Table of Contents

CONTENTS

Acknowledgements 7
Introduction 8
Ancient legend becomes modern reality 12
Taking up the challenge 12
Elements of design 16
Linking materials and methods 18
Essential tool and techniques 20
Saws, saw blades and sawing 20
Drop saw 20
Slabbing saw 22
Trim saw 25
Point carvers 25
Cutters 27
Polishing 27
Surface finish 29
Abrasives 30
Grain size 30
Bond 31
Safety 32
Making basic holes 30
Making a disk 30
Toki 40
Hei tiki (groove type) 42
Paua inserts 49
Hei tiki (hole type) 51
Pekapeka 56
Mere and patu 58
Hei matau 60
Care, protection and wearing of pounamu 62
Commission work 64
Glossary 66
Further reading 69
About the Author 70

About the Author

Len Gale spent a lifetime committed to arts and crafts. After a varied career as a railway engineer, high-school teacher and artist, he devoted his later years to sharing and documenting aspects of his work, including in four books: Greenstone Carving, Wood Carving, Creative Metal and Technology Basics. Len passed away in 2016 at the age of 89.