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<DIV>Did you all know that at one time there were about 2400 different profiles
available thru European manufacturers. About half have been lost to
time. This is known from old shipping manifests uncovered in many
parts of the world. The Sheffield list is considered the standard by which
most companies manufacture the sweeps and profiles of
their chisels. The Sheffield list was a descriptive list of carving
profiles available in the 1800's in Sheffield, England, the city of legendary
steel making fame. It is still pretty much adhered to by English
manufacturers. Variations occur when the skew chisel is called the S1 or
the #2 profile which changes the numbering of the sweeps down the line
accordingly, depending on the maker. Americans companies being
Americans of course, number their profiles in any manner they wish and even
chose inches over the more standard metric equivalent. Throw in other
countries, with their own numbering systems and there is lots of
variations. </DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>If a serious woodcarver from 1000 years ago saw the profiles of the tools
you use today, he would understand their purpose.</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>The best thing I have found is to get a piece of corrugated cardboard and
make an impression in the cardboard with the profiles of all your chisels and
gouges, keeping like sweeps in columns. Small notations can be made to
denote, skews, bents, fishtails, palms, etc. Bring this piece
of cardboard with you when you are going somewhere where you might want to
purchase tools. This way there is less of a chance that you will
duplicate an edge.</DIV>
<DIV>
<P align=center><FONT lang=0 face=Arial size=2 FAMILY="SANSSERIF"
PTSIZE="10">Maura<BR><A
href="http://www.carvinginnyc.com/">www.Carvinginnyc.com</A><BR></P></FONT></DIV></FONT><DIV CLASS="aol_ad_footer" ID="ef77388cb7947f4247f0fc41a8000e50"><br/><font style="color:black;font:normal 10pt arial,san-serif;"> <hr style="margin-top:10px"/>It's raining cats and dogs -- Come to <a href="http://www.pawnation.com/?ncid=emlcntnew00000008">PawNation</a>, a place where pets rule!</font></DIV></BODY></HTML>