Yesterday I received an email from a fellow sculptor regarding what was the best solution for sharpening wire tools. Julie wanted to know what oilstone to use and was there any particular make or brand that was best.

I thought this would make an ideal start for the now famous “Problogger Group Writing Project” that everyone anticipates each month.

You may well ask, “What is a wire tool?” These particular tools are used in the sculpting industry for working fine details mostly relating to the industrial arts such as automotive clay modeling. They are most widely used when modeling interior detail parts and apertures.

This type of tool is constructed from spring tempered wire or music wire which will hold a keen edge without blunting quickly, making it ideal for the abrasive nature of the industrial modeling clays. Wire tools are available through a handful of specialized tool suppliers and when you receive them they are normally ready to go, straight out of the packet.

So, we have a quick synopsis of what the wire tool is all about and you can appreciate that once one of these hardened tools become dull then it has to be sharpened in some way. Continue reading Learning the Basics About Sharpening →

One of the hardest tasks as a beginner is to decide what clay to use but once that is set then you have to apply it to some kind of armature. Now that may sound easy but just imagine a full size vehicle, let’s say Sequoia size, the frame work had better be up to the task or you’ll have a disaster on your hands. Just imagine, up to 10,000lbs in weight of steel, wood, foam and clay. Continue reading Spread the Load →