The decorative art of Thai wood carving is known through the world for the master craftsmen who produce works of astounding visual beauty in many forms. The master carvers select a teak hardwood use for traditional large Thai carvings. Several pieces of wood are used for one carved piece, one piece being worked on at a time, and then joined as needed until finished.
To start off the general shaping is done with gouges used with a mallet or hammer. These gouges have a curved blade with bevelled edges which smoothly removes large amounts of the wood. For the finer details chisels or knives may be used too.
Once the master carver has done the hard work of gouging for the main features of the artwork, he can begin to work on the finer details which may require other tools that cut and shape, such as a v-tool which makes fine lines and cuts. Rasps and Rifflers may be used for sanding and smoothing the finished product before varnishing or gilding takes place.
There is a lot of detail that goes into Thai wood carving, and the love and dedication put into the work that the master craftsmen do has to be commended.