Welcome to the Tiki Central 2.0 Beta. Read the announcement
Tiki Central logo
Celebrating classic and modern Polynesian Pop

Tiki Central / Tiki Carving

Basement Kahuna -New Maori Bone Pendant 3/04

Pages: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 1,150 replies

S
surfintiki posted on 11/03/2009

DAMN! Them is some FINE pieces there BK. The Finest!
I do believe you make these things, so you can use them on people. :lol:
Thanks for the putting in the facts along with it too. This kind of knowledge is SOOO obscure, and you've got-it-downnnnn!
Aloha

C
Clarita posted on 11/03/2009

So beautiful..!

BK
Basement Kahuna posted on 11/03/2009

Thanks everyone...carving these things is learning them. Seeing them in pictures and then holding it in your hand is transformative. Mahalo for all of the -very- kind words!

B
bradyreb posted on 11/03/2009

Just trying to figure out how to post a general reply!!!
How long do you dry a section of queen palm for tiki carving???

T
TikiMango posted on 11/04/2009

Perfection. Those look museum quality for sure.

LLT
little lost tiki posted on 11/04/2009

TOO Authentic!
Those look straight off of Cook's shippe!
you are superhuman man!
:)

P
Paipo posted on 11/04/2009

Love 'em! The wood on that tewhatewha is to die for. Don't make us wait so long next time!

T
Tahitiki posted on 11/05/2009

Beautiful, I love the stain / finish job, museum quality my friend.

P
pdrake posted on 11/05/2009

that's the second best taiaha i've ever seen.

B
Benzart posted on 11/05/2009

BK it's about time you started carving and posting pic's of your great stuffs again. These new pieces look like the BK of Old with a bit of refinement thrown in. Excellent detail on both pieces and the Altar Image as well.
I'd love to see some Macro shots of all 3 so we could see how you did the details. Looks like you are getting comfortably settled into your new shop,, got Pic's?

Enjoyed the chat the other day!

TBBMT

awesome work bk

BK
Basement Kahuna posted on 11/09/2009

Just finished this 3 inch Teko pendant in bone. Backbreaker's worth of detail in this one..

BK
Basement Kahuna posted on 11/09/2009

P.S. Thanks everyone for the kind words. Aloha!

T
Tamapoutini posted on 11/09/2009

Love those long-weapons BK! I was talking to an accomplished Maori woodcarver a few months back and he told me that the most common wood used for such was/is native NZ manuka or kanuka (slight differences between the two): a very hard slow growing 'scrub' around these parts, grows quite tall and spindly and has a real springiness to the boughs (also good for staking climbing beans). The most interestng thing I learned was that to prep the wood it was often weighted down in a running stream for at least a year(!)to flush out resins which otherwise cause splitting when drying. I spoke to another guy who was fashioning a walking/talking (tokotoko) stick from the same, who claimed his timber had spent 5yrs underwater and a further 2yrs slowly drying - and I though patience was needed for stone grinding.. :)

BK
Basement Kahuna posted on 11/10/2009

Interesting! I had never heard these methods.. only the fire and smoke hardening. Great to get info from these old carvers. These really are lost art forms. True...patience is a virtue when carving anything as we all know. The walnut used here was part of a ridge of old growth that was cut near Franklin North Carolina long ago. This tree was 200-plus years old when cut. I have had it pressed in my stock pile along with a few other pieces for 7 years. Not quite the same process, but not quite the same geography. I am literally tracing around tracings to get the maximum use out of all of it I can..It's beautiful stuff, but Taiaha sized lengths are something I have to pull everything out to find anymore. I heard also that there is a species of Podocarpus that grows in New Zealand that was used for weapons. I would love to get my hands on some of those woods to try them on for size. I could do a lot with them. For now I used the prettiest and cleanest woods I can find around here.


The Cockeyed Mayor Of CarvaKaKai.

[ Edited by: Basement Kahuna 2009-11-10 07:55 ]

T
TheBigT posted on 11/10/2009

On 2009-11-08 21:13, Basement Kahuna wrote:
Just finished this 3 inch Teko pendant in bone. Backbreaker's worth of detail in this one..

Awesome. As are the two weapons you posted. The polishing work on those is really fine. I can just imagine the back pain putting in the detail on this guy too. Ugh.

BK
Basement Kahuna posted on 01/05/2010

Another black walnut Taiaha...last piece of this great wood I have for now. This fine weapon goes to our resident playboy adventurer Traveling Jones

BK
Basement Kahuna posted on 01/05/2010

More photos

B
Benzart posted on 01/05/2010

Excellent pieces here BK, Love the Taiaha. no one does'um like you. "bout time you woke up and started posting some Good stuff! :o

LS
Lake Surfer posted on 01/05/2010

Nice chops bruddah!

Miss you round these parts, may 2010 be full of woodchips for ya!

T
tikimecula posted on 01/13/2010

NICE BK!

I see this one is a wee bit different that the other Taiaha you have made/posted. Dig it.

P
pdrake posted on 01/13/2010

the arero is quite different than mine. both have the same smooth lines. both are astounding pieces of art. the man is a true talent.

when you show that kind consistency in your art is shows you've truly mastered it.

K
KAHAKA posted on 01/14/2010

That thing is just flat out ridicurous. Nice work.

BTS
BIG tiki scott posted on 01/14/2010

SUM COOL FRICKIN CARVES HERE DUDE LUVIN UR STUFF VERY AUTHENTIC LOOKIN!!! bigger pics mybe but nuntheless awsome dude!!!!

BK
Basement Kahuna posted on 01/15/2010

Here's a new cheaper piece that I'm producing 20 of right now as part of a line of 3 new affordable bar fixtures I'm making ..a 34" Maori style booze well for that pro touch in a home tiki bar! Just posted details on it on Marketplace.

LS
Lake Surfer posted on 01/15/2010

Very cool Dave!

Form and function come together in yet another top notch carve by the one and only Basement Kahuna!

Love it!

Good luck with the sales!

B
Benzart posted on 01/16/2010

Love this one BK, got more works in the works?

H
hiltiki posted on 01/17/2010

I really like this one too.

BK
Basement Kahuna posted on 01/30/2010

Thanks, BFAMS yeah Ben two more pieces in this line just have to get to 2 and 3!

P
pdrake posted on 01/30/2010

when are you going to start making good stuff?

B
Benzart posted on 01/30/2010

On 2009-11-10 07:52, Basement Kahuna wrote:
Interesting! I had never heard these methods.. only the fire and smoke hardening. Great to get info from these old carvers. These really are lost art forms. True...patience is a virtue when carving anything as we all know. The walnut used here was part of a ridge of old growth that was cut near Franklin North Carolina long ago. This tree was 200-plus years old when cut. I have had it pressed in my stock pile along with a few other pieces for 7 years. Not quite the same process, but not quite the same geography. I am literally tracing around tracings to get the maximum use out of all of it I can..It's beautiful stuff, but Taiaha sized lengths are something I have to pull everything out to find anymore. I heard also that there is a species of Podocarpus that grows in New Zealand that was used for weapons. I would love to get my hands on some of those woods to try them on for size. I could do a lot with them. For now I used the prettiest and cleanest woods I can find around here._______________
The Cockeyed Mayor Of CarvaKaKai.

Hey BK, The Podocarpus is called the Totara in NZ, another strain of podocarpus. I have a few pieces of trunk about 4 to 5" in diameter and maybe 3 feet long. It's yours if you want one just let me know and remind me just before Hukilau and I'll bring it down. I've carved it 2 feet in diameter so it Does happen here but not often.
My stock is from a hurricane we all knew personally.

BK
Basement Kahuna posted on 02/03/2010

Absolutely, Ben..I'll take all you're willing to spare. I have a small piece from Jungle Jim but it's only good for a tiny weapon. Thanks, BFAM!

B
Benzart posted on 02/11/2010

I'll dig it out and set it aside for'ya. don't have anything longer that3 feet, but havr one about 4" diameter for you

BK
Basement Kahuna posted on 03/05/2010

Here's a new piece...Just put this one for sale on marketplace for 165 (ten-plus hours of work!!) A Maori style pendant carved by me in bone depicting two Manaia with unusually large openwork. Pretty "pupil" style Green Abalone inlay and nicely patinaed to look ancient, the way we like them! It's a bigger piece, 3 3/8 inches.

C
coconuttzo posted on 03/05/2010

Beautiful pendant! How did you do the petina to make it look so old? I've been trying some tea stains but it does'nt seem to stick on well.

P
pdrake posted on 03/05/2010

use tea in vinegar. the vinegar reacts with the calcium in bone like it does with easter egg shells.

K
kingstiedye posted on 03/05/2010

a real beauty, bk! bravo!

[ Edited by: kingstiedye 2010-03-04 19:25 ]

BK
Basement Kahuna posted on 03/05/2010

Thanks, Bullet..(P.S. Panel progress shots on Facebook!!)

LS
Lake Surfer posted on 03/05/2010

Top notch Dave, top notch!

J
JohnnyP posted on 03/05/2010

Oh man, super work, that open work carving takes a lot of talent.

John

K
KAHAKA posted on 03/06/2010

Hot damn!

S
surfintiki posted on 03/06/2010

BK, I'm hoping some day you'll go back and do a big fat Marquesan in some WOOD!!
woo hoo

BK
Basement Kahuna posted on 03/07/2010

Gotta do a tiki next 2 weeks for the Orlando show! Working currently on the long-overdue Maori panel for Kingstiedye and a couple of older war club commissions, along with some jewelry. On the staining technique-that is a good formula that Perry suggested. I have used it in the past-although my current formula uses none of the above :wink: . Thanks, BFAMs and SFAMS for the compliments..you guys are too much. So much good work on Creating now.

C
Clarita posted on 03/07/2010

That pendant is to beautiful really.

TBBMT

wow so cool keep up the good work

S
seeksurf posted on 03/07/2010

Incredible! lots going on there.

T
TikiMango posted on 03/07/2010

Great form BK. I like all the open work.

Pages: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 1150 replies