Japanese Pencil Carvers, indeed.
Wow.
You always come up with the coolest links, astro! That one went to over half my address book.
How the hell…
Finally, I can say this in context!:
NANI?!
The techniques are all pretty straightforward, and known to any decent woodcarver. Most of the oddest looking ones are based on the carved chain, with links that are folded out. But I must say that I’m damn impressed that someone actually managed to carve those things on such a small scale, in pine, and (in most cases) without breaking the lead. Give me an inch-diameter dowel, and I’m sure I could do any of those. But a pencil? Wow.