WIP: Carving Totem Sticks Re-Visited (part 3 of 3)

OK, it's time to finish up the totem so that I can play catch-up with more recent projects. As you can see from the picture to the left the totem is finished and personally, I'm quite pleased with the final look.

Without any doubt, with my last couple of totems, I have seen my style in finishing them change. The additional accent made with the woodburning pen is something that I'm sure will be part of all future totem carvings. That highlighting really pumps out the "Wow" look in my opinion and I'm going to stick with it on totems while looking at other ways to mix it in with my other carvings.

To the right is a close up of the Thunderbird figure on top of the pole.

Here's a close up of the duck.

 And finally here's the bottom master builder figure.

Sorry that I still haven't come up with a good story for this totem but it wouldn't be hard. Perhaps I will just let the story find it instead. It now sits proudly on my shelf of totem poles as it anxiously awaits it's next neighbor.

WIP: Carving Totem Sticks Re-Visited (part 2 of 3)

It's been a little longer that I had anticipated to update with my latest progress on carving a new totem stick which I started a few postings back here. As you can see from the picture to the left all of the carving has been completed, the wings attached, and I also decided to accentuate the detail with my woodburning pen.

During the last year I have begun to contrast a lot of my carvings by woodburning the detail which I'm beginning to like very much. So much that I'm afraid that it might be altering my carving/finishing style as my carving methods and personal style continues to evolve.

To the right you can see my progress (prior to woodburning) on the middle "duck" character where all of the carving has been finished except for the two round eyes. I've used the duck on many of my totem poles over the last decade and it's one character that I really enjoyed developing.

Like anything in carving, when I want to come up with a new object in carving I just do my research in the field guides, then add my own style to its design until I come up with something that I like. Although I have come up with a general design, I must say that it comes out a little bit different with every carving whether in color, detail, or style. Back to the "evolving" thing I suppose.

To the left you see the bottom character which is a little bit mystical in that it's probably part human and part animal. Not exactly sure what the story is that I'm trying to translate at this point but this will most certainly add an interesting angle when it does hit me.

As usual I first sketched it off on the wood then began moving away the waste wood until I achieved the depth that felt good, the dimension that felt right, and the overall aesthetic complement that added to the overall completion of my vision.

Next I will present the completed pole in all its color.

14 Foot Totem Pole Retired To Museum

While reviewing the blog archives I was surprised to learn that I never posted anything about our original camp totem pole that was retired a few months ago when we raised our new totem pole. I really thought that I had posted something about it but I found nothing. Therefore I'd like to share a little bit about the 14 foot totem pole that graced our camp for 18 years.

The picture to the left shows the pole back in 1993 when it was fresh, proud, and in it's glory days. (Due to Federal Hipaa laws I unfortunately had to distort faces of the people, but it was my best picture of the pole.) We cut this fine pine tree during the Thanksgiving holiday during 1991, skinned the bark off, then allowed it to dry under cover of the back porch of the dining hall for a year. Finally the carving was finished and the pole was raised with the aid of tractor hydraulics into a hole that was dug 4 feet deep.

And there it stood proudly for more than 18 years and thousands of people enjoyed it's beauty and story over all those years. But like all good things nothing lasts forever and due to decay that was creating a safety concern, we finally had to bring her down.

Just today I completed a final resting place for the only  remnants from the totem which were still solid; the wings and a section from the poles center that included the feet of the raven, the whole frog, and the beavers head. Sad that all of the pole couldn't have been saved but the internal parts of the remainder were severely rotted.

But fear not because the history of our pole has now been preserved for thousands more to learn and enjoy as we made a permanent display in an educational cabin near the woodshop. If you look at the picture to the right and directly between the wings, I placed the picture above of the totem pole back in it's glory days on the wall. Also there is a story of the totem and its meaning  that I wrote for our camp newspaper just after it was planted in the ground some 18 years ago. You can click on the images below if you'd like to see that story. Preserving history can sometimes be as important as the actual life of something and this old totem has earned its place.

WIP: Carving Totem Sticks Re-Visited (part 1 of 3)

WIP= "Work in progress"

I've been in the totem pole carving mood lately. 2010 has already brought on several totem carvings, all the way from a 16 foot pole down to a 2 foot table totem. As seen in the picture to the right I haven't tackled what I call a "stick" totem or perhaps a "limb" totem for about a year now.

These little totems are one of my favorites because it provides the golden example for making something from nothing. Yes, basswood is wonderful but still nothing thrills the depths of my carving psych more that to pick up a fallen limb after a wind storm then carve up something for posterity to examine. Rescuing it from the forest floor a certain tree limb, in this case a tulip poplar, would now have the opportunity not to rot back into the good earth, but perhaps become a wonderful admired object. Nothing thrills me more than found wood carving.

Although the first picture above shows the design that I first sketched on the stick of a Thunderbird on top, a duck in the middle, and a master builder on the bottom... the first step in prepping the stick is sawing it into four sides. As you can see in the picture to the left I flared the bottom of the stick outwards which will provide a built-in stand when completed.

I might add that you should exercise extreme caution when cutting any round object such as a found tree limb on the bandsaw. Doing so without proper support could result in not only a ruined piece of wood but the increased likelihood of severe bodily injury. Please exercise extreme caution when selecting a method for cutting a rounded tree limb because your safety is my ultimate concern.

As seen in the picture to the immediate right I also used a piece of the same limb to saw out a 5/16" thick 2" X 6" block that I will use for the Thunderbird wings. Notice that I have also notched out a tight fitting slot to fit the wings into later on when all of the pole carving is done. For right now it's a lot easier to carve without the wings attached. The measurements for the body of the totem stick is 9" tall and the "square" of the pole is 1-1/8" thick.

Looking at the picture to the left I started this totem at the top with the Thunderbird. This mythical bird of the Indians is one of my favorite to carve with it's tuft of feathers rustling in the wind above it's little head. I had some fun with this bird and curved back his beak on both sides in an arc that went most of the way to the rear side. I used my little palm u-gouge to pluck out the breast feathers then went on to make various decorative cuts over the entire body and I just let the "Great Spirit" guide me as I went. No patterns, no pictures... I just let my hands do the thinking. That's relaxation at it's best!

I'll post another update soon.

WIP: Carving A Two Foot Table Totem Pole- (Part 4 of 4)

WIP= "Work in Progress"

The totem pole is now painted, finished, and sitting on somebody's table. The only thing not showing in the picture to the left is the brass plate of recognition attached to the stand. I wasn't there for the presentation but was told that it was well received.

I used watered down acrylics for the paints, however all of the wood-colored areas is an oil based honey brown stain. After the painting was finished I sealed the entire pole with acrylic sealer, applied an antique wash of burnt umber, then lightly sanded it to accentuate the carving thus giving it a more hand-made look. The final sealer was a hand rubbed application of polyurethane.

Once again, from the top down is the eagle, raven, frog, beaver, and the bear.  If you'd like to catch up on the carving of this table totem, then check out these links from previous postings:

Table Totem Pole: Part 1

Table Totem Pole: Part 2

Table Totem Pole: Part 3

WIP: Carving A Two Foot Table Totem Pole- (Part 3 of 4)

WIP= "Work in Progress"

With the main body of the totem now complete, less the paint and finish, I now go on to the wings and the stand. As seen to the right I used a 9" X 3" X 1/2" piece of poplar for the wings.

As previously mentioned, this particular batch of poplar has been a pleasure to carve and I'd have to say that only basswood would have been a greater joy to work with. The poplar probably does have more potential to split or chip while carving but I still consider it a quality carve.

After sketching out the wing design that I wanted onto the wood, I then did a rough-out using the bandsaw. I also chose to cut out some v-notches on the lower side of the wings which gives it a more powerful and realistic look.

Next I used my jack knife to score the shields and the large eye with shallow stop cuts so I can got a raised relief look for the wings surface area. Raised relief is always a lot of fun to carve, removing just enough wood from each cut to shave out one layer at a time. Newer carvers tend to remove too much wood with one cut and sometimes chip their project unintentionally. To avoid this mishap I always remove just one thin layer of wood at a time, shave it away, then repeat until the desired depth is obtained. Take your time and enjoy the carving process.

With the wings completed I then used the bandsaw to cut out the notch into the eagle where I wanted to insert the wings. I just scored the notch area with the bandsaw the depth of the wings numerous times then used my jack knife to clean it up for a tight fit. Using a bit of wood glue and three 1/4" dowels I then made the wings a permanent part of the totem.

In my early days of carving small table totems I sometimes mounted the wings before carving the designs into them. That was a big mistake that I finally corrected because they are much easier to carve in my hands off the pole, then mounting them. Live and learn.

As seen in the pictures directly below I then milled out a 4" X 3-1/2" X 3-1/2" piece of western white cedar for the stand. I very carefully marked the center spot where the base of the pole would be inserted.

I then used a small fostner bit on the drill press to drill out most of the waste wood thus producing an obscure hole for the totem that was cleaned up with my chisels. I carved it out just a bit at a time until I achieved the nice tight fit that I wanted. Once again, a little wood glue made it a permanent part of the pole.

As seen in the pictures to the left I also used the belt/disk sander to taper the square stand from the bottom upwards with a smooth flow into the pole.

I will post the final installment of this project in a few days which will include the completed totem in full and finished living color.

WIP: Carving A Two Foot Table Totem Pole- (Part 2)

 WIP= "Work in Progress"

Some time back I began posting the progress of my latest totem pole where part 1 can be found here. As you recall it is 23" tall and will be the host for five characters; the eagle on top, then a raven, a frog, a beaver, then a bear on bottom. As I covered the eagle in the first posting I will now continue with the raven.

As seen in the picture to the right the first picture shows the initial roughing-out of the raven. Like all of the characters, this is the first carving that takes place and the only carving where I place the wood in a table vise and work with my larger knives using a mallet. As you can see quite a bit can be accomplished with relative ease during this roughing-out phase.

The next picture shows that I have smoothed up the cuts left behind by my larger knives and mallet while in the vise. Also I have used a pencil to sketch out the eyes and beak lines. I am still amazed at how great this tulip poplar is carving and it's just about as nice as basswood... but I won't quite go there just yet. The final picture shows the completed bird less the paint so now I can move on to the little frog.

Just below the raven is seen the little obscure square block that will gradually become the frog. Although hard to see in the picture I have lightly used my pencil to sketch in the rough outline of the green creature. Looking closely can also be seen exactly where the frog will be located as seen by the darker uncarved wood.

The three pictures show most of the frog completed but later I will paint in the fine detail of the little eyes and the wort's. The  frog wasn't too difficult and I would consider this a flat relief carving. Other variations could include carving the frog "around" the pole which I'm sure would look very appealing  but this is what I did for this pole.

By carving in a flat relief style, this gave me a nice area on both sides of the frog for adding some bonus decorative carving. Therefore I added a variety of Indian symbols which make the pole more interesting.

Next I'll go to the beaver and as usual the first picture to the right shows it just after removing the wood from the vise where I used my larger chisels and mallet for a rough-out. A lot of the carving on this creature was simply removing the rough outer wood and producing a smooth surface, then removing wood where necessary to make the carving stand out... especially around the legs on each side.

Beavers are one of my favorite characters to carve on a totem pole because you have those two gigantic front teeth and an interesting "checked" tail. The teeth and that big flat tail make the beaver unique and I always get excited about working on them.

As seen to the left I finish carving the bear which is the final character on this table totem pole. The bear provides the strength upon which all else rests and some people consider the bottom of a totem pole as the most important part in symbolism or story telling.


 The bear is the final installment for part 2 of this series and I will next move on to carving a set of wings and making a nice stand from western white cedar. After that I will show you the final totem pole in full color after the final finish.

WIP: Carving A Two Foot Table Totem Pole- (Part 1)

WIP= "Work in Progress"

OK, just to set the record straight before this project gets started, this totem  actually stands 23" high despite the title that says it's 2 feet. Today is April 15th which is also tax day so I'm just stuck on rounding my numbers out to the nearest whole.



A table totem pole with about a 2 foot height was recently requested as a retirement gift due on April 23rd so I rousted out a nice piece of rough cut tulip poplar that originated from a local sawmill. (See poplar leaf to right>>>) It is approximately 1-5/8" square and I also left plenty of extra wood at the bottom where I will eventually attach a stand. Normally I would use basswood for a project like this but I came across this batch of poplar about 15 years ago and it carves unusually nice.

As seen in the pictures on top I first measured out center lines on all four sides of the pole which will help me to keep the characters in proper perspective as I carve. I then went on to do a rough sketch of all the characters starting on top with an eagle then followed by a raven, frog, beaver, and a bear on the bottom. Coincidentally, this table totem pole is very similar to the one that I personally presented to the governor of North Carolina in 1996.

As seen in the pictures to the left I then put the pole in a table vise then used my larger carving knives and mallet to rough out all the characters.

To the right you see a couple of pictures of the eagle which sits proudly atop the pole. After roughing out all the characters in the table vice I've now taken it out and will carve the remaining detail holding the pole in my hands and using my smaller carving tools.

Starting with the eagle you can see that I've rounded the breast area and gouged out a rough textured feathering effect which makes it a bit more interesting. I've also begun carving the feet and the eyes and the beak are sketched in. As you can see in the picture to the far right, I like to leave as much of my center lines on the wood as long as I can so that I can keep everything in the best possible perspective until the very last minute.

Looking at the pictures to the right, I've completed the carving of the eagle. I used my small palm v-parting tool to make the three claw notches on each foot. The beak and mouth are now completed along with the two eyes.

I also spent some time just going back and cleaning up all of the cuts while continuing to get the bird in proper perspective.

OK, in the next installment I will continue carving down the pole with the raven and frog so please come back and join me for the carving of this little two foot table totem.

Pinewood Derby Totem Pole Car Finished

So many projects and so little time, but I did finally finish the totem pole pinewood derby car that I started in this post a while back. The race is over but I decided that I've won enough trophies over the years so I didn't build this car for speed; rather I went for making a unique car design and I believe that I hit the mark on that account.

The design has an eagle on top, a coyote, a frog, an Indian chief, then a bear. This particular car makes a great addition to my other table-totem pole display when sat upright and I'm sure that it will be quite a conversational piece for years to come.

Carving Thunderbird Wings For the 16' Totem Pole:Parts 2 and 3 (of 3)

Here are the two remaining videos which concludes my carving of the Thunderbird wings for our new camp totem pole.

Carving Thunderbird Wings For the 16' Totem Pole (Part 1 of 3)

This is Part 1 of 3 videos (total about 30 minutes) where I demonstrate step-by-step how I made and carved the wings for the Thunderbird on our new 16' camp totem pole. I made the videos during the actual carving during November of 2009 and they now proudly fly upon the Thunderbird that is on top of the totem pole of yesterdays posting New Camp Totem Pole (Parts 1 and 2) 



I'll probably get all three videos uploaded during the next couple of days since I need to use some of my bandwidth for getting other stuff done too. I hope that you can perhaps glean some new tid-bit of helpful information from them but most of all, I hope that it will inspire you to pick up your chisels and take on a carving project of your own as the nice weather of spring is upon us. Happy carving!

New Camp Totem Pole (Parts 1 and 2)

It's been a long time in coming but the day finally arrived last week on March 23rd when we raised our new camp totem pole! She is now flying high in the sky and proudly looking over all who walk the trail near her path.

This is a very special totem pole for many reasons. For beginners, it was a sad occasion the day before when we had to remove the original totem pole that has towered over our camp for 17 years, since the spring of 1993. The pictures below show it just after removal last Monday and being hauled away. In a future posting I will most assuredly retire it here on the blog with the full story and with the respect that it deserves.

The story of the new totem began more than a year ago when the local power company donated a fine utility pole to our camp with a $400.00 value and a 30 year in-the-ground life. At the time I didn't know that it would become our new camp totem pole and the only thing I was thinking about was the generosity of the power company. Heck, there's a million and one uses for a utility pole.

During the fall fellowship last year I was studying the totem pole at Camp Raven Knob which was obviously made from a utility pole. The idea began to brew in my head of the possibilities and before you knew it I got my gouges and a maul for some experimenting on our utility pole. I was amazed at how well the wood carved so I then began sketching my own totem designs in a note pad until I had it all figured out. About Halloween of 2009 I had the pole on the back porch of our dining hall and the carving had begun!  
      

As you can see from my original design to the right, all of the characters were my own but I did love the upward slant of the wings of the totem pole at Camp Raven Knob. I've carved many totems over the years but this upward slant of the wings was very appealing and gave the Thunderbird a powerful look. By the way I will shortly be posting a detailed video of how I made and carved the wings for our new pole... that will be part 3 of this series so check back soon.

So all of the carving was completed between Halloween and Thanksgiving then between several other high priority projects and the many blizzard snows of this winter, the finished pole sat patiently for 4 months on the back porch. Finally a two-day window of opportunity was opened last week and with the help of a group of 12 boys, the new totem pole was set into it's hole. The following are the meanings of all the characters carved on our new pole:

The Bear: On the bottom is the bear which symbolizes strength and thus the counselors in our program because they build the foundation (see the hammer in the bears paws) upon which all else stands. Without our counselors we would be nothing so sometimes the most important character on a totem pole is on the bottom and for good reason.

The Beaver: Next is the beaver which represents the program directors since they always seem to be gnawing on wood seeking the sometimes elusive trail to a safe and effective program for the kids.

The Frog: This little creature represents the family workers who do a lot of "hopping" around between the kids, families, counselors, and everyone on property as they mediate various problems and solutions that make our program work.

The Wolf: Indian symbolism sees the wolf as having great wisdom and knowledge so this magnificent creature will represent the teachers who make sure that our students stay current in their school work and are well prepared to succeed in the future.

The Raven: This bird will represent the campers family who are also working hard to make the necessary changes in their own lives and preparing the home "nest" for their son to eventually return and flourish into the future together again.

The Thunderbird: The Thunderbird with his wings spread out tall and proud at the very top of the pole will represent the youth and the successful people that they are capable of becoming. If a strong foundation is laid beneath then every kid will have the opportunity to succeed and that will be the real story of our totem pole as they "fly" into their future.

The following are two videos of the totem pole that you might find interesting. I am currently editing another video that will show how I made and carved the wings so check back soon for that one.

Pinewood Derby 2010: I've Decided On A Totem Pole Car!

For the adults category of this year's "April Fool's 500" pinewood derby race, I have begun carving my car. Seems like I've made every car possible during the last 30 years of ardent racing competition so I decided to pursue a totem pole car for 2010. As the accompanying pictures show I have designed it to sit upright, just as a real totem stands on sacred land so it will double as a fine nik-nak shelf piece after the race.

Each car starts out as just a 7" block of pine with four plastic wheels and axles, then as the pictures to the left show a design must then be thought out and applied to the wood. My totem starts out on the bottom with a bear, an Indian with full head dress, a frog, a coyote, and an eagle towering above on the top.As the pictures above indicate, I used some of the scrap wood cut away from the center of the pinewood block for shaping the eagle wings separately.

This car is going to be extremely light so it's not going to be a fast car... and that's okay because for a second year I've decided not to go for speed

because I just want to have a nice car and I think that a totem pole will be that car. Although I've begun painting the totem-car I still have a lot of detailing to go, so perhaps I'll post pictures of the finished car later.

The trophy shown in the pictures to the right is the car that I entered from last years race and yes, that's Dolly Pardon driving her pink country girl car. As mentioned above I also decided to step aside from last years race since I already have enough winning trophies on my display shelf and that would give others a chance to win.

So how did I get that wonderful trophy you ask? Although I didn't race it in the speed race I did enter the car in the competition for "Best of Show" and I'll be darn if she didn't win! Dolly is one of the funnest cars I've ever made and she surely produced a lot of laughs from everyone. Some even accused her of being too "front" heavy (use your imagination) so I guess it's a good thing that I didn't race this car. A pinewood derby race has the potential for a lot of fun, laughs, and group spirit so once again, if you haven't been part of such a race then find one in your community and help a kid have the time of his life!

Cliff's Totem

As promised I am posting a few pictures from the "totem angel" that I carved for Cliff earlier in the year when so many of us wanted to do something for him. Cliff so enjoyed sharing the stories of checking his mailbox each day and that not even a Canadian snowstorm could hold him at bay to retrieve his mail. This is the totem that I mailed to Cliff and I also included the following description of all the characters on the pole for as you know, every totem has a special story:



Cliff:
Just to let you know that I have finally finished your "angel" but I had to apply a lot of spin to make that work because my heart led me to carve a totem pole. This totem is an almost exact replica of a 14 foot totem pole that I carved for the wilderness camp where I work... sorry that I couldn't afford the freight charges for the bigger one all the way to Canada.

It sits about 8 1/4" on the red oak stand and I carved it from local poplar that I milled down to 7/8" square. I then finished it with some woodburning accent, acrylic paints, and a final polyurethane seal. My goal is to have it in the mail late tomorrow afternoon after work if all goes as planned and hope that it makes it through customs OK. I thought that I'd go ahead and post a few pictures of it here so that you could have something to look forward to and also to share with others on the board.

Starting at the bottom of the pole:

* Bear: This bear is at the bottom of the totem because it represents the tremendous strength to hold up and support all that is above him... just like the amazing strength of your own attitude when faced with the challenge of your life. I could only hope that I would be able to share my feelings and to talk with others if/when I will face such a challenge. The "bear" thus reflects the great admiration that I'm sure many of us here share about your real strength.
* Beaver: The beaver represents your skill as a woodcarver and your willingness to share your thoughts, your projects, and your ability to respond to so many posts here on the board. You obviously have moved up through the ranks in life through the "College of Hard Knocks" where a persons true knowledge is judged more upon their ability to apply common sense instead of their ability to explain the theory of relativity. Personally I find more in common with someone like you who knows how to use their hands than I ever would hanging out with John Smith Phd.
* Frog: The frog is a symbol of your ability to "leap" from one level of life to another, despite the obstacle, with amazing ease. Although apparently a simple thing for you, THAT is a life lesson that we can all benefit from.
* Raven: The raven represents the truth and wisdom that you have shared with us (and I'm sure your own family and friends) during this ordeal and I'm sure others throughout your long life. No matter how long that we are walking on this planet it is a high honor to achieve the wisdom of the raven!
* Thunderbird: The thunderbird on this totem represents what I refer to as the Native American angel that brings everything "full-circle" in your life. Your strength in faith, your love of family, and the protector of all that you do while on earth. It perches tall atop the pole watching over all that is below him so that you know all is well and everything is in order during this life and the next. No matter what, you and your family will be OK.

As I continue to write a small chuckle cracks out on my face because I know what you just said, "Is that all there is"? Well, "No" is my answer because I still believe that even during times of great challenge the best is always yet to come... if only we look for it in the small, mostly unseen cracks and crannies where such hope tends to hide from us. Don't stop looking!


CLIFFS RESPONSE:

Dave, I'm absolutely blown away, man oh man, for once in my 78 years I'm at a total loss for words. Sure, the totem is beautiful, no question, but the thought you have put into the written word is so heart warming. You can rest assured that totem will live in this family (along with the written word) long after I'm gone. Thank you so very very much for being so thoughtful, it's friends like you and the rest of the carving community that make me want to hang on forever. Thank you my dear friend, so very much.
Cliff

Order of the Arrow Ordeal Weekend #2 (and more carving!)

If you ever doubted the future generation of leaders, then you should have seen what I saw at the Order of the Arrow Ordeal #2 last weekend at Camp Raven Knob. In my recent posting of the last Ordeal on the weekend of August 22 found here, I earned my own membership in the Order through a weekend of "scant foot" and "arduous labor". This last weekend I was glad to return and serve as an Elangomat (leader) in a group of about 15 new candidates. I was very proud of the youth (and two adult candidates) in my group who definitely re-newed my faith in the next generation. They worked extremely hard and almost non-stop for more than eight hours then were up past midnight for a full day of work, cheerful service, and sacred ceremonial procedures for membership. They more than passed their test for becoming "Arrowmen" in the Order and I was very proud of them all.

Image via Wikipedia

Each year the Order of the Arrow Wahissa Lodge 118 (Boy Scouts of America) holds two Ordeals for new candidates to be considered for membership. This last weekend was the second and final Ordeal for 2009 and there were about 65 candidates who became new members. In another 10 months of continued service in their troop, active participation in the Order, and upon completing several other challenges they (we) will then have the opportunity to bring our membership "full-circle" thus progressing from Arrowmen to the Brotherhood.

Membership in the Order has it's privileges such as being welcomed to all the yearly events which consist of service to others combined with a lot of fun camaraderie among brothers, and probably more fun than anyone could imagine.

During the final ceremonies at this Ordeal I was also proud to wear my first neckerchief slide. I was determined to wear it this week so I started it last Monday and finished it just in time last Thursday.

It is a small totem pole boasting a bear, frog, fox, and a bald eagle towering proudly on top. As you can see in the pictures to the left it is very small at only 3" tall and a wing spread of 2".

When the carving was finished I attached the wings into a carved notch with wood glue and a small dowel rod. As you can imagine it was all very delicate work which required a lot of focus and careful handling but using basswood made the work both enjoyable and successful. The slide got a LOT of compliments at the Ordeal so I'm now working on a lot of other new ideals for neckerchief slides. What a great week!