Boston Ball & Claw

[John_Owen]

I have run across a number of step-by-step articles for carving Philadelphia ball & claw feet, but I have never seen one dealing with the Boston style.  I suddenly have the urge to try one.  Does anyone know of a reference that describes the process?  The raking toes are obviously the part I am most interested in.

 

[pampine]

How about an excellent video by Phil Lowe at the Furniture Institute of MA, http://www.furnituremakingclasses.com/home.html. To be honest, I don't remember if he carves a Boston claw, but he shows about 4 types, including Philadelphia; and you should be able to figure it out from what he shows.

Pam

 

[albreed]

John- The Boston B&C has a few major differences from others. The raked back claw is the most obvious and easiest to do.
In addition, the claws are quite thin with knobby knuckles and they come up very high on the ball so that the three last knuckles form a small triangle just below the point where they leave the ankle, leaving very little web at the top of the bal.
Also, the ball is quite chopped off at the bottom and many of the "circles" where the ball hits the floor are more like rounded off squares.
As a disclaimer, these attributes are found on the Boston feet that I like...............there are many types of "Boston" feet that are nothing like the one I just described.-Al