‘Look after your tools and they’ll look after you’ is the motto. It may not be the most exciting aspect of being an ice sculptor, but maintaining your wide range of equipment is extremely important.
Aside from the health and safety implications, leaving tools unchecked for long periods of time can begin to seriously affect the quality of your sculpting. A blunt blade is of no use to anyone and can actually be very dangerous.
The team use Japanese water stone to sharpen their chisels, while a file is used to sharpen the chainsaws. Chainsaw blades can be filed many times, it’s the chains themselves that need much greater upkeep and replacing more regularly.
Oiling the chain should be done as a matter of good practice as this keeps it moving over the blade more smoothly, preventing any potential jams.
Checking cables on tools such as die grinders is also essential. Any little nicks that bare the wire could cause big problems, especially when working near water.
Take a look at some more of our ice, tools and props.