So, when I was searching some forums late at night I came across a post where someone had fashioned their own sculpting tool. The handle and the tool itself had been hand made. I wanted one.
The article credited the design to a guy named Gene VanHorne. I googled the name but didn’t come up with very much. Instead, I found a link to another blog. A blog for a chap named Gerhard Schellert. You can find that blog here
What a fascinating read.
Hailing from Germany, Gerhard is one hell of a good forger. Hand made from scratch, his sculpting tools are just sublime.
He has a number of tutorials on his blog to make a set of sculpting tools, one being his own, the Schellert Tool. Of course, I haven’t the first clue about forging nor could I afford the tools and materials to make them even if I did.
So I got in touch with Gerhard immediately and told him all about my project.
Within mere days I was the proud owner of the Schellert Tool… and what I piece of work it is. Check this out:
The tool came housed in a, get this, not only custom box but also personalised box too. The cover of this box is personalised to me and my project. With a quote from Blade Runner too. Amazing.
Two tools were included in the set. One for 1mm work, the other for 2mm. A set of nicely annotated instructions as well.
The above are the 1mm sculpting tools. These are just sublime. They are made with the greatest care and workmanship.
Here are the 2mm tools for slightly bigger work. The variation of different tools is… fascinating. To say the least.
A 1mm tool loaded in to the handle. This handmade tool has been tapped and died to allow you to store the heads in the handle tube itself. Very handy indeed.
Probably the best part of this tool is the fact you can dual wield this baby better than Darth Maul can his light sabre.
It’s without saying then that I am in awe of the awesomeness of this tool, but more importantly it’s the functionality, variability and durability of the Schellert Tool that stands apart from any other out there – and to be fair, there really aren’t any others like it.
True to the legend, Gerhard upholds my belief that Germans are indeed the best engineers of this world. Audi, BMW, Harder & Steenbeck…
This is undoubtedly a must for all modellers/converters/sculptors/wargaming practitioners alike.
A number of these fantastic tools will be available soon. If you want one, head over to Gerhard’s blog here and drop him a line!
[ ] Refund, please!
[ ] Yeah, it works… I suppose.
[ ] Great, but not for everyone.
[ ] Beyond impressed.
[ x ] Perfection, perfected.
by on January 30, 2012
