Runstensskolan - Huggteknik

Rune carver school
Carving technique

Carving technique is difficult to teach by writing, it’s something you learn by experience. Besides, every stone is different when it comes to hardness and behavior.

The first time you try your new tools it should be on a test-stone where you have sketched different kinds of crosses and parallel lines. When you start to cut seriously you should wait with cutting the head, paws and other advanced details, till you have got to know your tools and your stone’s behaviors.

Cut your stone with care
The day will come, when your work will be compared
with others. Then people shall be able to say:
“The stone is carefully carved by a skilful rune carver”.

Möt anslutande huggspår från det färdighuggna spåren

— = not cut
— = carved

When two lines meet, you carve from the finished line and meet the other line. This will prevent your corners from cracking.

Detalj av drakens nära huggspår vid öga och pannbåge

A problem with the lines of the head
To the right you can see the carving in profile. The pictures to the right shows how you carve secure lines near the eye and forehead-curve.

Picture 1
Exempel på huggvinkel. Denna är rätt!

The chisel is angled.
The shock wave leads away from that area.

Picture 2
Denna huggvinkel är fel.

There is a risk that the surface between the lines cracks away.
Angle you chisel!

Movie clip This movie clip show my carving technique
		This movies are from the work of the Stallarholmen rune stone in October 2005
Holding the chisel 7 MB	Open up 33 MB

Cleaning the bottom 23 MB	A small tip ! 17 MB

- Is it carve or cut?
I often get that question, and the answer is that you do both at the same time.

At first you carve, but without cutting there is no use with your work, unless your stone is a sandstone or another sensitive stone.

By Lovö church in Ekerö commune, there are 2 old rune stones which are only carved. Both are red sandstone and partly because of the technique (to only carve), they are made very clumsy.

You can clearly see what problem he got when the chisel flew away and went
it’s own way without control. The result was both abrupt and jagged.

Runsten U 50 vid Lövö kyrka i Ekerö kommun