I was going to send this as a private email, but I thought better of it. I want you ALL to know just how special catbead is to me.

Hi catbead,

There is a saying that the farthest journey begins with a single step.

You, my dear dear dear catbead, helped me take that very first hesitant step, holding my hand the whole time, making me feel safe.

What am I talking out?

Learning how to carve. Remember the Britain in America exchange?

I will never in a million years forget your gentle encouragement, your pep-talks, your tips and techniques - and now, despite my visual disability, I can design, hand draw, transfer an image, and carve a nice stamp - all in a matter of about 30 minutes!

I love to see the look on people's faces when they watch me carve.

"Why aren't you using a HANDLE?"
"How the HECK are you carving with JUST THE NIB?"
"I thought you were legally blind - how on EARTH are you doing that?"

Yes, catbead, you took the time to give me that one HUGELY important tip - use the carving nib as an extension of your finger.

It works so perfectly for me because I have such a narrow field of vision.

And what is funny is after I really got the hang of carving, I tried mounting the nib on a handle - both the short stubby kind and the stilletto kind. When I do that, I can't see both my hand, the edge of the nib, and the carving material all at the same time!

If it had not been for your FABULOUS tip, I would have tried to carve the "normal" way - and I seriously would not have been able to do it!

From the bottom of my heart, and forever and ever -

~THANK YOU~

Warrior Woman

Catbead taught you how to carve, but she taught ME how to PLANT! She was as you say...gentle and encouraging. There are still a couple of boxes of hers around here that I STILL have not found because she camoflages their hiding spots so well!

Catbead - If you are reading this..sorry I missed you on Sat. I got there after you had already left. Maybe we'll see each other in Ithaca??

LW PhD
"Nice Counts"

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"How the HECK are you carving with JUST THE NIB?"

I'm willing to try that. Can you provide some details on exactly how you hold it? And which directon you cut with it?

Thanks!

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"How the HECK are you carving with JUST THE NIB?"

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I'm willing to try that. Can you provide some details on exactly how you hold it? And which direction you cut with it?

Sure, Kirbert!

A little prep work first -

I transfer the image onto a piece of carving material (trace with HB pencil, then rub on with a guitar pick - another great tip I learned from someone in here who posted it on the boards - whoever you are, stand up and take a bow!) - then cut the carving material into a piece that will be just a little bit bigger than the finished stamp will be so that I have a manageable piece of material to work with.

I make sure I have a smooth work surface.

I hold the nib in my right hand with the nib blade "cup side up" - like a "V". I use my thumb, forefinger and middle finger to grap the part of the nib that would usually fit into a handle, almost like I was grasping a very tiny pencil, except that the "back" of the nib is firmly imbedded into the fleshy part of the pad of my middle finger or thumb (depends on how sore which one is from carving WAY TOO MUCH the day before). I "push" with my middle finger or thumb in a FORWARD direction only. My left hand is grasping the carving material.

I never move my right hand with the nib (like twisting or turning) - I use my left hand to move the CARVING MATERIAL to make the twists and turns. The carving hand stays stationary, except to lift up and down to start and end the cuts.

Picture a sewing machine - the needle end of the business doesn't really move except to go up and down (the right hand with the nib in it). The fabric is helped along a little bit by the needle guide from above and the bobbin plate below (the right middle finger/thumb is gently pushing and guiding). The bulk of the fabric is moved around to sew using your hands (the left hand).

Also, when trying to carve a whole LOT of stamps in a short period of time, my fingers can get sore. I tried using my old leather thimble from back in the days when I could see very well and did a lot of quilting, but the thimble completely blocks the "sensory" input - and if I can't feel what I am doing, I can't do it at all. So I learned not to carve more than three stamps in one day (I do NOT want to develop a callus - it has taken me almost 30 years to get rid of the callus on the inside edge of my middle fingertip from all those years of grasping pens and pencils during school/university days - back before electric typewriters and gasp! computers were invented).

Does that make sense?

Warrior Woman
always willing to "pay it forward"

I love this! Thanks for sharing! I consider myself a horrible carver, so perhaps this will help.

n.
drexel girls

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I use my thumb, forefinger and middle finger to grap the part of the nib that would usually fit into a handle, almost like I was grasping a very tiny pencil, except that the "back" of the nib is firmly imbedded into the fleshy part of the pad of my middle finger or thumb...

So, is your thumbnail down against the stamp surface?

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Also, when trying to carve a whole LOT of stamps in a short period of time, my fingers can get sore. I tried using my old leather thimble from back in the days when I could see very well and did a lot of quilting, but the thimble completely blocks the "sensory" input - and if I can't feel what I am doing, I can't do it at all.

Hey, I think I may have a solution here! Buy one of those Speedball pen holders, the stylus thing. Cut 3/4 of it off, leaving just the portion that holds the nib. Install nib, then grasp this short piece of handle instead of the nib itself. Might just work, and if it does it should help save your fingers!

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Buy one of those Speedball pen holders, the stylus thing. Cut 3/4 of it off, leaving just the portion that holds the nib. Install nib, then grasp this short piece of handle instead of the nib itself.

I thought exactly the same thing when I read that post! I just got one of those calligraphy handles, myself, and have been loving it. I've been trying to decide whether or not to cut off the last 3 inches of it so that it will fit with my other tools more compactly. Anyone know why calligraphy handles are so long?

I'd love to know if whacking it down like Kirbert suggests ends up working. They are surprisingly inexpesive.

~Mama Cache (Do we really need to sign names here when our names are in the heading?)

Aww shucks, thank you WW for your kind words. :-)

Reading your message . . . you make me so proud of you! :-}

Thanks!
{{{Giant Hugs to you}}}
catbead

LW, big hugs to you too! Not sure about Ithaca, the sprout's graduating around that time and we may be tied up with family things. I DO hope to see you sometime!!!! :-)

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... I tried using my old leather thimble from back in the days when I could see very well and did a lot of quilting, but the thimble completely blocks the "sensory" input - and if I can't feel what I am doing, I can't do it at all.

Hey, I think I may have a solution here! Buy one of those Speedball pen holders, the stylus thing. Cut 3/4 of it off, leaving just the portion that holds the nib. Install nib, then grasp this short piece of handle instead of the nib itself. Might just work, and if it does it should help save your fingers!

No, no, no, *laughing* this is what I do. After my first eight hour carvefest, I lost the feeling in the pad of my thumb for about 3 months, that's when I figured out to pad the nonbusiness end of the carver by wrapping masking tape around it a few times. The important thing here is that it's held in my hand and becomes an extension of my fingers, I have control that I can't get any other way. I can "feel" the material I'm cutting. If I goof, it can only "slip" as far as my fingers will stretch. There isn't a handle to get into the way, just my fingers, the material, and the tip of the groove (which is held like a pencil, the fingers find the natural spot to hold).

Cheers,
catbead

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So, is your thumbnail down against the stamp surface?

Yes, the side edge of my thumbnail and the side edge of my thumb are gently gliding along the stamp surface.

I should note: since there *is* contact between me and the stamp surface, I start carving from the OUTSIDE of the stamp image and work my way in to the center. I made the mistake (once) of starting in the middle, and after two or three cuts, the rest of the image was blurred beyond recognition.

Warrior Woman

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That's when I figured out to pad the nonbusiness end of the carver by wrapping masking tape around it a few times. The important thing here is that it's held in my hand and becomes an extension of my fingers, I have control that I can't get any other way. I can "feel" the material I'm cutting. If I goof, it can only "slip" as far as my fingers will stretch. There isn't a handle to get into the way, just my fingers, the material, and the tip of the groove (which is held like a pencil, the fingers find the natural spot to hold).

YES! EXACTLY! WHAT SHE SAID!

I've got to try that.

I love you, catbead.

Warrior Woman