Bill Wetzel
5010 Sunset Drive
Easley, SC 29642

williampkerri@bellsouth.net

864-306-6749

My name is Bill Wetzel and I have been active in the Western South Carolina Gem and Mineral Club and in the SFMS for over 20 years. I have served as club president, vice president, field trip chairman, Wildacres Registar, and Scrimshaw Instructor. My lapidary interests include cabbing, silversmithing, wire wrapping, faceting, scrimshaw, and most recently knapping.

CLASS DESCRIPTION

Scrimshaw is an art form that was first popularized by American whalers. The designs are scratched through the polished or sealed surfaces of materials such as ivory. Pigments are then applied. Scrimshaw is used in jewelry, knife handles, and powder horns.

This is an economical course in scrimshaw. We will focus on how to prepare and use low cost, easlily available scrimshaw blanks, such as bone, horn, tagna nuts, shell, mother of pearl, and old piano keys. No whales will be harpooned for this course. If students wish (not mandatory), they may bring old ivory, whales teeth or you may purchase ivory in class. The skills learned on these harder materials can be easily adapted to rare ivories

CLASS FEE - A lab fee of $30 will cover a scrimshaw starter kit, some additional, supplies, and all needed scrimshaw blanks.

Maximum Number of Students: 8

Pre-requisite: Though there is no prerequisite, some ability to pencil draw is useful if you plan to make original designs.