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Robin's Jade Carving update 4/3 actually got one done! |
Robin
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Jul 01, 2007
Posts: 402
From: where the road and the sky collide
|  Posted: 2007-11-26 12:06 pm Permalink
Hi guys...thanks TF1...it is nice to be back instead of crippled...I've been jealously lurking and drooling over all the carving.
G. Thanks for your kind words...the encouragement and assessments from you masters is great.
[ This Message was edited by: Robin 2008-01-18 19:27 ]
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Robin
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Jul 01, 2007
Posts: 402
From: where the road and the sky collide
| Posted: 2008-01-18 8:11 pm Permalink
Hi all,
This one was almost done when the buffing wheel grabbed it and slammed it against the back of the machine! SHIT!!! Benz had reminded me that at least the machine didn't eat my fingers.....which is great.
I was persevering with my skills development by making this Kotiate. I got this one done, and was walking across the shop to grab a cord for a pic when I dropped it!!!!! It bounced off the 100 sq. ft. of carpet, and landed on the 6 inches of cement around the edge! SHIT SHIT SHIT! Tama...just what are the stones trying to tell me?
So onward...I have been looking at clubs and coming to terms with my interpretation of the shapes and uses. I wanted them to be an honest representation of the Maori clubs. It's very interesting to me that ultimately these clubs are based in the age old question of form and function. And the craftsmen/artists made them and designed them with these questions in mind as well as spirit. I don't know if the warriors made their own, or went to the club maker and selected one. Or if the club was made specifically for a particular person. Does anyone else?
I also started a Wahaika another close combat lobed weapon. Originally clubs were made of stone and undecorated. The notches and lobes in both weapons served to catch an opponents weapon, and disarm them. I read somewhere that the Kotiate was sharp at the end, and that the notches were used for disembowling. They eventually became more and more elaborately carved...more mana, more spirit, more protectively charged and fierce.....and beautiful.
Still in the planning stages...not quite sure where it's going yet...hopefully not in the scrap bucket!
And this....guess what it is...I wasn't going to post it, but I'm kinda desperate. It is very loosely related to the topic of Polynesia/New Zealand. Sorry no prize involved.
And it didn't break...yet.
Thanks for looking....wish me luck!
[ This Message was edited by: Robin 2008-01-19 05:57 ]
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tikifreak1
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Jun 10, 2007
Posts: 582
From: Northern Virginia
| Posted: 2008-01-18 8:19 pm Permalink
This is starting to look like my thread!!! Sorry about all the breaks, they were looking really good!!! I really like the new clubs you are working on too.
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Paipo
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Jun 22, 2006
Posts: 1886
From: Aotearoa / NZ
| Posted: 2008-01-19 10:51 am Permalink
Bugger! Never mind, these things happen to the best of us and there's always a creative solution to any dilemma. I see a new pendant and a nice pair of earrings in that first one, and the club could be pinned and glued and then have a lashing wrapped around the handle to conceal the repair (which will then be stronger than the original stone!)
Is the back of your buffing machine metal? I have learnt the hard way to make sure all surfaces that the stone might hit at impact are either made of plastic or covered in something soft. Even the area below my grinding wheel has a sheet of thin foam on it although it's only an inch or two to fall!
Anyway, I don't need to tell you to get back on the horse, cause you've already got an even nicer piece roughed out already. it's really all you can do in these situations - I usually get the saw out and start on a replacement straight away...
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GMAN
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Joined: Jul 14, 2005
Posts: 2994
From: My Island
| Posted: 2008-01-19 4:01 pm Permalink
Oh Robin! Aack! You're coming apart on us!!!! Time to bubble wrap your shop!!! Those are a buncha heartbreakers  . I'm glad to see you've got another in the works already. Those pieces are beautiful...
-G
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Tamapoutini
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Aug 30, 2006
Posts: 1529
From: Aotearoa (New Zealand)
| Posted: 2008-01-19 5:20 pm Permalink
Quote:
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On 2008-01-18 20:11, Robin wrote:
...It bounced off the 100 sq. ft. of carpet, and landed on the 6 inches of cement around the edge! SHIT SHIT SHIT! Tama...just what are the stones trying to tell me?*
It's very interesting to me that ultimately these clubs are based in the age old question of form and function. And the craftsmen/artists made them and designed them with these questions in mind as well as spirit. I don't know if the warriors made their own, or went to the club maker and selected one. Or if the club was made specifically for a particular person. Does anyone else?
I also started a Wahaika another close combat lobed weapon. Originally clubs were made of stone and undecorated. The notches and lobes in both weapons served to catch an opponents weapon, and disarm them. I read somewhere that the Kotiate was sharp at the end, and that the notches were used for disembowling...
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*ALWAYS stay vigilant when using powertools! As for dropping newly finished pieces, I think that must just be something that all learning carvers must go through to test your patience and committment.. 
Handheld stone 'clubs'(better described as blades!); basically only Mere were made from pounamu - the kotiati/'liver-cutter' was traditionally made from the wide rib-bones of whale & less commonly from the denser jawbone material. As I understand it, these were used mainly for hacking at the belly/sides and/or for taking off the top of the skull (Ive been told the notches at the sides were specifically for this purpose, but then the name confirms the disembowling-tool theory doesnt it?)
I'd guess that the highly time-consuming stone Mere (jade and non-jade alike) would have been made for a specific person and most likely there were guidelines as to their size/weight/balance, in order to fit the intended recipient. The taiaha/long staff for example, was made at the length from ground to underneath the chin of the intended owner. A different but similar example is in the spacing of holes for personal koauau/bone flute; all based/measured on lengths of owners fingers.. All sensible/practical stuff really; simply better to have a taylor-fitted item than an off-the-shelf one, eh?
Sorry, cant guess what the last piece is that you're making; it looks very much like a naturally beach-tumbled jade beachpebble..?
Put those losses behind you (recycling is a great way to 'move on'..) You do have a very nice, crisp style and finish; keep it up - get TIKI!
Tama 
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JohnnyP
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Nov 23, 2005
Posts: 1689
From: Attica, MI
| Posted: 2008-01-19 5:28 pm Permalink
Those were gorgeous pieces too. Heartbreaking.
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Robin
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Jul 01, 2007
Posts: 402
From: where the road and the sky collide
| Posted: 2008-01-20 08:12 am Permalink
Hey, thanks for all the responses...not an easy post to make...not my finest hour. I guess the hardest part is regaining confidence.
TF1...yeah I remember your thread, and how you made it all work and rolled with it...your post made me laugh so hard. Thanks for that.
Paipo...thanks for stopping by, for your great advice and reminder of creative solutions to dilemma. I'm sure going to install some padding around the place and tools. I really appreciate your vision on the first one (currently trying to see it) and how to fix the club....ummmmm, I can do that...thanks. I thought all was lost on that one.
Mister G...yep it's a bitch eh? I will also make sure not to butter my fingers prior to transporting work. Glad you could see their previous potential.
Tama...well as a matter of fact, someone came up and talked to me while I was buffing. No more of that and definitely will practice much more vigilance. Thanks for the info on the blades...that Kotiate was something to be reckoned with regardless of the body part that was being scrutinized...fierce. I had read that they were made of whalebone also...I didn't know that the Mere was really the only one made of Pounamu. Boy...that would be a powerful,intimidating weapon. I guess it's really obvious that these weapons were to much a part of the warrior to come off the rack! Thanks to you too for stopping by and for your nice comments about my work.
You too JP! Thanks for stopping by....hearts mending. Thanks.
Hangin' in, moving on, and enjoying the process. Your comments really helped.
R.
p.s. Thanks to you too Babalu.
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benella
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Sep 27, 2006
Posts: 1423
From: Meudon, France
| Posted: 2008-01-21 08:01 am Permalink
Hey Robin, your pieces are very good and I know you'll find the right solutions.
Good Luck my friend,
Benjamin.
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Robin
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Jul 01, 2007
Posts: 402
From: where the road and the sky collide
| Posted: 2008-01-21 3:43 pm Permalink
Disaster relief.
Hi Benella,thanks for stopping by...managed a creative solution today.
Followed Paipo's advice on the break. I used a push pin that I hammered the push part off of the pin and ground it down to make it shorter...it's a stainless steelpin. I couldn't find a nail small enough, but I did have a push pin. Yay! Drilled two holes, and popped it in...yet to be glued and lashed.
Thanks again Paipo.
Tama made me do this. I had sort of planned a stylized sculptural representation of this blade, but Tama issued the 'get Tiki' challenge. And all in all, the blade should have a protector spirit attached to it no matter what. So changing in mid stream, I'm trying to make a very tiny Tiki head at the butt of the blade. Started with the tongue. Still contemplating the design on the body of the blade.
p.s. Sorry for the non-tikiness of this. But it is from New Zealand. Those lovely green mussels. The piece of jade is from the rock I cut here
http://www.tikiroom.com/tikicentral/bb/viewtopic.php?mode=viewtopic&topic=21352&forum=7&start=285&hilite=stone%20carving
Tiki Central Forums - Topic: Stone Carving: Q&A + Gallery...
Turns out it was pretty junky, but some parts were nice enough to play with and practice making some shapes. Looks like this one could use some more work.
Thanks for looking, for your comments, and for your help.
R.
[ This Message was edited by: Robin 2008-01-21 16:11 ]
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harro
Grand Member (first year) 
Joined: Sep 05, 2005
Posts: 672
From: Australia / Argentina
| Posted: 2008-01-21 3:59 pm Permalink
Excellent recovery Robin!!!
Back on the horse and full steam ahead!
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Benzart
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Jan 09, 2004
Posts: 10306
From: Port Saint Lucie, Florida
| Posted: 2008-01-21 4:53 pm Permalink
Super glue'n pin fix there Robin, Really tough to decide what to do with broken stuff but I'm Really glad you pressed on with it. Looks great. So does the Mystery piece!
Happy to see you posting again too!
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Robin
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Jul 01, 2007
Posts: 402
From: where the road and the sky collide
| Posted: 2008-01-22 10:55 am Permalink
Well thank you Harro. Nice of you to stop by. It felt great not to have to trash that one, and great to do something worthwhile. How is you Tang coming with the very hard Argentinian wood?
Hey Ben....Good of you to stop by as well. Always nice to hear from you.....I'm glad I didn't have to give up too...thanks again to Paipo....I hate giving up.
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seeksurf
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Sep 27, 2007
Posts: 2144
From: Buckley, WA
| Posted: 2008-01-22 11:36 am Permalink
Dam on the break, but it looks like a nice recovery and
great learning experance also.
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benella
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Sep 27, 2006
Posts: 1423
From: Meudon, France
| Posted: 2008-01-22 11:52 pm Permalink
Nice solution you've found, Robin.
Did you fix the other problems on the other piece of jade ? I hope
Benjamin.
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