How to Carve Cypress Knees With Bark on Them
- 1). Place the cypress knee in the large pot. Fill it with water so the knee is completely covered.
- 2). Place the pot on the stove. Turn the burner to high heat and bring the contents to a boil.
- 3). Boil the knee for 30 minutes. Remove the knee and place it on the work surface. Peel the flaking skin off while wearing the rubber gloves, as the knee is hot.
- 4). Place the knee in front of a large fan on high speed, in the sun if possible, to dry it. Dry it until it is completely dried -- about one to two days.
- 5). Draw an outline of what you wish to carve on the knee. Incorporate the different swirls and shape of the knee in to your carving.
- 6). Chip away the shape of the desired object using the chisel and mallet, taking only small pieces away at a time.
- 7). Cut out finer details of the carving using the small paring knife. Smooth over the entire surface using the sandpaper, if desired.
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