DOI Heft:
No. 239 (February 1913)
DOI Artikel:Lorden, L. W. C.: Chinese hard stone cutting
DOI Seite / Zitierlink: https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.21160#0074
Chinese Hard Stone Cutting
the chinese cutter with the tools required for the more
intricate carving of the stone
beads, but the most useful is the
pencil-shaped tool shown against the
right breast; it is with this that the
principal carving is done, for it en-
ables the sand to be ground into all
sorts of hollows and corners.
When fine holes are required to
be bored he will employ a tool
shown in the next illustration. This
is a drill made of iron, into the point
of which has been set a small piece
of diamond or sapphire and by
means of the stick and string it is
made to rotate violently.
The last illustration shows the
polishing process. This is first done
by means of a large wheel made
from a preparation of fine sand and
sealing-wax, then smaller wheels and
pencil-shaped pieces of the same
a piece in the form of a big rough block. In material are used to get into all the small hollows,
colour it somewhat resembles white mutton fat and lastly a pointed piece of bamboo with leather
and is known as white jade. In breaking it up the over it is worked all over the carving to give it a
workman eagerly looks to see if he can find a vein final polish.
of green or yellow, and let us take it that he has Although one cannot expect to do full justice to
found a layer of both occurring near each other, gems and stones in any reproduction, everything
He now proceeds to cut away the white, but not that is possible has been done in the accom-
all, for he intends to make use of the white and panying plate to give the reader some idea of the
turn out a three-colour piece which will be greatly kind of work turned out by the Chinese cutter,
prized. After having carefully examined the piece
he determines that the design shall consist of a
white rock and climbing over it shall be a green
dragon, while at the bottom of the rock shall stand ,
a yellow lion. With a brush the design is sketched
tion showing the cutter at work, the craftsman «.
will be seen holding the jade against a thin iron
wheel with his left hand, while in his right he ;
for cutting the jade.^ The wheel does not continue ^L^^^^
' When the rough cutting away has" been clone the
large wheel is removed and smaller wheels in turn I Hfc>. \
take its place, and then the different tools as shown imrfflf^Bffl
in the third illustration are used as required. The ^^^^k.
tubes on the man's right are used for carving the the cutter using a drill rotated by stick
rounded portions and are also used for making and string for horing fine holes
52
the chinese cutter with the tools required for the more
intricate carving of the stone
beads, but the most useful is the
pencil-shaped tool shown against the
right breast; it is with this that the
principal carving is done, for it en-
ables the sand to be ground into all
sorts of hollows and corners.
When fine holes are required to
be bored he will employ a tool
shown in the next illustration. This
is a drill made of iron, into the point
of which has been set a small piece
of diamond or sapphire and by
means of the stick and string it is
made to rotate violently.
The last illustration shows the
polishing process. This is first done
by means of a large wheel made
from a preparation of fine sand and
sealing-wax, then smaller wheels and
pencil-shaped pieces of the same
a piece in the form of a big rough block. In material are used to get into all the small hollows,
colour it somewhat resembles white mutton fat and lastly a pointed piece of bamboo with leather
and is known as white jade. In breaking it up the over it is worked all over the carving to give it a
workman eagerly looks to see if he can find a vein final polish.
of green or yellow, and let us take it that he has Although one cannot expect to do full justice to
found a layer of both occurring near each other, gems and stones in any reproduction, everything
He now proceeds to cut away the white, but not that is possible has been done in the accom-
all, for he intends to make use of the white and panying plate to give the reader some idea of the
turn out a three-colour piece which will be greatly kind of work turned out by the Chinese cutter,
prized. After having carefully examined the piece
he determines that the design shall consist of a
white rock and climbing over it shall be a green
dragon, while at the bottom of the rock shall stand ,
a yellow lion. With a brush the design is sketched
tion showing the cutter at work, the craftsman «.
will be seen holding the jade against a thin iron
wheel with his left hand, while in his right he ;
for cutting the jade.^ The wheel does not continue ^L^^^^
' When the rough cutting away has" been clone the
large wheel is removed and smaller wheels in turn I Hfc>. \
take its place, and then the different tools as shown imrfflf^Bffl
in the third illustration are used as required. The ^^^^k.
tubes on the man's right are used for carving the the cutter using a drill rotated by stick
rounded portions and are also used for making and string for horing fine holes
52