soft wax sheet

Morning all :)

Have been experimenting with wax lately, and from my experiments have settled on using soft sheet wax, but wondered how you would go about cutting a pattern from the wax sheet so that the cut edges were crisp and clean. Have tried a saw, scissors, scalpel etc but still get a fair bit of drag on the top and bottom edges of the cut where wax has been pushed up, which I find tricky to remove. Any hints and tips gratefully received, also if there are any recommendations of a book or resource for working with soft wax sheet in particular.

Thanks!

What are you trying to make with it and why did you choose soft wax sheet rather than hard wax blocks?

I'm making a flat charm with a foot print, which will be cast in gold. Have experimented with both hard and soft wax and the soft gives the best print with minimal encouragement. Sure there must be a "best" technique for cutting the soft wax sheet it as in my "googling" have seen quite intricate patterns scribed ready to be cut, but can't find any info on the actual cutting technique!

Melanie, you've invented your own technique and good on you, but soft wax sheet was never intended for carving. It is mainly used for making temporary boxes to contain poured plaster, or for small additions to hard wax carvings.

You might consider finding a firmer wax and putting it in hand hot water for imprinting. Then allowing it to cool for carving

You can avoid dragging it to some extent by cutting with scalpel blades dipped in a lubricant, such as liquid lighter fuel. This can also be used on cotton buds, or a small twist if cotton wool held in tweezers to smooth wax surfaces.

To add or replace wax, melt it onto a carver or knife tip, heated with a small bushy flame of your mini torch and then flow it on. Dennis.

I think I would cut soft wax sheet designs using a pointed scalpel with the wax on a flat piece of wood or a cutting pad. You could also add designs using wax carving tools heated on a spirit lamp, tools like these; http://www.amazon.co.uk/Piece-Stainl...s=dental+tools

James

Thanks James and Dennis, just stuck my scalpel in a flame and cuts much cleaner :) Onwards and upwards, next stage sending them to be cast and seeing how they turn out. Working in gold will be new to me, am I wrong to assume it will polish in much the same way as silver, and that I can use the same mops and compounds?

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Originally Posted by Melanie

Thanks James and Dennis, just stuck my scalpel in a flame and cuts much cleaner :) Onwards and upwards, next stage sending them to be cast and seeing how they turn out. Working in gold will be new to me, am I wrong to assume it will polish in much the same way as silver, and that I can use the same mops and compounds?

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I have always used the same polishing compounds and mops for both gold and silver Melanie. I use Tripoli and Rouge.

Melanie, if its worked thats fine but personally I would have used modelling clay so if they don't come out how you want that may be worth a try :)