Customer Reviews

Scrimshaw: A Complete Illustrated Manual

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This is a much better beginners guide to all things scrimshaw. They cover the tools and what you can use as material for the craft. The whole range is covered including beef bone,( I find nice bleached ones at the local pet big box stores) tagua nuts,polymer ivory, shells and billiard balls.Even the modern ones made of plastic are hard to tell when done correctly.Old ivory piano keys the heads and tail pieces. (Check with your local piano repair man)and of course horns and antlers. Using power equipment on the antlers use a proper dust mask. If you use antlers you may find some at the local new age ect fairs or flea market.Or pen maker suppliers have an assortment of materials.
The authors assume you know something of arts and crafts. they do go into detail on patterns and transfers and engraving also coloring and shading. the step by step is well done. All photos are a good size and well lit with only enough of the work table shown as needed. So you get an up close and personal view of the topic at hand. They are numbered and the descriptions are complete but brief. It is a well thought and laid out work that will well return your cost. I own it and use it on, piano key ivory scrimshaw makes nice jewelry inserts.

Looked around and took a chance. Lucky me, this was exactly what I needed.

Suggestion: Before you buy, Ask yourself what you need to accomplish, what level of knowledge do you possess about the art, how detailed do you want the art to be, how are you with reading directions.

ME: Want to scrimshaw bone, nothing fancy *

Very little knowledge *

Details could be important *

Not good with reading direction. Would rather experiment hands on looking at photos as guide. *

This book was just the right fit, and has plenty of direction for advanced artwork.

Hope this helps.

This is an extremely well presented book with great photos. I am new to Nantucket lightship basket weaving and felt that if I could do scrimshaw as well, I would have it all. This book encouraged me to stay the course. It has many photos and the information seems complete. I particularly liked the sources of supply provided in the back of the book but I did find a few that were out of date. Still, if you are new to scrimshawing this is a good place to start. Enjoy!

book was ok . had more a bout history. just so so on projects. buy other books with it!