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Animal Eyes

Glass eyes are usually used to put in eyes on animals carved on sticks, usually I have used

plain black. buffalo horn eyes because in proportion to the body they are small and appear

However for a Fox Head stick I tried a new technique as follows.

I started by marking the position of the eyes in pencil, then I selected a brass tube and cut a piece about 25 mm long and filed some teeth around the edge, then I fitted it a small model makes drill and with the head held securely in the vice facing me I drilled the two eyes. This takes two hands to hold the drill steady and minimum pressure and a reasonably high speed. The tubes as shown in the photo are1mm to 6mm.

The first photo shows the eyes from the front after they have been drilled and the second is a profile view

Once the eyes are drilled then with a small chisel horn needs to be removed at the corners to make the almond shape, above the eyes to define the brows and a little bit under the eyes to give them some definition

The eyes can then be painted, after they have been painted I then coat the eyes with a thin covering of two part epoxy glue using a cocktail stick. This gives a lens effect and covers up any imperfections, epoxy embedding solution would also work.

Before the glue sets hold the stick in the vice so that it is facing down with the eyes pointing to the floor. This enhances the lens effect at the front of the eye however it is best to use quick setting glue to prevent excessive pooling.

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