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Whamdiddle Cherry Bones with Traditional Swiss Style Floral Design
Inlaid with natural Chrysocolla
The floral design on these Cherry bones is handcarved by master luthier Rick Fogel. This design is the same "Fern with Berries" signature image seen on Rick's Whamdiddle dulcimers. He carves the image using a special method known as kerbschnitzen, which is Swiss for engraving carving.
Fine woodcrafters call the technique "chip carving." Rick takes chip carving one step further by inlaying the design with Chrysocolla, a hard bright blue turquoise-like mineral.
What is Chrysocolla?
Chrysocolla occurs in the oxidized zone of copper deposits, mainly in arid climates. The mineral appears very widely in the Southwest U.S.
According to Wikipedia, "the name comes from the Greek chrysos, 'gold,' and kolla, 'glue,' in allusion to the name of the material used to solder gold." The term "was first used by Theophrastus in 315 BCE."
How the Inlay is Made
To create the inlay, Rick first grinds small nuggets of the mineral into powder using a "hammel." Next, he mixes the pulverized mineral with epoxy to form a flowable medium. Then he fills the chip carving with the Chrysocolla and epoxy compound.
After the inlay hardens, the instrument surface is belt-sanded with 120 grit sandpaper. But we are not done yet. Rick carefully re-sands the surface by hand (also using 120 grit sandpaper) to eliminate any minor imperfections or blemishes. He creates a fine-quality old-world finish by placing the bones under a bright light and scraping the instrument surface the traditional way - by hand, using a "really sharp" hunting knife. Finally, Rick rubs marine spar varnish into the wood which protects your inlaid instruments from moisture and sunlight.
Cherry is a moderately heavy, strong, stiff wood from the Appalachian Mountains that delivers a mild to medium tone.
Cherry is one of the most sought after hardwoods among fine woodworkers because of its smooth uniform texture, medium weight and hardness.
This premium reddish-brown American hardwood turns darker and more rich as it ages. It is prized for its natural luster, attractive grain, and sumptuous warm glow.
Figures below are approximate (but pretty darn close)
Tonality
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Features
- Solid Cherry Hardwood: Excellent for musical bones.
- Chrysocolla Inlay: Alluring turquoise-like mineral.
- Smooth Hand Scraped Surface: Quality old-world finish.
- Proven Shape: Designed by master luthier.
- Quarter-sawn Lumber: Creates stable tone, won't warp or crack.
- Marine Spar Varnish: Protects against harsh elements.
- Includes Instructions: Shows how to hold and play bones.
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