[Woodcarver] Re: Master Carver Trivia

Wed Jun 16 11:59:39 EDT 2004

Hi Dirk, 
Please do forward the project when he finishes, it really is interesting. I had heard of the gesäll project, but never saw any examples.

I was privileged to do restoration work on some architectural carvings on a small house in Highland Park, Texas originally done by a Swiss woodcarver, named Peter Mansbendale. ( these carvings were exterior and had been exposed to the weather for fifty years ) I coincidentally had earlier met one of the grandchildren of Peter that gave me much of his history. Part of his legacy was a book published by Texas A & M press called; Peter Mansbendale, A Swiss woodcarver in Texas. I have since located dozens of his carvings around the state and have been equally impressed with all. 

Off topic a little:
The cryogenics labs will be quick to point out that long before we learned to manage liquid nitrogen, the Swiss woodcarvers would make a new chisel ( set ) and bury it in a high elevation ice cave for 3-5 years before working it. One of the oldest Swiss tool companies did a version of this and came to fame for some of the best tools around for holding edges.

Thanks much for sharing it with us, Phill

Phill Pittman
digicarve at verizon.net
www.masterwerkes.com

  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: OLD JOE 
  To: [Woodcarver] 
  Sent: Wednesday, June 16, 2004 8:44 AM
  Subject: [Woodcarver] Re: Master Carver Trivia

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  The following is in answer to my question to a nephew who is attending a 3 year Carving and Chair making school in Sweden.
  I recently met a master carver from Denmark, but I haven't heard of any here in Sweden. Both the gesäll letter, journeyman's license, and the master's letter are institutions which were near extinct until about 10 years ago. Here in Sweden, within the carpentry branch, they are viewed as both expensive and relatively unimportant. This however is changing. It is becoming more and more common that people are completing a gesäll project and even masters projects. It is still very expensive and a cumbersome process. On the European continent however the situation is a bit different. I know that in Germany a master's letter is essential for conduction business. I have also heard that it costs about 5 times as much in Germany as it does here in Sweden.  My guess is that as the number of people who work in these industries shrinks the demand for quality control will increase.

  A journeyman's license is awarded after the completion of a gesäll project. These projects are usually between 300-800 hours and are required to include certain elements which are viewed as difficult. For a cabinet maker these are dovetailing, at least one door and some intarsia. The difficulty is often finding a project which is complicated enough to be accepted as a project. Most people who attempt this test have had at least 3 years of schooling, or four years of apprenticeship. I have a friend who is currently working on his gesäll project and should be finished in the next few weeks. He has promised to send me a picture. I will forward it when I receive it. From what I have seen of the project it has great promise. 

  Take care

  Dirk 

  Old Joe (Joe Brott)
  for Len Dillon roughouts, click: www.diamondd.org
    ----- Original Message ----- 
    From: Bill Judt 
    To: [Woodcarver] 
    Sent: Tuesday, June 15, 2004 10:58 PM
    Subject: Re: [Woodcarver] Bill's Gems

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    Jean:

    Facets - what I call bevels - on the edges of objects are MOST important in the carving is to have definition. I mention this in some detail in my second book.
    Bevels do not take a whole lot of time to carve, either.

    >From one mortal to another <grinning>

    Bill

    W.F. Judt,
    46 Harvard Cres,
    Saskatoon, Saskatchewan,
    S7H3R1
    PH: 306-373-6649
    Email: bjudt at sasktel.net
    Website: http://www.wwwoodcarver.com

    On Jun 15, 2004, at 10:55 AM, Jean Athey wrote:

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      Hi Bill,
      Thanks for letting us mortals see your latest work. If
      anyone needs a primer on the importance of carving
      facets to catch the light, they only need look at the
      foliage on the two trees in the upper right and left
      corners of your "Beal Award" carving. Both pieces are
      spectacular.
      Jean Athey

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