juvenile and mother)

It's great having supportive friends within this community of carvers, bush crafters and photographers.

I recently bought a 3/4 DSLR camera.

I've received all manor of help and support from friends giving top tips on how to get the best from it.

I must admit, I haven't picked up a knife for a while now as I've had my nose in tutorials photographic and pointing my new glass at whatever comes my way.

I'm having great fun.

My friend Sean Hellman of Woodwright Designs visited our home the other day.

Sean writes a blog at http://seanhellman.blogspot.co.uk.

It comes highly recommended, and not just by me.

Sean Hellman

He bought with him some of his latest work.

As you can see, he's rather good.
He has recently written a piece covering the topic of Water in wood-Drying wood.
Which is just as well as one of the pieces he showed me was a shrink pot.

Sean hellman shrink pot

Sean has taken to making his own natural paints.

I'm quite chuffed because this particular pot has been decorated with some Micaceous Haematite that Sean gathered at a mine a short walk from my home.

Sean Hellman Shrink pot

It glitters !

He painted the internal part of this Bear Bowl.

Such a rich colour.

Sean Hellman

Some serious photography took place !!!

We were having a chat about Adze and their uses later in the day.

Sean has fallen for my old and wonderful H.Roselli axe.

I own a couple of Adze, however, I don't use them on my Kuksa as I tend to stick with my three tool rule. Axe, Knife and hook.

Sean has also written a piece about a modified axe a friend of his uses along with a well deserved warning about a certain blue Adze.

Have a look here...

Sean and I are hoping to put something together that may interest carvers and bush crafters in the near future.

We'll keep you posted.

Thanks for coming by...

J.

Great spotted woodpecker juvenile

Great spotted woodpecker ( juvenile)

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Jon Mac.

Folk Artist.

Photographer.

Jon has worked with his hands all his life. He has learnt many traditional working skills, from construction to carving beautiful wooden spoons and drinking vessels. He has spent much time on Dartmoor teaching outdoor pursuits, such as Ten Tors team training and working with private companies providing team building/survival resources. He is a retired member of Mountain Rescue and spent seven years on the active call out list with his local team.

( D.R.G.Ashburton).

He has spent many years exploring the Devon countryside perusing his other interest in photography, industrial archaeology and local history. He recently used his local knowledge and field craft skills to great advantage when acting as field assistant to researchers investigating bat habitats and behaviour here on Dartmoor.

Jon runs tailor made courses both here in Devon and occasionally in Scotland, for anyone interested in spoon carving and woodcraft skills. Using traditional hand tools, Axe, hook knife and knife, he teaches the techniques for the fast and safe removal of waste wood, shaping and designing. He also teaches how to attain a super sharp cutting edge with the use of Japanese water stones.These skills are key to making anything you wish out of wood.

He is also a knife designer and has had his designs fabricated by top blade smiths.

Jon believes passionately that the skills of both using and maintaining knife and axe blades are ones which need to be shared, in order that we do not loose these important techniques. Jon particularly enjoys sharing these skills with those who have little or no experience of using edge tools.