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Lost Wax Technique, Kathmandu

 

While visiting Kathmandu, our group was shown a variety of traditional handicrafts, including making brass art using the lost wax technique.

Spare Nepal 04-2002 (10) Kathmandu Lost Wax technique
(Our guide explaining the lost wax technique, and showing us some models)

An artist creates a design out of bee's wax. The size and complexity of the wax model can vary greatly...

Spare Nepal 04-2002 (9) Kathmandu Lost Wax technique(Carving the wax model)

A caster then casts this model.  Sometimes master casts are created which are used to make more than one model, but in our demonstration each wax carving and casting were unique.  The casting was made of a mixture of dung and mud and other stuff that I can't remember, which is allowed to harden.

Metal is heated in a primitive kiln and when molten is poured into the mold.  The hot metal melts the wax and fills the mold, assuming the shape of the original carving.

Spare Nepal 04-2002 (12) Kathmandu Lost Wax technique

Once the molten metal has cooled, the mold is broken to release the rough casting.

Spare Nepal 04-2002 (14) Kathmandu Lost Wax technique(breaking the mold and freeing the poured brass)

The rough parts are cut off and recycled, while the casted piece is cleaned up to remove signs of the casting process.

Spare Nepal 04-2002 (11) Kathmandu Lost Wax technique(polishing the final product)

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  • Kathmandu Lost Wax technique
  • Kathmandu Lost Wax technique
  • Kathmandu Lost Wax technique

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"We do not take a trip, a trip takes us".  John Steinbeck, from Travels with Charlie

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