Silver skull rings a bell.

 

 

I’ve been moving about a dozen new projects across the bench this weekend and I though there were at least a few pieces that I’d want to showcase.  It’s been a busy Summer, but things have started to slow down this past week and I finally have time for a post or two.

 

 

 

I’ve been hinting at some major changes to the line in the next few months and one of them will be the tragic death and retirement of the Heidi skull.

 

This is one I just wrapped up for a client.  Perhaps the last one I’ll ever make.  Frankly, this model hasn’t really sold like the others and I’m not sure why.  Maybe a little too cute?  Too simple?  Who knows.  At any rate, with the new rings coming online soon, I’m going to be cutting the fat and this ring- although one of my personal favorites- is getting the boot.

Below we have a new sugar’d up Little Voodoo for Eric.  I’m happy to say that the Little Voodoo will be sticking around for a while.  I don’t get too many requests to sugar these little guys up.  Usually it’s the big skull rings that get all the custom work.  But I designed these little F’ers to take stones and sculpting like a champ.

Eric designed that centerpiece on his own and sent it to me as a sketch.  Fit great.  Some of my favorite sugar treatments have been applied to these little guys.  Remember Mike’s Japanese ring?

 I love that thing.  And what about my recent lightning bolt job?

Anyway, I probably sell 5 classic jobs for every 1 custom on this model.  Still, it’s popular, so he’ll be sticking around for at least a few more seasons.

I’ve also completed Brian’s Masonic skull ring.  A King Skull with some dimensional carving.

This one includes some pillars on either side with numbers and some text.  Overall a LOT of information packed onto this ring.  It’s full of meaning.

Aaaand last of al I’ve completed a guru skull bead for a wrist mala for a special friend.

This will be part of a collaboration piece with my pal Jason over at the Custom Mala Shop.  His shop, incidentally, is just about ready to update its website.  I’ve seen the new page and it looks freakin’ beautiful.  Much easier to navigate and offers more bead options than before.  Love it.  So check back with him at the link above in a few days or so and feast your eyes.  Remember that he is the only place that carries my custom-made solid sterling silver guru skull bead.

Okay, enough.  I’m going to smoke a cigar and go to bed.

Finished Tiki

I’ve already blasted this all over social media, but for you traditionalists out there, here’s the finished Tiki ring for James.

 

James was very specific about keeping the profile of the ring close to the finger.  Kind of the opposite of the King Skull, which is a real gob of silver.  So as crazy as it sounds, this big boy is actually extremely sleek.

The response to this ring has been extremely positive.  I’ve been getting a lot of email requests for rings like it, so I’m seriously considering offering  a version of this ring (not EXACTLY like James’ ring) for sale on the site.

Overall, I think we know that my main site at http://www.mtmaloney.com needs a major, major, major upgrade.  Talk about shitty product shots.  If you just visit that site and not this blog, you really don’t get a sense of the kind of work we do here at the skullworks.

Well, perhaps this ring will show up on the new page.

Tiki don’t lose that number.

We’re not done yet, but I couldn’t wait to post progress from James’ Tiki ring.  This thing looks so fucking cool I can’t stand the thought of giving her away.

But give it away, I shall.  James has been an awesome client and he’s been very patient as I’ve perfected this monster.  I’ve just finished sanding it and it’s in the tumbler right now.

I kinda dig how it looks without a final polish.  I wonder if we should consider a brushed finish on this F’er.  James, drop me a line and let me know what you think.

This tiki ring isn’t the only piece I’ve been filing and sanding today.  I’ve got a preview of the new JUPTER SKULL – the absolute goddamn King Kong of all skull rings.

That’s her right now in two pieces – the master cast of the both the skull and the jaw.  Still have a TON of work to do here.  YOu can see that the jaw still has a big ugly sprue sticking out of her.

The master cast is two pieces, but I’ll fuse them together at the wax phase for clients so they are still cast as one piece.  This also allows me to config this bad boy with an open-jaw if the client so wishes.

I was really torn on even posting these yet because I’m weeks and weeks away from finishing it.  But I couldn’t help it.  It also shows some of my clients why the process takes so long.  These things are UGLY when they come out of the fire.  This one’s already had a LOT of cleanup work done to it by my pal Louis.

I’m hoping to have the Jupiter introduced by the end of July.  We’ll see how it goes.

Stay tuned!

Death and Waxes

Sometimes I get lucky and I get a batch of really cool projects all at the same time.

I’ve got a number of custom skull rings in the works right now.

 

This one’s for John.  A custom sugar skull with sunburst eyes, cherry blossoms around the shank, some text, and gemstone eyes.  Ways to go yet, but it’s fun to work on.  Usually we’d run with Turquoise eyes on something like this, but we’re going to be working on a purple amethyst instead, I think.

Below, we have a piece for Eric.  I don’t always get to sugar up my Little Voodoo.  Honestly there isn’t a lot of room.  Luckily, Eric had some ideas for a modified fleur de lis that will work perfectly.  Damn I love when my clients can draw.

 

I’ve also been hacking at a King Skull for Ryan. Masonic theme.

 

This one’s getting some very cool shank work later on.  I’ll post more pics as we go along.

VERY soon I should have some shots of a cool finished Tiki ring for James.

Hong Kong Bound

Your boy here is going back to Hong Kong for a while, so I’ve got to warn everyone that all orders received after Wednesday of this coming week probably won’t be delivered until the beginning of August.  Bummer, eh?    Not really.  Especially if your ring requires jade.   If you want to order, go ahead and get in touch with me and we can at least start on the designs.

I’ll probably be sketching your piece out in a place like this:

 

…which is the kind of joint I usually eat in when I’m out there.  That photo is actually where the wife and I had our anniversary dinner.  I’m not kidding.  I don’t know how to explain how great Hong Kong is to people when they ask about it.  Just imagine yourself living in the movie Blade Runner, but with amazing food and no cyborgs to kill.

I’ve had a few clients in Hong Kong over the past year.  I’ll be hanging around Ivan’s at night or smoking hookah on Cochrane St near that Lebanese joint.   Any of you who spot me out there and approach me to order get yours on the house.

That’s me an Ivan.  Cool dude.  I’m looking forward to doing shots of his wife’s vodka back in his walk-in freezer in a few weeks.  Also going to visit my pal the Savate fighter who bounces in Central and the calligraphist and philosopher who lives on the side of the mountain in the new territories near the 10,000 Buddhas monastery.  Yeah, pretty much everybody out there is straight out of a movie.

Anyway, stay tuned.  New stuff on the way.