Wood Carving of Saharanpur
Brass is extensively used for inlaying floral, geometric and typographic patterns into wood. This is done by cutting strips of metal and then die-pressing them to get the desired shape. These pieces are then sold by weight to the carvers who make grooves for them before hand. They beat these into the wood; stick them with wood adhesive and finally nailed for durability. The waste strips are recycled into fresh metal and used again. Sometimes bone and plastic are also used for inlay work.
Apart from embedding brass into wood, the karigars of Saharanpur have started combining wrought iron with wood. This is either to lend strength to the structure of the product (like chairs, tables, beds etc.) or pure aesthetic value (like in vases, lanterns, candle holders etc.). In either case, the craftsmen do win brownie points for design innovation!
