Nuclear carving tool technology

If you want to do your job well, you must sharpen your tools. Core carvings are no exception. Whether you are a master or a beginner, you must have a good set of tools. Let’s talk about core carving tools.

Knife:

There are three main types of nuclear carving knives.

1. Flat knife, which is shaped like a single-edged seal carving knife. There are many specifications according to the blade width. Make a big shape. Details can also be carved. Some masters use flat knives to open their eyes.

2 Semi-circle knife. It is to grind a beveled edge on a semicircular steel bar. There are also a lot of specs. Versatile. For the undulations and turning points in a core carving work, a semi-circular knife is often used.

3 Corner Knife. Shaped like an inverted triangle. Mostly used for detailed carvings, elephant eyes, teeth, etc. A good artist may have two or thirty knives at hand, and he can use them at any time, and he can use them like his fingers. Watching the carving process is a pleasure.

4 Trimmer. The shape is like a bevel knife, but it does not have as sharp a tip as a bevel knife. It is only used for scraping smooth surfaces.

5 Take out the meat knife. The shape is very similar to a piece of iron wire or steel wire, but it is actually used to dig out the kernels inside the core, because if the kernels are not removed, they will become infested with insects, which is not conducive to preserving the kernel carving.

6 Special Knife. The shape is similar to the above ones, except that the diameter of the cutter head is smaller, even reaching a few tenths of a millimeter! Suitable for carving scenery the size of rice grains.

7 Carving knife handle. The most common ones are double-headed ropes, also called handles, metal knife handles, etc. They were originally used as watch repair tools, but were later adopted by people in the nuclear carving industry because they were small, exquisite and easy to use. In 2013, a new type of carving knife handle was developed based on previous tools. It combines the dual advantages of traditional wooden handles and modern metal knife handles. It not only has the gorgeous and elegant feel of the wooden handle and is high-end, but also meets the requirements of ease of use and portability. need.

Electric auxiliary tools: hanging grinder (for hollowing, drilling) tooth engraving machine (grinding)

Others: 1.5 meter high workbench, tilting tool bed, steel file, sandpaper, caliper, etc. The carving techniques are divided into:

Thin relief, low relief, high relief, round carving, hollow carving, and inlay.

The production of stone carving is basically the same as other carving techniques. First of all, you must be good at selecting materials. Because there are many varieties of black olives, they must be classified according to their size, shape, and color. Generally, they are classified according to the size of the kernel and the thickness of the stone. , the color is red, and plump is better; then there is the design, which needs to be conceived according to the shape of the core, and the image to be carved is outlined on the core; the third is shaping, that is, making the blank according to the outlined pattern, that is, preliminary processing; The fourth is rough carving, which is to carve out the details of the entire work; the fifth is fine carving, which is to perfect the details of the carved work, especially to adjust the important parts such as the face and hands of the characters to make them look more beautiful. More vivid; the sixth grinding, generally use coarse and fine sandpaper to polish the work to make it smooth and delicate; the seventh is polishing, the core carving work after polishing with a cloth wheel is delicate, smooth and full of feel. If you are carving a conventional work such as an Arhat head, and you are confident, there is no need to sketch the core. The technique of "positioning" with five swords has been formed since Yin Genfu, and it has been passed down to this day, that is, one sword for the nose, two swords for the eyes, and two swords for the ears. The key is The cutting position must be accurate. It is true that for the same carving of Arhat heads, there are differences in the depiction of the image, as well as the different styles of writing.

There are three types of core carving production tools: chisels, files, and drills. There are many types of chisels, including round chisels, line chisels, flat chisels, etc. You need to make them yourself to be comfortable with them. Gouge chisels have an arc-shaped mouth and are divided into different sizes. Large gouge chisels can be used to carve blanks. Small gouge chisels can not only perform the function of replacing large gouge chisels on materials with smaller cores, but also can dig deeper, especially It is openwork and often requires the use of a small gouge. The line chisel can be used to carve fine lines, such as hair, eyelids, eye shadows, and fine lines on clothes folds. The line chisel is generally used to create the portraits of characters. In some subtle places that need to be cleaned and where the small gouge cannot be used, the line chisel can be used to carve fine lines. A wire chisel can be used instead. Wire chisels are widely used due to their flexibility and depth of carving. The flat chisel is used to carve the surface and outline the outline of the object. It can also be used to remove some of the surface of the olive pit to highlight the three-dimensional effect of the structure. The rasp uses its fine steel thorns to correct the shape of the olive pit and make it round, while the drill is used to drill holes.

Suzhou core carving absorbs the artistic essence of stone carving, jade carving, wood carving, bamboo carving, miniature carving and other artistic essences. On the premise of maintaining the shape of the core, regardless of relief, round carving and openwork carving, all are based on "precision, detail, wonder and skill". "Winning, showing unique local characteristics. Precision and detail are reflected in the subtle craftsmanship of the core carving works, and the finishing touches are as fine as a needle tip and vivid. The characters such as Arhat are carved with simple sword techniques and both physical and spiritual features. Even if they are enlarged dozens of times, they are still lifelike. Strangeness and ingenuity are reflected in the miraculous effects of the nuclear carvings. For example, the nuclear boat can not only represent dozens of characters in minute details, but also each door and window on the boat can be opened and closed freely, and the tenons are measured by millimeters. Unbelievable. Although the core carvings are small in size, they are carefully conceived, exquisitely designed, and meticulously crafted. Their works can be used as pendants on necks, belts, folding fans, or embroidered bags. If worn as beads, they can be used as wrist or neck ornaments. . It was once the main source of income for craftsmen of all generations and has been passed down from generation to generation and remains the same today. The core carving market that is quietly emerging today not only allows the Han people to inherit the excellent traditional skills, but also will continue to expand, showing the strong vitality of the Han people's intangible cultural heritage.