Inspired by my best mate, or Little Brother as I know him, I deviated from spoon-mode to make something else of the many cocobolo cutoffs I’ve accumulated – another wood hairpin, with a cat theme. Many of my scraps are the perfect size for hairpins and after making my first one a while back and the positive reception it received, hairpins of various shapes and themes have become regular projects.
I typically avoid carvings that require small details. It’s finicky stuff requiring a particular mood that I’m not often in, and it’s a skill I’m still acquiring. Otherwise, the results are dependably poor. For the occasions when I am in such a mood, the results can be rewarding and I am pleased with this hairpin. It’s certainly not an entirely original idea and many really nice cat-themed hairpins exist, but I have yet to find one with all three dimensions. Albeit far from consummate, I’m confident that future editions could be close enough, with practice.
While carving it, my Little Brother was by my side most of the way through. Not to worry though, as he was mostly downwind of the dust. One might think such a process is simple and quick, and while it is actually simple, it does take time, quite a bit for a first run. It’s not the kind of project for one seeking revenue, but I sincerely doubt that it will fail to make someone happy, somewhere someday. It has already made me happy.
My first attempt at a 3d hairpin with detail went strange. I haven’t made a second attempt, but I do think the concept is solid and worth pursuing. And of course, there are many many such concepts awaiting their existence in a piece of scrap wood.
