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 Blue Earth Royal Chislers  Blue Mound Wood Carvers Inc.  Central Minnesota Wood Carvers Assn.  Ceylon Wood Carvers Metro Wood Carvers  North Star Carvers   |
Member ProfileSubmitted by Elmer Knudsen, Blue Earth Royal Chiselers I volunteered to do the article for the January newsletter for the Blue Earth Royal Chiselers. I don't know where to start. I thought the Ceylon article last month was very well done. Doug and Dorothy are special people. Since I lost my darling six years ago, on January 8, 1998, belonging to woodcarving club has been a god-send for me. I've met and know so many wonderful people from all around the state. One big happy family! I must mention a couple of very special ones that have left us, Herb Hansen and Lem Steele. We all miss them very much. I thought maybe I could come up with some ideas for carvers. I think most of you carvers don't need it but. ..I have a thing about carving lhees, people, birds, animals-that I need to pencil in the eyes while working on a piece. Seems to give it "life"! Another thing is that I think we (our club especially) should come up with a good way of teaching new members. Perhaps furnish them their first knil~? Start out with very simple, easy to do patterns. If a class of several, all do the same item together. Do you agree that the "stop cut" is the most important cut? Do you use your left hand to guide and control the knife? I've finally discovered that the more honing of your knife, the better they work. Less grinding and more honing. Chery. . sure do like your "stately" Santa patterns. Bruce Ankeny, as many of you know, is one of our top-notch carvers. (He likes to do things with big teeth.) He has given me the enclosed pattern for the newsletter. We did this at one of our Chiseler meetings, a cute little thing, fun to do. Thanks, Bruce. Golly, I get to rambling. Our Chiselers spent the day at our local South Central Mutual Insurance Company, "showing-off' our carvings. There were ten of us-very enjoyable-and we were treated to noon lunch by the firm. This old "ham" won a ham in the drawing they had! We will be "showing-off' at the 1st Bank here this Saturday as we have for several years. Several of us belong to the Titonka, Iowa club-a great group! Just remembered my good friend, Al Harper from Ceylon. Miss you, Al. We are all saddened by losing another of our carvers, "Abe" Eflingsberg of Madelia, Minnesota. "Abe", his wife Vi, and daughter, Gay Ellinsberg of St. Louis Park, have been carving with us for several years. Remember Vi and Gay, we are here for you. I just celebrated my 90"' birthday (November 24, 1913). My daughters arranged an open house party for me on Sunday the 23rd, the day of the big ice and snow weather. In spite of that, the party was a great success. Thanks to all you carvers for your cards and visits. I have had a wonderful lifetime to date-'cept for losing my dearest wife, Carol. As a butcher and meat man all my life, knives have always been a part of me. Maybe I could be called a wood butcher! Guess I'm really just a "doodler in wood"! |
