Chip carving

The score cut or notch carving is one of the oldest ornamental arts. She is known by many peoples. Already in ancient times they carved in stone or wood ornaments. These were attached to the decoration of everyday objects, trusses, and partly also in holy places.

When Chip Carving patterns with compass and pencil on eg Marked timber and then gouged with sharp knives or cut. It originated in-depth patterns that left a pleasant impression by their frequent repetition. There are commonly used woods with uniform grain. It is lime, alder, pear, finely grained spruce and stone pine. Wood with strong grain are not as good as their structure, the carving can not come to validity.

Traditionally carved with a chip carving knife. It is a knife with a short blade. Carved is mostly with one hand, leaving the thumb is supported on the Schnitzoberfläche. The other hand holds the Schnitzobjekt.

Modern Schnitzer use sculpting tools. This produces better uniformity is achieved in the carving. But Carved live through the small inaccuracies in execution.

Two of the main notch cuts are the sg. Three -section and the six -section. By using an inanimate cuts caused different patterns. The three- section is formed by two vertical and a flat, horizontal excavation section. All three sections meet at the lowest point.

For a six -section creates a kind of reverse pyramid. It made ​​three vertical sections and three flat horizontal excavation cuts. All sections meet in the middle, at the lowest point.

Cuts as in the Kerbschnitzrosette called tail or almond slices. These can be carved with a chip carving knife or a specific tail knives.

With the help of score cuts also inscriptions in half-timbered houses were built. For this purpose, the blade of a Kerbschnitzmessers been removed from the book and provided with a new longer book. This long book could be supported on the shoulder and thus to obtain a better control over the cut. Such shoulder blades can be obtained in Switzerland today.

Finished carvings are usually treated with waxes, as paint finishes can appear blurred the carvings in their layer thickness. The depressions can also be dyed with colors, making them stand out more.