Carving the Good Luck Bear

 

My Anishinaabe friends call this the "Good Luck" bear. The closer the legs are together, the more luck they will bring.

  
 

  The tools that are required to complete this carving are a hacksaw or hacksaw blade, a round file and a flat rasp. Later for the sanding and polishing, you will require Waterproof Silicon Carbide Sandpaper and Linseed Oil or Bee's wax..

1. For this carving you require a piece of stone that is 3 inches by 4 inches by 1 inches. Like the one shown at the left.

Draw the pattern on the stone and cut out with a bandsaw, as I have done, or use a handsaw.

 2. The cut out Form

3. With a small round file, mark behind the ears. (1 1/4 inches from the nose) Hopefully this will remind you not to file them off when filing the back.
4. Round back with rasp. Work away from the ears.
5. Another view
6. Round stomach using small half-round rasp or large round rasp.
The rasp shown here is a Habilis half-round rasp.

7. Angle the front of the face to form the muzzle with the flat side of the rasp . Leave about 3/4" to 7/8" in the front for the muzzle. Another view can be seen in step 9.
8. Shape neck with small half-round rasp or large round rasp.
The rasp shown here is a Habilis half-round rasp.

9. Mark width of feet with a pencil. About 1/16" or 3/32" of each side should do.
10. Rasp down feet at an angle as shown in the picture.

11. Create the hollow for the eye using a large roud rasp.
12. This picture shows the angle for the eye hollows.
13. Mark the front of the ears. From the front of the ears, shape the forehead.
14. Bring the neck line dowbn to the chin.

15. Join the eye hollow to the neckline
16. Form the nose and muzzle

17. Remember that when you are sanding the carving you are removing stone. Leave enough stone that you can sand to the final shape.
18.

19. Cup the ears and you are ready for sanding. Sanding Page
20. The sanded carving.

21. The polished carving.

I hope you have enjoyed carving the "Good Luck" Bear.