Patent Application
20120017789
The present invention relates to craft tools, and particularly but not exclusively to a baren and a method of using a baren, and a stamp and a method of using a stamp.
A baren is a tool that has traditionally been used in Japanese printmaking processes to apply pressure to paper over an ink block. In more modern times barens have also found use as an art and craft tool suitable for the hobbyist and for use in schools and colleges, for example, for block printing, scrapbooking, card crafting and other crafts requiring burnishing or even pressure distribution.
In one example application, a block or sheet of wood or linoleum is cut in a desired design, pattern etc and then ink, paint, dye or other marking medium is applied to the cut block/sheet. A piece of material (also referred to as a substrate) is placed on top of the inked block/sheet and pressure is applied to the material so that the marking medium is transferred to the material. The material might be, for example, paper, card, plastic, textile, wood, wallpaper, etc.
Generally, the baren provides a flat surface for providing substantially even pressure to a piece of work, for example for rubbing paper (or other material such as card of textile material) against an ink block. Barens can come in a variety of forms and a typical baren is illustrated in
A stamp is a craft tool comprising a stamping medium such as rubber, lino or wood on which an image or pattern is formed (for example carved, moulded, or laser engraved) in relief. The stamp may be provided with a handle for ease of use. In use, a marking medium, such as ink, paint, dye or pigment is applied to the stamping medium. The coated stamp is then pressed onto a substrate to transfer the image to that substrate. A stamp may be supplied with the image preformed, or a user may create their own image, for example by carving.
According to a first aspect of the invention there is provided a baren comprising a base having a flat surface adapted for applying pressure to a work piece and a handle removably connected to the base, wherein the handle has an end that is adapted to receive a craft blade.
In this aspect a multifunctional apparatus is provided that can be used as both a baren and a craft knife. The apparatus is particularly useful because a baren and a craft knife are used in complementary processes in the art and craft of block printing: the knife is used to carve a block and then the baren is used to press material (typically paper) onto the block after inking the block.
The handle can serve both as a handle for a baren and as a handle for a craft knife thereby increasing convenience and more efficiently using storage space for the user and reducing cost for the manufacturer. In an embodiment of the invention the baren base is adapted to be connected to the handle of a previously sold craft knife so that a user (eg hobbyist or school/college) can extend the usability of existing craft knives by fitting a baren base to the craft handles. The base can be sold or otherwise supplied separately from the handle.
The baren may comprise a removable smoothing surface, such as a self-adhesive felt patch.
According to a second aspect of the invention there is provided a stamp comprising a base having a stamping surface adapted for transferring a marking medium from the stamping surface to a substrate, and a handle removably connected to the base, wherein the handle has an end that is adapted to receive a craft blade.
The stamping surface may comprise PVC or vinyl. The stamping surface may be arranged so that an image may be cut into the stamping surface by a user of the stamp using a craft knife. Alternatively, an image may be already provided on the stamping surface, for example by moulding, scoring or carving the stamping surface.
In a similar manner to the above baren, a multifunctional craft tool apparatus is provided that can be used as both a stamp and a craft knife. For example, a user may connect a craft blade to the handle to form a craft knife, which he might use to carve a design into the stamping surface of the base. The user might then transfer the handle to the base to form a stamp that can be inked to transfer the image to a surface.
The stamping surface may be removable from the base. That is, the stamping surface may be arranged so that it can be removed from the base without damaging the base. The stamping surface may further be arranged so that it can be reattached to the base. In such embodiments, a user can change images to be stamped without needing to purchase a new stamp each time by changing the stamping surface.
In some embodiments, a craft tool can be used as a baren as well as a stamp and a craft knife, allowing a user to choose between two different methods of creating an image using the same apparatus.
In a craft tool in accordance with either of the above embodiments, the base may comprise a cavity suitable for storing one or more craft tool tips, such as blades. By having a cavity in the base a convenient storage compartment is provided so that a variety of tips may be stored with the base when they are not in use. In this way the tips/blades are unlikely to lost or mislaid and are readily at hand. When any particular blade is not in use it can be placed in the cavity rather than on a work surface, in this way the user and other people are protected from the sharp edges of the blades and the blades are also protected against damage.
The craft tool may comprise a removable cap for covering the cavity in the base which may also be shaped to fit the palm of the hand. In this way the cap can have a dual purpose—containing the tips/blades within the base (that is, by forming a storage box) and providing a surface that allows pressure to be transmitted to the base by the user's palm.
In an embodiment of the invention the handle has a first end that has a screw thread for screwed connection to a corresponding thread on the base. The screwed connection of the handle with the base can be used to secure the cap over the cavity in the base.
The handle may be slotted for receiving a craft blade and the craft tool may further comprise a ferrule, that is, a band or cap adapted for threaded connection with the first end of the handle for securing a craft blade in/to the handle. The threaded connection of the handle may be adapted to receive both the ferrule and the handle so that the same thread can be used either for connecting the handle to the base or for securing a knife to the handle using the ferrule.
According to a third aspect of the invention there is provided a base for a craft tool comprising means for connection to a craft tool handle, wherein the base comprises a cavity for storing one or more craft tool tips. The craft tool handle comprises an end that is adapted to receive a craft tool tip.
The craft tool tips may comprise blades and/or burnishers, for example.
The means for connection may comprise a screw thread adapted to engage with a complementary screw thread on the handle.
The base may be suitable for use in either the first or second aspects of the invention.
According to a fourth aspect of the invention there is provided a method for using a craft tool, for example the baren of the first aspect of the invention, comprising at least one of: unscrewing a handle from the craft tool's base and connecting a craft tool tip to the handle; and removing a craft tool tip from the handle, storing the craft tool tip in the base and connecting the handle to the base.
The invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the following drawings:
With reference to
Generally the surface 21 of the base that is opposite to the handle 10 is substantially flat so that even pressure can be applied across substantially the extent of the surface 21. For the example baren 100 illustrated in
The surface 21, in one example, is made from nylon, or a nylon type of material, such a material allowing the surface 21 to more easily glide over a piece of work (eg a piece of paper). Of course, other materials could be used to form the base 20 and/or the surface 21 with examples including, rubber, plastic, layered paper, wood (lacquered or un-lacquered), cord coils, and bamboo. In some cases the surface 21 is formed by an array of ball bearings.
Nylon is a slippery material which is suitable for a baren in most situations. However, for some delicate substrates, such as lightweight paper or tissue paper, a softer material, such as felt, might be more suitable. In such situations, the smoothing surface 21 may be formed from a layer of heavyweight felt. For example, a self-adhesive felt pad might be provided which could be placed over the surface 21 in the event that the user wishes to work with delicate paper. The felt pad can then be removed after an image has been transferred to the delicate paper, and either discarded or stored for further use at a later time. The nylon baren base can then be used to apply pressure to more robust substrates, without wearing out the delicate felt.
It will be appreciated that a variety of such detachable smoothing surfaces could be provided for connection to the baren, so that the surfaces can be interchanged depending on the substrate with which the baren is to be used. In such an embodiment, the baren base itself might be made from a lower cost material than nylon, such as plastic.
Returning to the Figure, the handle 10 may have an indentation or hole 12 so that the baren 100 can hung (eg from a hook) for storage or for display at the point of sale of the baren 100. In some embodiments, a cap 30 is provided between the handle 10 and the base 20. In this case, pressure can be transmitted to the base 20 by applying manual pressure to the cap 30 rather than by applying manual pressure to the handle 10 or directly onto the base 20. In this way the baren can be used in a technique in which the pressure of the body is applied substantially downward through the arm and the base of the palm into the piece of work. The cap 30 may be shaped to conform to the palm of the hand so as to aid the even distribution of pressure and/or make the baren more comfortable to use.
The handle 10 is removably connected to the base 20 so that the handle 10 can be disconnected from the base 20 and the handle 10 used as the handle for a cutting tool (as will be described in more detail below). In addition, in one particular form of use of the baren, the handle 10 is removed from the base before manual pressure is applied to the cap 30 (when using the baren for block printing or other craft that requires burnishing).
Referring to
The handle 10 has a blade-receiving end for receiving a blade 60 so that the handle 10 and blade 60 together form a craft knife. A number of example blades 60 are illustrated in
Referring to
In the example apparatus illustrated in
For some of the blades illustrated, each blade 60 has a longitudinal channel that has a generally ‘V’ shaped, or ‘U’ shaped cross-section. The channel narrows towards the cutting end of the blade 60 and the cutting portion is formed in the channel at a cutting end of the blade 60. The cutting portion may have a ground surface on either the inside or outside of the channel, however a more effective cutting portion is produced if the ground surface is on the inside surface of the channel. The particular blades 60 illustrated are designed for block-cutting, for example block-cutting lino. Blades with different shaped cutting portions can be used according to the design required to be cut into the block, for example the cutting portion may have a cross-section that has a wide or narrow ‘U’ shape or a wide or narrow ‘V’ shape.
The base 20 of the baren 100, effectively forms a box for containing blades 60, for example the base 20 may be used to contain, for example, 1, 3, 5, 10 or more blades 60. The base 20 of the baren 100 therefore forms a box of sufficient size so that a wide range of different blades and spare blades may be accommodated.
The handle 20 and ferrule 40 may be sold separately (with or without blades 60) as part of a craft knife. Such a craft knife can therefore be easily converted to a baren 100 by providing a base 20 as described hereinabove. The base 100 may be sold separately with or without a cap 30 so as to convert a craft knife to a baren. Of course any combination of handle 10, base 20, cap 30, ferrule 40, blades 60 and instructions may be sold as a kit or as individual items.
In a similar manner to the baren base 20 discussed above, the stamp base 20′ also comprises a cap 30′ which provides a cover for an internal compartment inside the base (not shown, but similar to that in
The stamping surface 50 is substantially flat, and may be formed from or coated with a material suitable for transferring a marking medium (such as ink or paint) from the stamping surface to a substrate to be marked, such as paper, textile, wood, etc. A suitable material might be vinyl or rubber. The material from which the stamping surface 50 is made may be selected so that it can be carved using a craft blade. This allows a user to carve their own image 60 into the stamping surface 50, as shown in
In the embodiment shown in
When the stamping surface is removed, the stamp 200 may function as a baren 100 as described above, as the bottom surface 21 of the base 20 creates a good surface for attaching self adhesive portions (eg self adhesive portions of PVC) to provide a good stamping tool. Alternatively, a baren smoothing surface 21, such as the felt pad discussed above, might be applied on top of or instead of the stamping surface.
It will be appreciated that the stamping surface 50 need not be removable, but could instead be permanently attached to or integral with the base 20′.
Instructions provided for use with the baren 100 or the stamp 200 may substantially follow the steps illustrated in the flow diagrams of
The flow diagram of
In the case of the stamp 200, the method may additionally comprise the step of carving an image into the stamping surface. That step may be performed whilst the stamping surface is attached to the base (especially in an embodiment where the stamping surface is integral with the base) or prior to a step of attaching the stamping surface to the base.
The flow diagram of
The items of apparatus may be supplied in any of several combinations in the form of a kit together with instructions that generally follow the flow diagram (or a portion thereof) of
In a further embodiment, (not shown but similar to the baren shown in
