I’ve just started do do marquetry about four hours of cutting per day over the past several weeks. I hold the knife just as I would a pen. And press down with considerable pressure to cut the veneer. Problem is my index finger is getting very sore. The last joint is swollen and a little red. I want to do a lot more marquetry. How can I prevent damage to my hand? Do I toughen up over time? Should I hold the knife differently? I’m using an Exacto knife.
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Replies
Get a book on marquetry and learn the finer points. One of the top marquetry experts has a shop near me and he uses a scroll saw for curves and a table saw for straight cuts. There's some really good books and DVD's out there. Typically folks would use a tool called a veneer saw which isn't really a saw but a knife with teeth for cutting. Using the right tool turns a tedious and potentially harmful application into a pleasing experience.
I have several books and have read them. But I have not heard this point discussed. I'm using the window method to create pictoral images which exclusively uses the knife.
Four hours a day..........are you crippled yet? I can't imagine more than a few minutes at a time. I use a scroll saw, jig and jewelers saws.
Below is a link to a veneer forum with several professionals describing the chisel method they use. Apparently it is at least one method that has been used in France for many years. I have tried it and this winter I will dedicate more time to it.
I hope this helps
Ron
http://www.vacupress.com/forum/search/results.asp?forumid=3&searchfield=body&keywords=cutting+chisel&authorname=&date=-1&Search.x=32&Search.y=15
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