Now it’s time to start carving and engraving the reliquary.
I’ve begun using a jeweler’s saw to partially saw out four sardines in a piece of 3/16 inch thick 416 stainless steel. This will be part of a lid for the reliquary.
Here, I’ve finished sawing out the sardines, and completed the wooden base of the reliquary (which will store the scalpel and the stand when not assembled). You can also see the beginnings of the rolled sterling silver lid and copper key.
Above, I’ve been starting to round over the sardines with my NSK Electer micromotor grinder and carbide burs.
It’s also time to begin detailing the sardine scalpel. Here the scalpel is installed in Thermoloc™ on a wooden block, for holding in my engraver’s vise. I’ve begun engraving the eye, gills and fin details.
One I engraved the gills (using a 90 degree V graver), I used a flat graver to carve back the lower edges, followed by a punch to begin sculpting and texturing the surface of the shibuichi. You can see details of the punch in the image – I made it from an old worn out bur. It is simply a cylinder, with slightly rounded edges.
Above, all the front portion of the fish has been textured with the punch.
Here, I’ve begun to make the little muscle striations along the back half (the blue arrows). I’m using a “bean” shaped punch for this. You can see it below the fish.
And
, above, all the muscle striations and punch texturing is finished. I’ve also used a round graver to finish the pectoral fins.
Thanks for looking!