Is it possible to slice OZ horizontally and get two thin pieces? If so, what's the best way to do that without losing a finger?

what's the best way to do that without losing a finger?

Get someone else to do it for you.

Shiloh

You will need a few items:

Jewelry hacksaw (thin narrow blade, smaller-type hacksaw)

Two pieces of sturdy and thin wood - both same size as piece of OZ being trimmed

Two pieces of thin foam - same size as OZ

metal vise

steady and patient hands

Open vise and place two pieces of wood on either side of piece of OZ, while putting pieces of thin foam in between wood pieces and OZ piece - making a sandwich with OZ as center.

Tighten vise to the point OZ will not easily shift in any direction - the foam and wood should counter any long lasting impressions in the OZ for later carving.

Use the thin jewelry hacksaw to slowly and steadily go straight down through the piece of OZ - hopefully you will be better at this than I was as I got a bit sideways so the pieces were not equal - they still worked for my needs, but were not equal in thickness.

I have found success with these items and this method.

I wonder if one of those electric meat slicers, like they use in the deli, would work.

LOL! I think that actually might work too. You would want to test a small piece that you were not interested in using - just in case the might slicer "eats" it, but otherwise, it should work. Let me know if anyone actually has one and tries this!!

Are the stamps going to be small? I've carved a stamp on each side of Pink and then sliced it with a blade. I then used a #4 "Flat U" gouge to smooth each side. My stamps were under 2 inches.

I hadn't decided the size yet. I am thinking of micro postals. I haven't done one yet, but was called considering it.

Your description sounds intriguing. I think I could do it, if I had the jewelry hacksaw.

I am envisioning another couple of ideas now that you have suggested the sandwich approach. I have a fancy scroll saw. I wonder if I could sandwich some OZ between blocks and see if the scroll saw would cut OZ. Hmmmm. I bet I would know pretty quick if a scroll saw blade and OZ play nice...

Off to Amazon to see what a jewelry hacksaw runs.....

Thanks for the suggestions.

I was imagining the same sandwich idea, but using a band saw. I'm thinking you could improvise a guide of sorts, which would help keep the sandwich centered as it went through. Do you have any woodworking friends who might let you experiment with their 'tool'???

I wonder if I could sandwich some OZ between blocks and see if the scroll saw would cut OZ.

I think that the saw would be moving too fast and melt the OZ. Though I'll be interested in finding out what happens when YOU try it.

I do, but if I ask the father in law, he will make it overly complicated and it wold be about 4 days prep time to give it an attempt.

Is it possible to slice OZ horizontally and get two thin pieces? If so, what's the best way to do that without losing a finger?

Being that OZ cuts like butter with a sharp Xacto blade and the finished carvings are smaller consider RIclimber's method.

I've carved a stamp on each side of Pink and then sliced it with a blade. I then used a #4 "Flat U" gouge to smooth each side. My stamps were under 2 inches. (RIclimber)

Also adapt FORAYCH's suggestion ... Use a small C-clamp and two pieces of wood (and any protection between the wood and OZ) that are the same size as the size of the OZ blanks before carving. Don't squeeze the assembled grouping too tight or the Xacto blade will tend to bind as you're slicing it in half. Just tight enough to hold everything together. Use thicker blocks so the clamped assembled grouping can stand perpendicular by itself. That way you can concentrate on slicing the OZ into two equal thicknesses.

You'll keep turning the assembled grouping on its side and cutting at least half way through again and again until you've finished slicing the OZ in half. With practice and patience you should be able to get two fillets of equal thickness in good condition. Perhaps it's best to do your carvings after slicing instead of doing the carvings first before slicing in half ... as was RIclimber's method. With a good eye and steady hand you may not need to do any smoothing of each side using something like "a #4 "Flat U" gouge."

This is all so interesting. It sounds like I will have a few things to try when I get back from camping. :)

Just curious as to why you would want to do this....

Micro postals aka one stamp postals

I just carve the stamp - usually small to keep the micro postal stamp size down, and then use a razor to cut it in half; doesn't come out perfectly even, but good enough for the purpose --

Yours came to me yesterday (I am mailing it out tomorrow). It's so thin! It's also quite beautiful. I can't imagine doing that with a razor. I'd slice my hand off. I guess that's what my supplemental accident policy is for....

It occurs to me, that if you don't need to end up with two pieces, just use a 4U gouge on the back side of the material. With a bit of practice, you could make long, even cuts across the material, and end up removing half the thickness. A bit more wasteful than getting two useable pieces though.

Just curious as to why you would want to do this....

Thin stamps can roll up like a map or hide in unexpected places. ;)

That will be the backup plan. I am pretty sure I could shave it down thin with that method.

[...] just use a 4U gouge on the back side of the material. [...] and end up removing half the thickness.

Or you can go the easy way and use plumbers gasket. You knife carvers would be happy because you can carve all of the way through, as long as you keep it all connected. You can always glue it to a piece of cardstock to keep it all together.

The stuff I bought locally is thinner than the one above, but I didn't find it on their web site. There's always this that is 1/16" thick. Once you carve your stamp glue it to another piece of the same stuff to hold it together.

How does it carve? Is it smelly? I like this idea.

How does it carve? Is it smelly? I like this idea.

I bought some but I haven't carved it yet. We'll have to wait for someone who has to comment.