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eastman03

Wood burning scale pattern

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I was looking at some youtube videos on how to carve wood more efficiently, specifically scale patterns and gills, and it seems most lure makers use a carving knife and just whittle away scales which is amazing and looks great! However I stumbled down the youtube hole into another niche of wood carving replica fish or wooden decoys.  Those guys are incredible!  They are basically making a giant lure minus the weight wire and diving lips, and they are amazing carvers!   There seems to be a gap in tools and techniques from what I see compared to lure makers (I'm talking one off larger musky lures, nothing mass produced).   They almost all create their amazing scale patters using wood burning tools, they even use it to burn in more details fin rays on the tail and the other fins.  It seems like a efficient way of producing a very life like effect compared to the time it takes to painstakingly carve individual scales onto a lure.    I think anyone whittling any type of lure could learn a lot from guys like hans the carver and many other award winning people who carve replicas (and paint jobs). 

Basically what I'm getting at is, has anyone use this wood burning technique to create scale patterns?  I may have to get one of those tools and give it a try myself.  They also are masters at using a dremel tools with all the different bits to speed up the removal and detail carving. 

One name that kept popping up is Hans the Carver, who makes amazing lifelike wood musky (and other fish) replicas.

https://www.facebook.com/HansTheCarver/

Here is another artist in this video.  Check out at  8:45 of the video where he starts making the burning scale pattern.

 

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Don't think there is really a gap.  Much of it is more about how little many of us really talk or communicate about what we are doing.   What is new to some is old to others.  

Many have followed fish carvers for years regarding techniques and how to.    Many have Bob Berry books, James Fliger,   Ed Walicki and several others.    Many of the really good guys also teach classes that aren't too far fetched if one is interested.   Clark Schreibeis is one I looked at.  The World Fish Carving Championships also aren't too expensive and have classes and seminars and can make for an easy getaway.

 The issue is we are making a fishing lure and carving scales, fins, etc.. really is more about catching the angler than a fish.   Just  isn't that practical for a lure.    I can knock out some cranks without the detail and use the same blanks and carve detail and they fish no differently and spend a lot more time doing it.    Much of the detail ends up getting covered with the topcoat or you make some design considerations to avoid excessive hook rash, hook hanging up on side of bait, etc...  Makes more sense when you are carving a master to mold.   Several companies had guys carve them masters.

About 10 years ago several on this site started to mess around with it more so when Lapala and Tony (Suszko) kicked up a site to help teach carving fish.    Tony shared a lot of information and how to and was on chat and did carve along projects on the site.   Gene has also posted or helped in regards to carving information.

I burned some scales a long time ago but never stuck with it and didn't do a good job when I tried.    I mainly used carving knives (enjoyed it more) but used a dremel with the wand attachment and an assortment of burrs and stones.   Plan on getting a Foredam, Ram Oz, or similar at some point.

My first go at a fish, a yellow tang, never finished but may see about it over Christmas break.  It was one of the carving tutorials Tony was doing.

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Also started a trout but never finished it either as I have a tendency to find other projects to start before finishing others.

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Can also practice carving figurines or birds as many techniques and approaches map over.

DSC_0480.jpg

Edited by Travis
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Thanks for the info Travis!  I guess there really isn't a gap, it is just two different worlds kind of.  Great looking carvings there.  And as far as burning scales into lures in any  numbers it certainly would not work!  And I agree that the fish don't care,  I was asking more for myself just expanding my own knowledge of what is out there.  I'll keep looking for some of those carving tutorials that you mentioned and watching videos.   Those carvers at the world fish carving championship are insane! I was also thinking long term, I would love to get good enough to make myself a replica of my first 50+" muskie, but that would be a huge undertaking!

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On ‎11‎/‎30‎/‎2018 at 7:03 PM, Travis said:

Also started a trout but never finished it either as I have a tendency to find other projects to start before finishing others.

 

  The wife is always on me about this one.  It can take a while to finish a project sometimes.  

In my research I have noticed that most of the tools are the same and vary with wanted details and the scope of the project.  I want to say I ran across a lure builder that was burning scales as well as all the other details the average fisherman requires.  I am sure numbers were not an issue and it did look interesting enough that I might try it when the skill level rises a tad.  Maybe just to highlight certain features so I can hook that unsuspecting angler. 

 Still being new to the hobby I have been using pine to try out shapes so my dermal tool has found another purpose.  I still use a blade on harder woods, but in my opinion just to try shapes a dermal is the way to go. 

 

 

 

Edited by KennyP
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