Almost there.
Seen from above, the horse-shoe curve of the endclasp is reasonably straightforward; its just a matter of shaping it on the bending iron. But shaping the vertical plane is more complicated, because it has to keep twisting in order to accommodate the ever-changing vertical contours of the lute body. And just to complicate matters: where the bottom edge of the endclasp picks up the edge of each rib, I must smooth away the ridges.
Difficult, but not impossible. My next attempt, on the next lute, should be easier to navigate.
Far from straightforward, I would have thought! But it is looking great. . .
Thanks Geoff. I should have stuck to spoons….
This endclasp is a lovely shape with its decorative design at each taper. And I like to see the range of clips holding each stage together during assembly. Amongst your contemporary clips are wooded devices with tiny chocks … are these a historic style of clasp?
More or less Lucy. It is a Luthier gadget, and I improvised a little with the specific design…..